Trees 5 on the South Tyne

This painting is of a part of woodland on the banks of the South Tyne, which has a magical nature and is full of colour, even in the middle of winter. The painting is a mixed media piece, with oil paint, pastel and plastic on canvas. I want the viewer to look at their own environment through a more vibrant lens, but then on closer inspection to discover the different materials on the canvas and ask questions as to why I use plastic; why it is there. I want the discovery of plastic on the canvas to be as subtle as it is in the environment – not really understanding its greater impact at first, but when given the time to contemplate its wider effects, to think beyond the surface, beyond the beauty.