I live in Cornwall and enjoy being outdoors wherever possible. This is reflected in my practice which is concerned with walking, layers, colour, material, process and residue.

When started art college, as a mature student already dabbling, I was constantly asked to justify my use of acrylic over oil.  So I began researching the paint and the artists that embraced this thoroughly modern medium and how they used it. During this time I was also experimenting myself. Watering the paint down to little more than a wash. Pouring and pooling it and applying it thickly with a palette knife but what excited me the most was peeling the dried paint from my palette.

Early work consisted of dried strips of paint which I rolled together as you would paper when quilling, forming rainbow coloured circles. More recently I have started layering dried paint then coating it in white  to make nougat like solid blocks which are then sliced.

My latest series is more restrained, influenced by my beautiful Cornish surroundings. Each painting is based on one day or one walk in one place and it is the colours that I see around me on these walks that go into each painting. Each colour mixed and dried separately then layered and coated in white.
When sliced each painting revels mini abstract land and seascapes, which can be complete scenes or snippets of a larger picture that hopefully evoke a feeling of being in the landscape. 

Conversely I print with very watery paint on highly absorbent supports which causes the paint to sink into to the surface and show through the back of the support producing a secondary image. So which side to show? Or do I show both? In my paintings I make a choice and only show the one side however with these prints I feel I have the opportunity to explore alternative exhibiting options.

 Both my painting and printmaking are influenced by the colours I find in the South West coastline and much of my work is made directly after a walk.

As well as my colours coming from the landscape so do my printing plates. I use found pieces of driftwood to print from and these also have two printable sides forcing me to either choose a side or explore both.

Visit https://www.nickyharwood.co.uk/ to see more