Working Process
Overview
From a young age in the early 1970s, I was captivated by the desire to become an artist. I would pick up a pen and draw the world around me, as well as the ideas and visions from my imagination. My early artistic subjects spanned a range of themes, including castles, people, flowers, and architecture - many of which have continued to inspire me to this day.
The images above and below are two drawings I created of the Humber Bridge in the UK when I was 5 years old.
My works draw inspiration from a diverse range of sources and perspectives, including Anglo-European heritage, Transatlantic connections, Asian landscapes, gothic revival architecture, urbanity, satire, illustration, and narrative. Through direct and indirect observation, my work explores these varied influences, creating complex and seemingly agoraphobic perspective spaces - a labyrinthine reflection of both the built and natural environments. In doing so, my art echoes the monumental histories that shape our collective European and international identities and shared heritage.
Travel
In addition to working from my imagination, I enjoy capturing the world through direct observation. Traveling to remote regions, I have sketched many magical places, including the Himalayas of India and Nepal, the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia, the Andes of Peru, the Alps of France, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy, as well as countries and landscapes across Europe, the United States, India, Nepal, China, Syria, Georgia, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Jordan, and Peru. You can view a selection of these sketches on the 'My Artworks and Sketchbooks' page of this site.
The image above shows me painting during my trek on the Tour du Mont Blanc circuit in Switzerland.
The image above depicts me painting at Saint Moritz in Switzerland.
My Printmaking Process.
In addition to painting and drawing, I create highly complex, original prints that draw inspiration from cultural heritage and visual histories. These prints are produced using the etching process, where an image is meticulously drawn with a needle onto a pre-prepared wax ground on a copper or zinc plate.
The artist submerges the plate, with the drawn image, in a tray of acid. This etches the exposed, drawn lines into the plate surface, while the unexposed wax ground resists the acid.
The plate is inked by scraping etching ink into the bitten lines, then cleaned to leave only the ink in the etched lines. When developing a new piece, my printmaking day begins with planning and research - reviewing existing ideas as well as exploring new concepts, often based on topics that have piqued my interest. These ideas are then extensively researched.
After conducting research, I produce sketches of ideas as another crucial step in my printmaking process. I then develop more refined dip pen and ink drawings of my final concept. Finally, I reverse this drawing before transferring it onto a copy plate.
The process of etching inspires me, allowing the techniques to evolve organically while I maintain a more controlled approach. I strive to capture the beautiful, nuanced qualities of drawn and bitten lines. This balance of experimentation and control suits my drawing processes, research, working methods, and imaginative approach. In my studio work, I delve into the very essence of the materiality inherent in my drawn and printed processes.
As I work, my mind is constantly active, not just focused on the task at hand, but also considering how this work might help me develop and pursue even more ambitious ideas and subjects that feed into my strong imagination and creative output. I have always been driven to experiment with different approaches and ideas.
The images above and below show a section of one of my printed etchings, captured immediately after it was run through the etching press.
The provided image depicts the various stages and reworking involved in the creation of my etching titled 'Chrysler/Empire'.
You can learn more about my work by reading the online interview I did with the New English Art Club, which you can access by following the link below:
https://www.newenglishartclub.co.uk/news/61-interview-with-neil-pittaway/