Born in Oldham, Lancashire. Studied at Leicester College of Art, Chelsea School of Art and London University. My work is characterised by a concern for abstraction and carefully constructed structures. Initial images are often drawn from landscape sources with themes such as ‘Traces’, ‘Earth Works’ or ‘Landmarks’, which explore marks left behind in nature. I am drawn to the abstract qualities of the landscape and geological formations. My work explores the tension between formal constraints and the unexpected.
My practice centres on natural earth pigments. I source a range of ochres from the Clearwell Caves in the Forest of Dean, where I have collected ochres from 300 feet below ground. Others pigments have been gathered on my travels both in the UK and abroad. I use the pigments dry. They are rubbed into the surface of an acid free board and any structural lines are incised into the surface using a variety of tools. This enables the drawing to become a physical part of the image. The grooves collect pigment but can also be rubbed over to retain the underlining surface colour. Other works explore the combination of textural qualities. Layers of gesso, plaster, pigment, and other media are applied to panels. Surfaces are layered, revealing colours beneath the surface by scraping, rubbing, digging and sanding. The square format, and the recurring use of square shapes in the image act as metaphors for stability. This sense of order is set against what Peter Lanyon described as “the organic life in the surface.”
Drawing is an integral regular part of my practice: an act od discovery in its own right, as well as a preparatory process for finished works. The works themselves are marks I leave behind, and in that sense are traces where I have been in the creative process. Alongside my regular practice, I create one work each week to explore new ideas and develop greater spontaneity through working with a variety of media. To date, I have created more than 550 works across ten books. • Participated annually in hArt, Herefordshire Art Week Open Studio since 2002 • hART Steering Group Member 2004-2011 An interview with artist Peter Horrocks about his work and use of earth pigments and ochres, specifically mined from Clearwell Caves. Click on the ‘interview’ to watch.