What a fantastic way to begin my eighth week of the 365 day challenge. The last time we booked a break away, I suffered from food poisoning and a thick fog settled itself over Suffolk for the remainder of the holiday. This weekend away (albeit only two days) was absolutely glorious. Now I feel that as an artist who explores a coastal theme in my work that I can quite justifiably count a trip to the beach as research. It was all work I tell you! This is the first time I have ever been to Romney Sands and what perfect beach for kids. They were in the sea for hours, but because the beach was so flat we could watch from the beach knowing that they would have to wade out for miles to even get up to their chest. The array of flowers along the dunes was so beautiful and colourful, like the shells, also found along the shore. There was no wifi where we stayed so it really was like switching off for a couple of days.

Day#51 I wanted to return to my development ideas for the upcoming Colour, Pattern, Texture Exhibition and see if I could further my method of creating imagery. As a designer I found that the best way to create a sense of irregularity, which was what fascinated me, was contrary to what I first thought, working with very regular patterns. I learnt how to work with grids form my Dad who is a Graphic Designer l. This is a very brash outcome and I am not sure the angular nature of the shapes works well, but I like the way that the torn imagery of the photograph can become another shape in the image.

Day#52 I have heard artists say that they have to find order out of chaos and I too tend to begin by creating a general if considered mess, before trying to find what it is I am looking for in the image. With this experiment I just keep adding layers until it became more and more complex, then I tried to pull it back into a composition and blend of colours that felt right.

Day#53 Oops I nearly forgot to submit images for the Royal Society of Marine Artists Exhibition, which closes tomorrow. This are four of the five I put forward.

Day#54 I continued in the same vein as day#52, in part to test the process. There is no magic formula so farad maybe I am naive thinking there will be. The grid I am using is the only certainty in the image. It helps with the structure of the image and where to place the shapes.

I tried dividing up the square in a different way on Day#55 but on reflection feel that an odd number of circles would work better. An even number of circles is too static. I also feel the need to have space around the very patterned area, so will try and extend the format next time.

Day#56

I never start any body of work with a clear plan of what I am doing, but rather let the work tell me where it wants to go. Having said this I feel much easier working with limitations and this is what I am search for at the start of a project. I want a format, and a way of doing things. The concept for me is something that becomes clearer as I develop the work. It is Saturday and between ferrying the kids about, watching the football (Come on England!) and baking a birthday cake for my son, I was able to find some head space to consider these things, research materials and other presentation options and do a bit of mind mapping. I really feel the need to reflect on what I am doing, and at the same time feel that this is a time bound luxury it is hard to indulge in, when everything else is shouting for attention. Hopefully I can create some more little windows of time in which to reflect, as I felt really good afterwards.

Going forward I think I will try to introduce a more figurative element into the pattern structures. I like to have a narrative in my work and am interested to see how a more figurative image will blend with the more abstract ones.

To read more about what inspired my to set myself this challenge, please read my blog post CREATING ART IN THE CRACKS

To see more of Claire Gill’s finished prints please click here SEASCAPE LIMITED EDITION PRINTS