Trish Parry BA (Hons)

  "You could say, creating is not what I do for a living but who I am"

I am influenced by my past, the present and my curiosity for experimenting with new materials. I have a love of vibrant, contrasting colours, contemporary design and attention to detail; all of which stems from my early career as a designer and illustrator.

Finding my own style was difficult. Over the years I have come to realise that I need to be true to myself; follow my own perception of creativity and hope along the way that others have some appreciation for the work I create.

There are definite elements in the way I work; the need to build up numerous layers of paint and texture; my love of contrasting colours to create depth and a sense of mystery; and a contradiction of approaches - the loose and fluid nature of resist materials that generate unpredictability contrasted with the enhanced, painterly surfaces that build up fine detail.

Whatever theme I pursue, I have to have a line of enquiry, follow a narrative or simply experiment with materials. Usually, I begin by taking photographs; I use close-up images and unusual viewpoints that play with the perception of scale and perspective. I manipulate and transform the image on the computer and then start to paint, or build a collage. Once I really have a feel for the work, I put away the computer image and work from my imagination; I like an image to circulate easily, without boundaries that can distract and block the flow.

My work is unapologetically aesthetic; however on closer examination some pieces can appear slightly sinister or other-worldly. I suppose, unintentionally, my work has evolved from what I see, feel and have experienced throughout my life. I don’t portray realism, I portray what is in my mind's eye; aesthetics, mood, concerns and anxieties.

The creative process can be challenging, but when a piece of work is going really well, I wake up in the morning with a sense of purpose and enthusiasm to finish it. You could say, creating is not what I do for a living but who I am.