Frances May BA Hons. PGATC
Kent Painter
During the first lockdown 2020 I was visiting Sydney, Australia for two and a half weeks and managed to stay for three and a half glorious months, exploring the Eastern suburbs from the four coastal apartments I rented. I had no distractions and very little to do. My mornings were spent walking, using my iPhone to chronicle the amazing views I saw and my afternoons experimenting with watercolours and ink pens, inspired by bunches of flowers.
By downloading a simple app on my iPad I began overlaying some of the coastal views and places of interest I visited and photographed, like the world heritage site Waverley cemetery. This editing experimentation eventually led to the inclusion of photographs of my watercolour paintings to add more abstraction.
Frances May, ‘Crossroads’ Brenchley and Horsmonden
The juxtaposition of abstraction and reality is often, if not always, reflected in my work. I had some of the images printed with the intention of working over the top, but I really liked them as they were and so produced a selection of limited edition prints.
Frances May, Vincent. photographic overlay, limited edition giclee print
I have continued the process back in the UK, photographing landscapes and seascapes around Kent and East Sussex and combining them with my paintings. See more at www.paintdesignstyle.co.uk and Instagram: @francesmayartist
pictured at top: Frances May, ‘Heavenly Cuckmere Haven’ limited edition print (detail)
