Jo Cottam is inspired by Cornish coastal living and her obsession with surface comes from her training in ceramics and the alchemy involved with this art form. She continues to work in both clay and paint with the latter having become the predominant medium to describe her current creative thought processes. Jo’s most recent body of work represents her intuitive response to her environment and feelings with an intuitive use of colour and marks.

‘Having lived in Cornwall for most of my life, the vast skies and changing light are intrinsic to my work. A sense of belonging which shapes the process of layering colour and texture creates the illusion of elemental movement. The colours I use are selected and applied in a way that is both methodical and meditative. I work on several pieces at the same time and this keeps the marks I make fresh and expressive. I am inspired by the emotional connection we have to our surroundings and much of my work is reminiscent of our sense of place.’

‘Sometimes detail emerges from the layers as work progresses; sometimes it is a mere hint of something which the viewer translates for themselves’.