Deborah Stanhope Northumberland, United Kingdom

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I'm a British artist living and working in Northumberland. I make paintings on paper and sculptures in paper and wire, concrete and iron resin. I studied art in London, initially at the Sir John Cass School of Art, and then at Central Saint Martin’s majoring in sculpture and drawing at the Royal College of Art.

My paintings and sculptures move between figuration and abstraction. They make visual various aspects of existence and endeavour – both human and animal. Life’s continuous cycle and struggle which threads into the present, is a central theme underpinning the work. The rich history and landscape of my rural home, high in the North Pennines is another strong influence. Paper is both robust and fragile, so as a medium and start point it’s intrinsic to the subject matter. Approaching the painting process as a sculptor (my initial training), the dual processes of painting directly onto the base and occasionally attaching additional painted elements to this surface, resonate directly with both the medium and the subject. And the sculptures often begin with paper explorations before moving onto more enduring media.