I have been developing my style of cut-out style stopmotion using backlighting and a multiplane for some time now. The most important influences of my work are Lotte Reiniger, Yuri Norstein, and Gekidan Inu Curry.
The use of textiles and other materials play a key part in my work. I have been developing my own visual language by manipulating and animating fabrics under camera. The textural and tactile associations they invoke are particularly applicable when animating ‘natural’ elements like wind and waves, or magical effects. In my most recent piece, ‘The Children of Lir’ I have tried to contrast mostly natural fabrics (linen, silk) with plastic and artificial fabrics, exploring the allusions they call to mind. For this project I have been looking at the environmental theme of pollution in the sea, and how the overuse of plastic in packaging and clothing/fabrics along with ‘throwaway culture’ is a major cause of this. The great majority of the materials I use come from the ‘scrap bin’ and charity shops or have been otherwise reused from their original purpose.
The enduring nature of fairy tales and legends is something I have always found interesting. Their storybook nature fit well with my design style and I am especially interested in reimagining them in a more modern context.
Dwi wedi bod yn datblygu fy arddull stop-symud torri mas gan ddefnyddio golau ôl a chamera aml-blân ers peth amser bellach. Y dylanwadau pwysicaf ar fy ngwaith yw Lotte Reiniger, Yuri Norstein a Gekidan Inu Curry.
Mae defnyddio tecstilau a deunyddiau eraill yn rhan allweddol o’m gwaith. Dwi wedi bod yn datblygu fy iaith weledol fy hun trwy drin ac animeiddio ffabrigau dan gamera. Mae’r cysylltiadau gweadol a chyffyrddol maen nhw’n eu cymell yn arbennig o berthnasol wrth animeiddio elfennau ‘naturiol’ fel gwynt a thonnau, neu effeithiau hudol. Yn fy ngwaith diweddaraf, ‘The Children of Lir’, dwi wedi ceisio gwrthgyferbynnu ffabrigau naturiol (lliain, sidan) yn bennaf â phlastig a ffabrigau artiffisial, gan archwilio’r cyfeiriadau maen nhw’n eu galw i gof. Ar gyfer y prosiect hwn dwi wedi bod yn edrych ar thema amgylcheddol llygredd yn y môr, a sut mae gorddefnydd o blastig mewn pecynnau a dillad/ffabrigau ynghyd â’r ‘diwylliant o daflu pethau’ yn un o brif achosion hyn. Mae’r rhan fwyaf o’r deunyddiau dwi’n eu defnyddio yn dod o’r ‘bin carpiau’ a siopau elusen neu wedi cael eu hailddefnyddio mewn ffordd wahanol i’w diben gwreiddiol.
Mae natur oesol straeon a chwedlau tylwyth teg yn rhywbeth sydd wedi apelio ataf erioed. Mae eu natur llyfr stori yn gweddu’n dda i’m harddull i o ddylunio ac mae eu hail-greu mewn cyd-destun mwy modern yn rhywbeth dwi’n ymddiddori’n fawr ynddo.
