Anita Bell
United Kingdom
www.anitabellpaperworks.com
Each paperwork is a one-off piece, created using painted papers which are torn and layered and embellished with free machine embroidery.
The technique used evolved from a study of frescoes and wall paintings, trying to capture the effects of the natural pigments, faded imagery and the peeling paint and I continue to explore color and light with paper and stitch. By taking a thin thread as a medium, details are drawn out using dense lines of stitch that are overlaid like paint to build up depths of colour and create imaginary landscapes.
Shakkei, a Japanese garden term for the “borrowed view” beyond the garden and Ikedori, meaning “captured alive”, are the basis for each piece, reflecting the ever changing light, particularly at dawn and dusk. Making quick sketches and watercolour studies, I try to capture the atmosphere of a fleeting moment.
The technique used evolved from a study of frescoes and wall paintings, trying to capture the effects of the natural pigments, faded imagery and the peeling paint and I continue to explore color and light with paper and stitch. By taking a thin thread as a medium, details are drawn out using dense lines of stitch that are overlaid like paint to build up depths of colour and create imaginary landscapes.
Shakkei, a Japanese garden term for the “borrowed view” beyond the garden and Ikedori, meaning “captured alive”, are the basis for each piece, reflecting the ever changing light, particularly at dawn and dusk. Making quick sketches and watercolour studies, I try to capture the atmosphere of a fleeting moment.
