Sharon has been using the cyanotype process since 2017 to explore image making and alternative printing processes. Bench Views projects explore the bench as object and the space in which the bench and we sit. The simple, elegant lines, wide-open spaces, expanses of colour and our familiarity with the object provide opportunities for the viewer to bring their own meaning and interpretation, memories and stories.

Bench Views in Blue (2017) exhibited at Made in Roath (2017) and Art in the Attic, The Factory, Porth (2018)

Sharon’s starting point often comes from walking alone and photographing the benches discovered along the way. She is interested in simplifying the image, reducing the initial photograph to its simplest forms to create images that are quiet, calm, restful and reflective.

Every time I see this bench I think of you (2019) Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Llantrisant

While these cyanotype prints present a minimal view they represent a variety of walks and journeys rich in experiences from across Britain. Cyanotype requires ultraviolet light (such as sunlight) to create the image and using this process reflects the sensations experienced on those journeys; of light and shade, warmth or chill, closeness and distance.