作画 ‘Hua’ is a body of work inspired by Ancient and Traditional Chinese paintings. Many traditional Chinese landscapes do not record an actual place but are of the sublime. They have no true horizon line, and the paintings show a separation between heaven and earth. Using photographic techniques such as multiple exposures, I am attempting to capture landscapes in a way that mimics the notions, styles and romanticism expressed in Chinese ink drawings and paintings. This work is deeply inspired by my Grandfather, Arthur Cooper, and his work as a renowned translator of Chinese poetry in the 1970s. Although still in the early stages, I have begun taking photographs in rural Scotland, using the reflections of lakes to manipulate the light exposure. It helps create negative and hazy aesthetics and creates an illusion of a more surreal and romantic landscape. By allowing layers of light to scar the negative I am attempting to replicate the ink wash techniques used in traditional Chinese painting. Each image is meant to grasp the spirit, or the atmosphere of the place photographed, rather than a likeness.

2010