THE JOURNEY 1991

This set of six prints is from a series of seventeen etchings which depict my journey from Belleview park where I lived as a student, to  Backhouse Park art college, where I studied. Nearing my Degree show, I faithfully walked this route every day finding inspiration. The etchings are in a Naive style, using continuous line and link strongly to my style of drawing, printing and sculpture at the time. However simplistic, this set of prints manages to capture the essence of my surroundings in the town of Sunderland, North East England. I experienced a real feeling of nostalgia when I recently discovered the etchings as the memories of my time at art college in Sunderland came flooding back and like a child I remembered happy times, loads of sunshine and tree filled streets; the memory of the smell of burning leaves in late Autumn bringing a smile to my face. And it dawns on me; I experienced the sense of a journey then and find myself still on a journey of discovery as an Artist/Teacher. Like all great journeys it is wonderful to look back, to reminisce, but essential to move on. Therefore as I begin year two of my study, I look forward and back as I continue the journey.