The middle of the meadow

Artist statement

“I am inspired by small things from the natural world — wildflowers, the sound of the wind, the slant of sunlight, a bird’s flight path across a wide sky. For me, these things open a door to my childhood. They transport me to that time of wonder and that first sense of home.

I try to capture these fleeting moments in my linocuts — a wildflower, the wind in a meadow, a view to the sea — because, for the time that I am carving that linocut, I feel that sense of deep belonging from childhood. I feel connected to the friends and family from that time who are now gone. The finished print reminds me of that connection and it is my hope that it conveys some sense of peace and belonging to others too.I think we are all forever searching for that solace of home and yet we carry it within us and we simply need to be reminded of this.”— Vanessa McKiel