Deborah Duffin

Drawing underpins my work; observation of natural processes fascinate me, from the tiniest swarm of ants, to rolling seas and towering cliffs, I aim to capture the energy, movement and patterns created. I develop my ideas through a variety of media – principally collected materials – wire, packaging, discarded objects that would otherwise go to waste. I also work with my camera as a drawing tool – as well as drawing on a larger scale. Whichever medium I am using, rather than redraw a phenomenon, I aim to encapsulate the essence of life as well as that of the processes, materials and tools at my disposal. I set up repetitive processes in relation to the physical space I am using – a piece of paper, the camera screen, a gallery space, a commissioner’s site or company’s requirements. I take an open-ended approach - watching what occurs, I work with emerging forms and at the same time, my observational drawing informs my decisions. As I work, the drawing or making becomes more important than the source, as I push the process to its extremes, which allows me to transcend my materials. Some pieces are freestanding, or are drawings that can be framed as they are; others require installation at a site before being finally realised as finished works. Some pieces are malleable and can be used in variety of circumstances – each site offering the opportunity to recreate the work anew. Still others may utilise natural phenomena – air currents created by a breeze, light infusing a space or the curiosity of the audience. The final image shows a recent piece – the beginning of a new series of wall and plinth pieces based on drawings of trails and pathways – a metaphor for life’s twists and turns.