The Canal Company Warehouse

So many reminders of the Industrial Revolution and it's impact on my local environment exist in Shipley, not least the old canal-side buildings. The appropriately named Canal Company Warehouse is one of my favourites. Now in a very neglected state, it remains an interesting and striking structure.

I love the patches of corrugated iron and the rusting skeletal structure revealed where the covering has been lost. In my lino print I concentrated on the patterns and shapes, the twisted form of the fence creates a fluid contrast against the starker lines of the building.

Actually, I really like the chain link fencing. Initially I wasn't sure whether to include it or not but once cut and printed I was swayed. It seems to create a depth to the print, leading the eye in and out.

Working in lino is quite physical. It's good gouging out the marks you want to make but needs to be thought out and is quite a prolonged process of cutting, printing, drying, cutting, printing, drying.... 

a contemplative approach!

Sometimes I want to work in a quicker, more spontaneous manner with a freer use of colour and marks.

In these paintings of the warehouse I also wanted to bring the fluidity of the water into the picture.

Originally the warehouse would have been used for storing goods being transported by barges. Nowadays, that function has disappeared but on a still day the reflection on the water's surface is almost a mirror image blurring the boundary between water and brick, bringing together once again the building and the canal.