MOIRA FRITH
I paint quickly in watercolour using a technique called wet on wet (adding layers before the paint dries) as I’m aiming to capture the fluidity of the paint and hopefully energy/movement in my subject. It can be an unforgiving process and on some days there are many failed paintings before I find something that works.
“I find magic in the fluidity and unpredictability of watercolour. It’s a balance between control and release – embracing happy accidents. ”
For me, making art is as much about looking and absorbing the world around me as it is about the act of painting/drawing. The natural world is a huge source of inspiration (I work in ecology/conservation), and this can mean focussing on the detail of a petal for example, or getting lost in the shapes, colours and (as cheesy as it sounds) the wonder of it all. I also love looking at art made by others – it’s a huge spark when you seen work that resonates with you. This might be looking at Instagram, Pinterest etc, but nothing seems to beat a great art book – I have a few I reference continuously – a book of old Indian natural history paintings, a book of Georgia O’Keeffe’s watercolours, Rodin’s watercolour sketches and a book about the works of Guidette Carbonell.
Moira is a self-taught artist, making works on paper. Her education/professional background is focussed on natural history and conservation, which is evident in the subject matter of her paintings – mostly flora, fauna and other beasts. She has a BSc (Hons) Zoology – Durham University, MRes Ecology and Environmental Management – University of York and a PhD Molecular Ecology – University of Sheffield. Previous clients/collaborations include: Toast, Fine Little Day, The Old School Gallery, The Shop Floor Project, Loose Joints/Jack Davison Photography, Apres Ski, Collagerie, Anthropologie, OyOy Living Design, Linseed Journal, Lissome Magazine, Tauko Magazine.
