Sheila MacNeill

My work is primarily concerned with exploring notions of place and belonging and the evolving relationships between humans and our natural environment in both urban and rural environments. In a world saturated by instant imagery where everyone can find an image of anything or anywhere almost instantly, my work is a deliberate slowing down and seeking out of the parts of an environment that evoke a sense of place.

I am fascinated by the intersections between people and nature in planned and re-wilded spaces. Using a range of techniques including painting, printing and photography, my work is an interpretation of these intersections. I find a sense of belonging when creating my version of this often overlooked landscape. I want to engage the viewer in a dialogue around where and what this place is.

My often process begins with walking, observing and recording through the camera in my phone. These images are then used as the basis for paintings, both representational and abstract. There is a digital mediation between reality and my work. I use a variety of “disposable” materials within some of my work including cardboard, bubble wrap and disposable face masks. I have used the latter to mono print and then deconstructed and collaged into work. I make eco-prints using foliage collected from the canal side, which I then create into vignettes of the canal by drawing over the shapes created by the leaves and flowers. The leaves seem to