Anna's work explores the play between form and space, force and subtlety and consciousness and intuition.

Influences of Minimalism, mid-century Abstraction, Abstract Expressionism and Japanese aesthetics are evident in her use of limited colour, geometric shapes and gestural marks. …Carol caught up with her to find out more!

Carol: What is the inspiration behind your artwork and how does it relate to your pieces?

Anna: I’m fascinated by the Japanese philosophy of Ma, meaning gap, space or pause, which is why I include a lot of negative space in my work.

Although inspired by the Japanese aesthetic I do not aim to make a pastiche. I see the black lines as ‘grounding’ and use them to ‘anchor’ the rest painting.

I observe colour directly from nature and strip visual elements down to the simplest forms. I find minimalism beautiful and it’s something I explore in all areas of my life. The idea of removing what is not necessary so the simplest marks are left. That way you see the quality of each line. I vary the pressure and opacity of each line creating ebbs and flows of energy.

My work is very linear as I am naturally an illustrator with a passion for drawing. I love observing horizontals and verticals in architecture which is why they feature a lot in my work.

Carol: When did you know you were going to be an artist?

Anna: It’s not been a calling, it’s what I’ve always done, it’s who I am. I have always created and drawing is my thing and I have never stopped creating but I would not have described myself as an Artist until recently. Despite having a degree in Art History and teaching Art since 2004, I didn’t feel comfortable calling myself an Artist, however this perception has changed since I started seriously focusing on my work.

Carol: What artists inspire you?

Anna: Ben Nicholson’s geometric shapes and limited colour. Hammershoi’s evocative compositions and grey palette. Franz Kline, Italo Valenti and Toko Shinoda for their powerful black marks. I love how Victor Pasmore uses organic forms. Recently I have discovered Svenja Deininger and Sarah Jeffery.

And Then I Danced IV by Anna F Macdonald

Carol: How do you start your pieces and can you tell us a bit about your process?

Anna: I start with the colour palette that is inspired by a landscape or natural object. At the moment I am looking at a fossil and pieces of Welsh slate. I then think about where I want leave space or ‘Ma’, this will determine the composition and the feeling of the painting.

I make observational drawings from life and then simplify them. I paint lots of smaller versions, working out compositions in an intuitive way, before embarking on large pieces on paper. I love observing the subtlest colours in nature so a lot of my time in the studio is spent colour mixing.

Carol: How long does it take to do a piece?

Anna: I work very quickly, I always have, but all the time goes into the planning, it can take a few hours to mix the right colours. Because much of my mark making is intuitive when I review my work I may discard it if the compositions don’t feel balanced. For every one that I consider good enough 5 may have ended up in the bin.

Carol: What is your studio like and where is it?

Anna: I work from home. It’s not a separate room but a corner in a communal space. If I am doing large work I wait until my kids are at school or early in the morning and I work lay my large paper on the floor. My canvas are sometimes dotted around the house drying and my kids a really good at respecting my materials and taking care not to touch wet work. I think it’s good for them to see each process of what I do and watch how I work. For now this set up works for me and I like working from home as I can fit painting around family life but eventually I would like a separate studio space.

Carol: What do you like doing when you are not painting?

Anna: I am a mum and I teach in a large comprehensive school, both of which takes up a lot of my time and energy so my time off is often spent with Netflix! On my days off I do visit galleries as often as possible, even better if it’s with a friend.

Carol: What is your perfect weekend?

Anna: It would include some sunshine so I could do some gardening, I get a lot of inspiration from plants. Definitely a London gallery and lunch with my family. I like to rise early so I may do some painting, make plans for future work, work on my website or planning my social media content. I actually love the business side of it all. The afternoon would be spent quietly drawing or collaging with my girls at the kitchen table. It’s a magical moment with we’re really in the creative zone together. It would end with an open fire and some board games with my kids. Oh did I mention tea and cake? Always tea and cake.

And Then I Danced III by Anna F Macdonald

Artist In The Spotlight:.....Anna F Macdonald

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