Andrew Carter lives and works in East Dulwich, London. He is married to the artist Helen Ireland – they have two children. He studied Fine Art Painting at Central St Martins and an MA in Printmaking at Camberwell College of Art. He teaches painting, drawing and printmaking alongside developing his own work as an artist.
During the last ten years I have focused my attention on exploring the link between subjects found in the landscape and the geometric arrangement of pattern, shape and colour. Whilst there is diversity in the places my subjects are found there is a commitment to a specific process of arrangement and cutting relief blocks for printing.
All of my ideas start with something seen outside, between forms, or through windows and then, through a process of elimination and selection, I try to arrive at an image that transcends the commonplace. Drawings are made and images are cut in reverse, before being printed by hand.
I like to take things that could be easily overlooked and spend time investigating and revisiting their visual qualities, arrangement and accidental possibilities. I like how long it takes to prepare a block for printing when the starting point might be from a fleeting glance. I am engaged with decision making that comes into play when using colour, ink, the printing press and different papers.
The ideas for prints start with something seen or remembered, then through drawing and experimenting with the process of printing I arrive at a composition for limited edition print. I still feel, after many years, I am right at the beginning of something, a project that is unfolding, where each new work relates to the last.
Andrew Carter 2016
An interview with Andrew Carter for the 2016 Dulwich Festival can be found on dulwichfestival.co.uk Further information can be found on Jealous Gallery and For Arts Sake websites and galleries.