top of page

Fountains Abbey

MAYA JAGGER

Rose Madder

WALNUT SHELL

CHAMOMILE

WOAD

This live brief was delivered by the National Trust to my class. It was 10 weeks long, giving me time to specialise in a whole new discipline - printmaking. Fountains Abbey was a project led by experimentation. 

​

It was because of the 1000s of sheep that the Cistercian monks kept that Fountains Abbey became such a grand place of worship, generating profit and economic wealth in Ripon. So it only seemed fitting that I put the sheep into context with Fountains Abbey. I researched natural colours and experimented in making natural screenprint inks. 

 

To draw the abbey and sheep I used found objects, such as feathers, ink pens and charcoal. I developed a free drawing style that brought the fun back into drawing for me. that didn't rely on perfection or realism. And while initially I was awful at printmaking, with the help of my tutor Mark, my skill improved and improved.

 

It was a very tranquil time, getting away from everyone and focusing on practical work in the studio. It is this atmospbere I will miss the most. 

bottom of page