Carry
AkroydbornBorn
1953
Books
© The Land Gallery 2011
Books
and dust jackets featuring Anna Kirk Smith's
illustrations and artwork.
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After
initially studying veterinary science, I made the
decision to change to a rather less anatomical, more
painterly pursuit of natural subjects and gained an
MA in Illustration from the Royal College of Art. I
enjoy a continuing crusade against the perception
that the arts and sciences can often be seen as
distinct and perhaps contrary in nature, but they
share many qualities - both require an informed
approach, which can be subjective or objective, the
pursuit of ideas in both cases requires a belief in
the concept, methodical and concentrated thought and
often leaps of faith are required to reach a
satisfactory conclusion!
Living within a stone’s throw of the sea is an important influence on my practice, and by generally working outside I am presented with more unexpected and varied experiences. When you are confronted by randomly moving subjects, aberrant weather condition, inter-specific interactions, metamorphoses and idiosyncratic occurrences, the work develops in spite of you - more as a reaction to ever shifting surroundings and becomes more of a happening.
Recently I have had the very great pleasure to work with the Wildlife Trusts on an underwater project, centred on the richly diverse marine life of Flamborough Head. Learning to scuba dive, I produced an installation piece as a result of the drawings I managed to do underwater. The detail, the closeness, and the intimacy of encounters with marine species in, what is after all their world, are very beautiful and strangely humbling experiences. One could watch for hours, if the air supply allowed.
Lately, I also completed a painting installation at RSPB Saltholme which consisted of large ceiling and wall mounted canvases to create an atmosphere of experiencing new worlds - from lying on the bottom of lakes or looking up at the spectacular autumnal migrations.
Involved creatively in other ways, I am a director of Big Skies, an arts development company (www.bigskies.org) and also lecture in Contemporary Fine Art Practice at Hull School of Art and Design. It all combines to give me a rather amazing life.
About her work she states:
"I am fascinated by change, be it tidal, erosive, temporal or spatial and the effects of the geology of a landscape upon its inhabitants. Life cycles, metamorphoses and the interaction between species, often marine, inform my work. Each environment has its own unique set of criteria, it is not just the physical landscape that you have to consider but the cultural, historical and biological influences that have all played their part in shaping what you see before you. Places are weighty with stories, and indeed one does not need to venture far to find intriguing themes and situations—you just need to look a little more attentively."
Anna Kirk Smith
Living within a stone’s throw of the sea is an important influence on my practice, and by generally working outside I am presented with more unexpected and varied experiences. When you are confronted by randomly moving subjects, aberrant weather condition, inter-specific interactions, metamorphoses and idiosyncratic occurrences, the work develops in spite of you - more as a reaction to ever shifting surroundings and becomes more of a happening.
Recently I have had the very great pleasure to work with the Wildlife Trusts on an underwater project, centred on the richly diverse marine life of Flamborough Head. Learning to scuba dive, I produced an installation piece as a result of the drawings I managed to do underwater. The detail, the closeness, and the intimacy of encounters with marine species in, what is after all their world, are very beautiful and strangely humbling experiences. One could watch for hours, if the air supply allowed.
Lately, I also completed a painting installation at RSPB Saltholme which consisted of large ceiling and wall mounted canvases to create an atmosphere of experiencing new worlds - from lying on the bottom of lakes or looking up at the spectacular autumnal migrations.
Involved creatively in other ways, I am a director of Big Skies, an arts development company (www.bigskies.org) and also lecture in Contemporary Fine Art Practice at Hull School of Art and Design. It all combines to give me a rather amazing life.
About her work she states:
"I am fascinated by change, be it tidal, erosive, temporal or spatial and the effects of the geology of a landscape upon its inhabitants. Life cycles, metamorphoses and the interaction between species, often marine, inform my work. Each environment has its own unique set of criteria, it is not just the physical landscape that you have to consider but the cultural, historical and biological influences that have all played their part in shaping what you see before you. Places are weighty with stories, and indeed one does not need to venture far to find intriguing themes and situations—you just need to look a little more attentively."
Anna Kirk Smith
Artwork
Anna
Kirk SmithbornBorn
1972