I work in oils on linen or canvas and make smaller work on gessoed wood panels. All are good surfaces for rubbing, layering, scraping and reworking which oil paint lends itself to.

I make quick sketchbook drawings or take photos on my phone while out and about, of for example, gates to a field, detritus on a beach, sticks in a winter garden. Using these elements I make rough sketchbook plans leaving them vague so that I’m free to make changes and exploit the irregularities which happen during the painting process.

The things I’m drawn to record sometimes resemble a grid, and often a grid which is on the point of collapse; I like the certainties of a grid being undermined. Many of my paintings have distinct and simple geometric areas like panels which I try and link to each other through brushmarks, colour. The figure/ground tensions play an important role for me.  The works look abstract because I simplify and edit out the identifying detail; I don’t want to describe things or suggest a narrative but I try to create a kind of space in the image without using linear perspective.

At some point I hope the image feels ‘right’ but I can’t anticipate how or when that will happen.

Susan Preston