Alison Read

I chose printmaking as my medium as soon as I was allowed in the print room during my time at Newcastle University where I studied for my first degree in Fine Art. My degree led me to Lincoln University where I spent the next 9 years in my ideal job running the Printmaking Workshop. During this time I started to exhibit locally. There was no pressure to make an income and I happily produced a few cards, the odd etching, took part in a few art fairs and was sponsored to go to Paris and take part in Europ‘art. This early success began to plant the seed that I could survive and I have now been a full time artist for three years.

It is not surprising I chose animals as my predominant subject matter considering my farm upbringing. I literally spent most of my waking hours outside surrounded by them, whether it was cows, cats, dogs or chickens, they were my constant companions. Having this experience led me to know their characters rather well and have hundreds of stories in my head about them as individuals. For this reason I have obviously ‘humanised’ the animal. I always regarded them as having our traits and I am just taking it one step further. I like the idea that they are free to think and do as we do, and I like to make up some sort of visual story . the stories seem to develop from nowhere in particular, sometimes it simply emerges from the act of making a plate. My plan is often no plan and the more plates I make the more imagery and possibilities emerge, I use what emerges to build the stories, rather than have the stories then make the plates.

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