These drawings were made on tissue paper in the Autumn of 2008, whilst I was in hospital suffering from depression. I made tracings of a chain link fence from a photograph in a book, preferring the easily crumpled, fragile texture of tissue paper to the more robust smooth surface of tracing paper.The photograph showed only part of a fence; I made tracings of only part of that photograph, moving the tissue paper as I worked, each drawing different from the one before it. Held in the hand, it is possible to see through the tissue paper to the drawings beneath, thus they have a cumulative effect.
They have never been exhibited, shown solely to members of my family, and my partner, and remain wrapped in a piece of rice paper in a drawer. At the time of their making, I was otherwise unable to work, and visiting the Occupational Therapy room, where one was encouraged to use paints, pastels, pencils and charcoal freely by the therapist, remained an impossibility for me. To retain at least a vestige of my drawing practice, towards the end of my period in hospital, as evidenced by the chain link fence drawings, was of vital importance, even though they themselves are slight in appearence.
