Statement

“ Constantly intrigued by surfaces texture and pattern I have always been drawn to Mans’ effect on his surrounding landscape since I was a student.

Having spent time studying, exhibiting and travelling through Japan I have had so many opportunities to capture images from a beautiful world, so different from my own in Norfolk. These both bring back memories and provide a direct source material for my work,  as a single image has the power to take me right back to a time, a place and the emotions felt there.

 

Japanese culture has always been about nature and over time patterns created by the natural world have become stylised and consistently repurposed into contemporary design. With my own photographs observation of patterns and textures leap out at me and fill my many sketch books.

 

Utilising the fundamental nature of my material I choose to work with a rough black clay. The material is strongly suggestive of a mountainous and volcanic land.

Using both thrown and sculptural techniques I have produced a body of strong forms, clothed in pattern and texture reflecting the formality of both urban and natural structure. “

 

Pat Southwood

Artists statement for the Abstract Japan exhibition at Mandell’s Gallery, September 2021.