Kayla Spence

My practice is concerned with tension between representation and abstraction of Scottish hillscapes. Within this, I explore place and memory as I take from my experiences of growing up in the Highlands.
I repeat compositions from memory, using intuition to fuel where the painting will go. I play with an abstraction that retains enough representational information that depicts landscapes; seeking to release them but also connect to what they may be or where they are.
These are representational by shape and form as shapes from the hillside become their own entity, separate from what they once inhabited and abstracted through colour and composition. I heavily rely on the contrast from colour and mark making to give the pieces atmosphere and movement. My practice is very intuitive and relies upon the act of painting itself, which produces an expressive style that depicts dynamic brushwork.