Through Dartmoor

Sarah Jane Ross is a multidisciplinary artist from Bridport, West Dorset. She has exhibited work on a cross-channel ferry, as part of Bridport’s Sculpture Trail (2020 - 2021) and roller-skated in Tate Modern!

An environmental artist, her quirky and bold multidisciplinary practice covers mixed media, sculpture, photography and jewellery, all influenced by the South West's landscape, especially its ‘blue’ environment.

Working in a variety of mediums, favouring textural, including the natural (driftwood) and the industrial (concrete), with punky narratives and delicate outcomes, her work is playful and joyous, but sometimes with a darker side.

Sarah Jane’s work appeared on this year’s Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year and judge Tai-Shan Schierenberg said:

“I really like what you’re doing here, your work is very unusual and it’s very effective.”

Started in late 2020 in response to the Enclosure Acts* Sarah Jane became aware of how little had changed: the events of 2020, with lockdowns and restrictions, created a new social enclosure act. So many fences, visible or invisible. So many feeling enclosed and with limited access to green spaces.

The ‘Enclosure Acts’ series of paintings considers the theme of accessibility and how it affects the UK landscape and people. Working on black, Sarah Jane ‘carves’ out the land-shapes in this environmental, political series of artworks.  It asks us to reflect on trespassing, livelihoods, and freedom. Equally, it is ‘Haring meets Constable’ paintings of our landscape.

The resulting paintings are a reflection of this time: dark landscapes, hidden histories, access to outdoors. Each mark, each dash, is a life, a moment in time.

The application of shimmering, bold, iridescent marks and moving skies are suggestive of hope, of change and of progress.

Acrylic Ink on Gesso Board

40x30cm

Framed