Mixed media artist Julie Oldfield’s recent travels touring Southern India have inspired Infinity, her latest exhibition at The Malthouse Gallery. She will be launching her new large giclée prints at this show, providing an exciting addition to the originals that are offered for sale.

A stalwart of the vibrant arts scene in Lyme Regis, Julie says “I specialise in skies and landscapes. Inspirations have come from my rural childhood, life on the Jurassic Coast and numerous extended travel periods exploring 6 continents, encountering astonishing landscapes and cultures. I walk and make sketches to capture moments and interpretations of feelings, which can be used later to develop ideas.

The techniques I use have gone through a number of developmental phases over the years. I started with canvas and became interested in using various textural materials, site-specific earth elements, natural weathering, dipping works into the sea, pastels and spray paints to produce the effects I wanted.

The process of weathering and slow change drew me to experiment with metal sheets and the effects of chemistry, heat and weathering to create patination foundations that I could then develop with traditional art materials. I have been refining my techniques and use different metals for different effects.

My garden is my studio. My tools are bonfires, various acids and alkalis, grinders, scrapers, brushes, pastels, sprays and natural weathering. Work can be left in my garden to develop for weeks or even months, opening up surface possibilities.

Working with science and nature in this way often gives unexpected results, especially with the uneven heat of fires and exposure time, challenging me as an artist to create my work. Every painting is therefore very individual and hard to reproduce.”

The exhibition runs from Friday 3 May until Sunday 12 May and is open daily from 10:30am until 4:30pm.