Margaret Borthwick's art practice over the last three years has been inspired by repeatedly exploring local landscapes by walking alone and with friends. She immerses herself in the environment over different seasons, weathers and times of day discovering cycles of change, an increasing sense of place, noting sounds and smells and gathering new images and ideas. Repeated visits enhance observation of micro and macro aspects of the landscape, and her work encompasses both.

 

Colours, patterns, light and textures are integral to her work and memory and imagination are added to sketches and reference photographs mixing to produce the finished work.

 

Fungi, trees, foliage and bark patterns inspire her. Depicting both micro and macro aspects of a landscape and seeing them together enhances the visual record.

 

Larger works are usually painted in oils or occasionally mixed media. Margaret has recently enjoyed returning to watercolour to depict leaf patterns using negative painting techniques. Monoprints use found organic objects collected on walks. Smaller micro depictions are often of fungi, tree bark. lichens and the patterns found on woodland floors. These are drawn in ink or produced with pen and wash.

 

Margaret Borthwick's aim is to take her viewers deeper into the landscape and its intangible beauty, encourage observation   and the development of a sense of place.

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