Lowri Almond
BA (Hons) Fine Art
I rather be a "Keyll"
The shapes, colours and forms found in the flora and fauna of my home, on the Isle of Man, are the inspiration for this body of work. The coastal areas, with their swirling patterns created by the ever-changing sea, are breath-taking and the hills with their constantly changing colours are mesmerizing. The patterns lead me to initially interpret these phenomena through intensive pen and ink drawings that try and capture the movement, repetitions and layers of the landscape of which I grew up with.
The Isle of Man has a rich Celtic history and the intricate shapes and patterns created by the old Manx occupants provide further inspiration for my work. The mark-making by our ancestors can be seen around the Island on large standing stones and crosses. Seeing the automatic and seamless echoes of history captured throughout the ages, provide further inspiration for my work. Everyone owns their own interpretation of the beautiful place we live in. It is a combination of this history and the automatic connection I have with the hills, rocks and water that I want to communicate. I want the viewer to see movement and create a story from my lines, curves and marks.
The use of Manx words fits the narrative of my collection: the words hold hidden meanings, adding another layer to be unravelled. I have also utilised a traditional ceramic process for both its organic nature and its relationship to the artefacts that have been uncovered on the Isle of Man. These contemporary relics add to the lineage of people responding to the aura of the Island, a place that holds great importance to me.
