Faded Glory Original by Vivien Willatt

Arteza and Albrecht Durer Watercolour Pencils and Indian ink, on 250mg mixed media paper.
30cm x 30cm
 
My late father, a military historian and antiques dealer, would always tell me the stories behind the intricate regimental buttons on the military uniforms he would painstakingly restore. I was transfixed by the process of bringing something back from a tarnished mess to a gleaming thing of beauty. Although not military in origin, I was intrigued by the story this button could tell, as it tumbled out, scratched and damaged, onto my stained and messy art mat, and felt I wanted to honour its journey.
 
 
I think the creative process is as important, if sometimes not more important, than the end result. I enjoy experimenting with many different creative media, often combining them in non -traditional ways, ranging from acrylics and water colour pencils, through to Indian ink, alcohol ink pens and metallics. I also do 3D crafts and large scale murals.
I am fascinated by pattern and colour, and find great inspiration in the natural world. I often work from my own photographs, experimenting with increasing colour saturation, to reveal hidden fluorescence and tones. I then try to capture these in my artworks. As part of my neuro-divergence, I also have chromesthesia; a form of synesthesia where you hear and see musical notes in colour, which is becoming a large part of my artistic practice.