Courtney Arnold

Artist statement

My prints celebrate Dartmoor and all its natural magic. The birds that bring in and rejoice the seasons, the cattle that roam and feed from the hedges and the Tors that stand bold changing shape, colour and texture with the ever changing Dartmoor climate.Having discovered printmaking 7 years ago, I have found myself obsessed with linocut. I love how bold and striking it can be and how its traditional methods are so far from our computer obsessed and reliant world that I've never really understood. I love that the only thing I plug in while working is the radio. I hope that my work encourages others to keep exploring and learning about the natural world as I keep on learning. We have only scratched the surface!

Biography

Courtney grew up in Cornwall and was lucky enough to have a childhood full of nature boat trips and beaches. Her late father loved birds and nature, using his long sighted super power to spot a hare or bird faraway. As an adult after gaining a literature and theatre studies degree in Twickenham, Middlesex, she entered the world of primary teaching in and around London. Eventually she moved back to the South West, but this time rather than the coast, settling on the edge of Dartmoor. Her father's super power became her own and rather than using it to spot the R70 bus from a great distance, she now is back to spotting nature in a part of the world her and her young family can be immersed in an abundance of beautiful creatures. After having her third child, Courtney's love for printmaking grew and she developed a small printmaking business.