May Jones's Artist Profile
May Jones from Skegness, Ukraine
i like artist
I am strongly influenced by the Environment around me. My inspiration for my Collage and Painting come from the Colours, Textures and Pattern I find in the Landscape around me, particularly in Flora. Through my awareness of my surroundings I explore life and regeneration through the changing colours and forms of the annual cycle of growth and it's mortality. In the minutae of Flower head, leaf, petal and seed head observed throughout the year I locate the textures, shape and colours that inspire me. My most recent series in Mixed Media is a selection of “Sunflowers”. There are 20 – 25 images in this series and still growing. This work sees further exploration with an ever increasing number of textures making use of the patterns in those textures. Layering the textures amongst the layers of paint increases the 3D effect of the 2D artwork. I now make my own colours using Pigments and Acrylic Binder. The colours achieved are much more luminous and deep lending themselves more to my style of work. Once I have completed my image an isolation coat is applied (sometimes 2 or 3 coats), followed by 2 – 3 coats of a removable UVLS protection Varnish. This ensures my work is archival.
Artist's Statement
I am strongly influenced by the Environment around me. My inspiration for my Collage and Painting come from the Colours, Textures and Pattern I find in the Landscape around me, particularly in Flora. Through my awareness of my surroundings I explore life and regeneration through the changing colours and forms of the annual cycle of growth and it's mortality. In the minutae of Flower head, leaf, petal and seed head observed throughout the year I locate the textures, shape and colours that inspire me. My most recent series in Mixed Media is a selection of “Sunflowers”. There are 20 – 25 images in this series and still growing. This work sees further exploration with an ever increasing number of textures making use of the patterns in those textures. Layering the textures amongst the layers of paint increases the 3D effect of the 2D artwork. I now make my own colours using Pigments and Acrylic Binder. The colours achieved are much more luminous and deep lending themselves more to my style of work. Once I have completed my image an isolation coat is applied (sometimes 2 or 3 coats), followed by 2 – 3 coats of a removable UVLS protection Varnish. This ensures my work is archival.
My work is inspired by a life long love of art, texture and colour. My preferred medium is Mixed Media and collage because of the flexibility it allows. The work which is invariably visually stunning is purposefully so and invites a response from the viewer. The foundation for my art work stems from a career in textile and interior design. I started creating 2D Artwork in 1990 using Watercolour. I tried Soft Pastels and worked using either mediums for at least 10 years. I did not use both together (mixed Media). In 2002 I started using Acrylic paints and loved the flexibility it allowed. I particularly liked the diversity of the medium. I attended a College and completed several Modules to include: Exploration of materials, Drawing, Tonal Drawing, Printmaking, Colour, Study of Fine Art. I particularly liked “The exploration of Materials” and found myself wanting to incorporate Fabrics and re-cycled materials into my artwork. Acrylic paint is an adhesive and works really well this practice. I went on to study Acrylic as a material and quickly realised that when adding various mediums it could be used for almost anything. “Golden” refer to their Acrylics range as a “system”. This 2 Year Course encouraged me to incorporate fabric design, shape, Texture and colour into my work and quickly develop a unique style. Within a year of completing my studies a colleague and myself held an Exhibition at a Local Gallery Our work was well received and we went on to Exhibit apart and together thereafter.