Toft Gate Kiln at Greenhow, North Yorkshire, was the inspiration for an exploration of narrative and journey. I decided that the shape of the kiln was perfect for a translation into screen printing and would give me the opportunity to experiment with colour.
When I create the stencils for screen printing I like to simplify the subject that I am working from. The colours and textures created are as important for me as the stencil and I love the blending process, making subtle changes that result in a new picture.
‘Toft Gate Kiln, Red’, was the first print that I created in the series. I really like the splashes of purple, green and yellow through the picture and the almost strata effect underneath the kiln. I wanted to create an effect of erosion on the piece and this was done to the right of the piece with the kiln fragmenting into pure colour. I chose the strong red as I often see vivid sunsets on the moor near the kiln, and the purple, yellow and green represent the heather and grass within the landscape.
The ‘Toft Gate Kiln Green’ 1 and 2 were then created to show the kiln at different times of day, with the bright yellow kiln in different positions representing transition of light. The pieces work together as a triptych or in their own right.
