Gemma Petrie

I am an artist living and working in the small seaside village of Portmahomack, on the Tarbat Peninsula, in the north of Scotland. I mainly paint abstracts in watercolour, but often incorporate many different materials, including found objects, into my work. I was brought up on the Isle of Skye and because of this natural form and wildlife have always been important in my work. My paintings, for the most part, are about memories.  I use natural form, landscape as a basis for my work. Within this space I try to find a pathway to memories. Sometimes creating a quiet space to think and other times trying to follow a thread of memory to recall other details. Creating this space is a reaction to the overwhelming noise of everyday life. The small hidden worlds in nature, for example the mini ecosystems found within rock pools and forests, allow me to portray a representation of protection, to describe the need to protect our families, ourselves and our environment.