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Sally
McColl Reddoch
I grew up in the Central Highlands of Scotland and
went to The University of Leeds from which I graduated in
Fine Art.
Growing increasingly disillusioned with the Art World I eventually
dropped out of it. The closely spaced deaths of my father,
mother and boyfriend, and other personal ordeals, fuelled
deeper depression that led down to drug dependency and alcoholism.
I became a solitary down and out for several years.
Recovery was a similarly long and reclusive period, but I
became slightly more optimistic about new possibilities for
the art-work I had never quite been able to stop making. (Unfortunately,
five of my 'Aftermath' works were stolen from me around this
time).I have to say that as well as keeping on making pictures
throughout all of this, my sense of humour never entirely
deserted me either.
Due mainly to extremely limited space and resources, I have
worked mostly in inks. I must stress that I love to paint.
However as I have very few examples of my paintings,and as
these are not the large canvases I would ideally paint, I
have concentrated on showing.
The Aftermath Series
The main body of my work is called 'The Aftermath Series'.
It is so-called as each piece is a distillation of imagery
from consecutive periods, the surviving forms or aftermath
of my ideas from that time, gathered into a cohesive structure.
The 'Aftermaths' are necessarily complex and detailed and
I find the media of drawing in ink most expedient to my purpose.
I add other media as I work...this can range from aquatint
to cigarette-ash+ glue, and nail-varnish--whatever presents
itself as an interesting experiment.
I am hostile to an overly 'clean', polished-finish in art,
and feel that evidence of the process of making it should
not be slicked over or suppressed. I try to give spontaneity
of drawing directly and confidently in ink on board precedence
over "finish". (This immediacy of approach may not
always be apparent in my draughtsmanship).
My work is, however, always governed by a meticulous, if intuitive,
adherence to composition to enable rhythm, sense and force
throughout each piece.
The subject matter of the Aftermath Series is as complex as
its detailed handling. It reflects my own 'take' on the world
around me as well as a more personal interior world. For that
reason there are many topical references alongside those from
my own experience.
The entire Series reflects a feeling of claustrophobia: fear
and loathing of inescapable cruelty, corruption and destruction
is perhaps the most dominant theme. (By viewing human life
almost as an 'ant-hill' I am aware of distancing myself from
it).
There is also a strongly satirical element throughout the
'Aftermaths' and no small degree of black humour.
I have steered resolutely clear of the influence of other
artists' work and I fiercely scorn derivation. My work is,
as entirely as possible, the product of my own mind.
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