
Artists Inspired by Nature - Carry Akroyd (born 1953)
Carry Akroyd is a painter-printmaker whose images examine the relationship between humans, landscape and wildlife. Her representations of contemporary agriculture, botany and birds concentrate on colour, shape and balance.
Her most favoured printmaking technique is serigraphy, (screenprinting), but employing a very low-tech approach. A lot of time is spent with scissors or scalpel, creating cut-paper stencils to control where each layer of ink passes through the screen. Where the layers of ink overlap they create new colours, and the image is invented during the process of being made, reacting to how the image develops.
In painting her work is often watercolour or acrylic on paper, but although her subject matter is constant, her attitude to each medium is restless.
Carry is a member of the Society of Wildlife Artists and shows with them in London each year. In 2017 she was awarded the top prize, (the Terravesta Award), at The Natural Eye exhibition at the Mall Galleries.
The range of Carry’s work is reproduced in her own books: ‘natures powers & spells, Landscape Change, John Clare and Me’, and “Found in the Fields”. Many images echo John Clare’s poetry in observing of how man affects nature, two hundred years ago and now. A series of prints comprise a touring show that is an introduction to the poet. After 25 years of making and exhibiting images relating to the poetry of John Clare, in 2016 Carry was invited to be President of the John Clare Society.
Carry’s work has been used on several book jackets, and she is the series cover artist for Bloomsbury’s British Wildlife Collection and for Saraband’s ‘Encounters with Nature’. She illustrates the Bird of the Month column in The Oldie magazine, a compilation of which are published by Bloomsbury under the title “A Sparrow’s Life’s as Sweet as Ours”
Carry lives in rural Northamptonshire, a few miles from where she grew up.
The featured painting is a recent one of hers - ‘Armston in Northamptonshire’. Do visit her website where you will find more stunning examples of her work ... Carry Akroyd
The brief biography has been lifted straight from that written for an exhibition of her work at the Chris Beetles Gallery in 2019 ...
Here’s a painting somewhat similar in style by Robert Polhill Bevan (1865-1925) – especially in his use of pure blocks of colour and angular shapes.
Love these greens!
Here’s another of his …
[…] Carry Akroyd (born 1953) […]
Thank you, Clive, for this introduction to such very pleasing work.
Thank you Tish. I’m glad you liked it. She is an amazingly talented artist across such diverse media. I’ve long loved her work, especially her illustrations of John Clare’s poems.
We provide the canvas. God provides the inspiration.
Thank you!
Humans, landscape and wildlife! Clive it’s hokku in print! I have loved her work for a very long time and it’s a delight to see her here on your blog.
A frost this morning and bitterly cold here even in the sunshine! Keep well. Have a great weekend, Ashley
Thanks Ashley! It’s freezing here even at Noon today. Between us we are keeping Ed busy 😊
I’ve seen her work before! I love it so much!
Thanks Cathy. I’ve added a comment above with a pic of another artist’s work you may like. It’s reminiscent of some of Carry’s other work especially her serigraphy prints in the use of blocks of pure colour and angular shapes. What do you think?
A favourite artist whose work I greatly admire.
Thanks Deborah. It seems she’s quite a favourite of many. Next time I’ll have to feature an artist less well known!
I thought I recognised the style and it turns out I have both those books on my Amazon wish list!
Mine too Andrea 😊😊. Thank you!
Lovely work, such a wonderful balance in values and hues!
Thank you Christine I too love her work. This view is not far from her studio. I think she has painted the same view at different times of the year.