On the Black Hill - The Vision 2
Between Line and Shadow - Alex Boyd Jones
Drawing is key within my practice, its presence having been a constant element since childhood. I enjoy the immediacy of it, the way it absorbs me and the physical connections I have when using various media on different papers and other surfaces. As I immerse myself in the processes of applying and editing marks, different aspects reveal themselves and deeper meanings and connections unfold: a journey of discovery is undertaken.
My work evolves in distinct series but there is a common thread running through about a sense of ‘place’; whether it’s in woodlands, valleys and hills, buildings, structures and paths or in other spaces such as between the lines of a novel. I usually work from my own photographs or through direct studies but I also refer to other material such as archival images and writing.
I find that these places might find me rather than the other way round. Through making, I explore the particularities that resonate and seek to find out why. I look for connections and vibrations, lifting the layers to consider what, why, when and how? Different narratives appear in the borders and thresholds, the shadows and the voids, the tangible and the indeterminate. Our connection to a place is internal and deeply personal but I hope that through my work I can offer a space that connects with viewers on a multitude of levels.
The Way Forward 2
Since 2020 I have been progressing my practicing as a full time artist, while also mentoring other artists and supporting creative projects. Before then, I had a career working as a Curator for 20 years in a number of public art galleries across the UK working with contemporary artists from all over the world as well as curating historical art collections. I have a BA (hons) Fine Art degree, DeMontfort University (1996) and MA in Museum Studies, Leicester University (1998).
