Debby Akam

Debby Akam

Woodcuts and silkscreens are characterised by saturated colour, and repeating motifs to suggest a mixture of things observed, imagined, appropriated and remembered, in layered images that invite multiple readings, and allow an element of chance into the making process. Marks and patterns derived from feathers, plant forms, ripples, lichen and bark are combined with motifs and patterns depicting natural forms taken from textiles. These representations of Nature form a basic vocabulary of forms that are brought into play in an experimental, improvisatory process. They are printed on hand- made paper and oftencombine photo- silkscreen with woodcut to extend the types of imagery and mark- making that can be combined in one print. This method enables a juxtaposition of the gestural, hand-cut marks with the immediacy of an event captured in a photograph. Most of the prints are mono-prints or one of a very small edition. This way of working encourages opportunities for experimentation, and results in each print in a series being slightly different from any of the others.