Marbling At Redbrook Reservoir Print

“After a particularly freezing wild swim at Redbrook Reservoir, I wondered if there was a way to incorporate a place into an artwork. So, after defrosting my hands, I filled a large bottle with peat-stained water to experiment with water marbling later.

“While I’d been swimming, low-swooping birds darted in and out of the water all around me, making the sky feel alive with energy. Paired with the clear blue sky, it reminded me of old-school blue-and-red 3D anaglyph images viewed through those funny cardboard goggles.

“With this in mind, I wanted to capture the energy all around me in a unique piece of Yorkshire countryside art. I wanted to use a style inspired by suminagashi (traditional Japanese water marbling), which is traditionally created using black Sumi ink. However, because I wanted to introduce colour, I needed to experiment with diluted acrylic paints and carrageenan, a natural water thickener. Once I’d finalised my equipment, it was time to play!

“I created several large-scale marbling images in my bath using different types of paper. I then left them to dry before choosing my favourite to paint a large landscape over the top. I finished the piece by adding a few loose strands of red and blue by hand.”