Sarah Anderson, Vegetable Outlaws 2020
All works watercolour pencil on 300gsm Hahnemuhle paper, H420mm x W295mm
Growing up under the tutelage of my father I discovered early in life an affinity for growing vegetables. I have combined my gardening heritage with my creative career. These drawings of fruits and vegetables are grown in my own garden. I observe the journey these take as they gradually dehydrate/decompose/disintegrate – sometimes all three. Often intervening during the process to either photograph or draw, I then reference this archive of images to create my work.
The original plants take on a life independent of their origins. The use of vibrant almost fluorescent colours, combined with the anthropomorphic treatment of the subject matter, transports these works into a world of fantasy, while maintaining a firm attachment to the natural world - and most specifically the world of the backyard vegetable garden. The creatures cavort and frolic in an imagined alt-world. There is a narrative involved, a conversation – sometimes aggressive, sometimes benign. Definitely robust and vibrant with personality.
I reference the concept of memento mori - remember you will die, which was a familiar motif in C16th & C17th paintings. Issues around food, death, decay and transversely the joy of life are paramount, the exuberance and implied motion clearly indicate a sense of dance – referencing the dance of life & conversely death.
I am not a scientist so therefore not constrained by the need for strict empirical data and accurate analysis. In my position as an artist I can create hypotheses and use my imagination to guide my research – this allows me to observe my environment through the lens of my practice. I use drawing as a starting point for recording, observing and exploring ideas as a platform for further development – in whatever direction best serves the project. My preferred medium is pencil and watercolour pencil on at least 300gsm paper.