ARTIST FEATURE - ANITA SAUNDERS
- Jul 19
- 2 min read
ARTIST | FEATURE
ANITA SAUNDERS
Anita Saunders is a painter and printmaker based in the Cotswolds. She works across different printmaking techniques from drypoint to lino to screen printing, alongside oil and acrylic painting; following inspiration from the area of outstanding natural beauty around her, creating work which brings to life the wildlife she encounters.
Through her pieces, Anita is beautifully able to capture characterful creatures that are imbued with a sense of life and emotion; they give off a warmth, intimacy and sense of being completely believable, if not realistic. Through her pieces, you can feel Anita's care and interest for her subjects; she creates them a home in her works, a world to live in and a sense of story, a folkloric telling of each creature.
In her printmaking, Anita balances a sensitivity without being overtly cute. She utilises colour to set the mood in a way which creates a whole sense of place, time and season for each piece. Each lino or screen print (sometimes both together) is made up of highly intricate marks, myriad textures and colours which create pieces complex and delicate, full of movement and story.
Her paintings are bright and joyous celebrations of flora and fauna. She balances expressive paint passages which bring alive feathers and fur, with detailed backdrops to her characters. Whether the environment is wildly natural or seemingly domestic pattern (reminiscent of fabric), this care for the piece as a whole brings her subjects alive off the canvas.
Using warm earthy tones or fresh vibrant colours, Anita keeps her work changing seasonally, reflecting the nature she depicts. Her interesting and lively compositions enable her to beautifully set the viewer a scene and mark differences in interior or exterior settings; Anita creates her own natural worlds for her characters and us to play in.
Anita exhibits regularly, and has been included in the prestigious Ironbridge Printmaking Competition, part of Print's Not Dead at Sixteen Gallery, and currently you can find her solo exhibition A Country Life at Corinium Museum in Cirencester. Find out more and discover more work on Anita's portfolio.
Comments