Gail Mallatratt ARE

Gail finds the process of printmaking a wonderful, unpredictable, serendipitous experience. She does not plan in detail before starting a new work, but once inspired by something, such as a waterfall in Thailand, she simply begins the process and follows some well-worn steps such as drawing or a photograph. She then adds colours with paint or pencil. Then fitting that on a block - 4mm birch-faced plywood, she cuts into the wood with knives and gouges followed by a jigsaw. She rolls up another piece of ply in a background colour and blends, then rolls up the jigsaw pieces in a range of colours. She will try to cover the whole area with these pieces. Next, the process continues, cutting each of the pieces into smaller and smaller ones. During this process she may get lost once or several times, and finds more cutting is needed or altering the balance of colours, or composition but in this way keeps an open dialogue with the work throughout.

She studied Graphic Design at Central St Martins, then an MA in Information Design and MA printmaking at Camberwell College of Arts. She has been a member of Printmakers Council since 2007.