Frances Alty-Arscott

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

My paintings are inspired by the rolling countryside and the sparse woodlands of Alberta. I do not paint specific scenes so much as take the elements I see and attempt to portray my impressions on the paper. The watercolour medium, enhanced by drawing technique, lends itself superbly to such interpretation. I attempt to recreate Alberta’s subtle colours with open washes and then to create tension within the work. I use juxtaposition of colour in a manner similar to colour field. I believe my use of colour has been central to the success of my work. I find watercolour an amazing medium. I love working with the physical properties of water, the dripping and the running together, trying to manipulate it to create and image. Absolute control over the water is impossible and as such, the “accident” becomes central to the work. It is a challenge to build from a good accident while staying in control and remaining within the framework of one’s style. However, I believe the spontaneity this brings to the creative process is unrivaled in other mediums.

The artwork of Frances Alty-Arscott is represented by Rowles & Company Ltd. , Alberta’s Corporate Gift & Art Gallery), in Edmonton & Calgary, Alberta Canada