anna macdonald
acrylic & mixed media on wood
Anna’s work delves into the importance of negative space, or what she describes as her interpretation of the Zen philosophy “Ma” - the spatial relationship between the structural elements. Her paintings and drawings incorporate the Shibumi principles - a complex process including asymmetry, simplicity and a reverence of nature to create works of unobtrusive beauty
Anna begins by referencing something tangible, be it the observed landscape or recollected through memory, and then strips away all but the non-essential aspects of the initial idea leaving behind just the gestural marks and elemental colour. This removal of the superfluous to reveal only the most subtle of variations encourages the observer to slow down, pause, meditate and take in the tranquillity of the work
A very real and modern interpretation of minimalism, Anna’s work is a result of her admiration of Abstract Expressionism, The St Ives Artists and Japanese aesthetics with a gradual move towards Constructivism.
Anna studied at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge and graduated in 1998 with a BA (Hons) in Art History. She went on to teach art in secondary state education for 18 years
She currently lives and works in London and divides her time between painting and mentoring other artists
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