Sixth Mass Extinction
By Nat Morley
Variable edition block prints (using lino tools)
Original artwork - available framed and unframed, on order
Size of work:
Sixth Mass Extinction: H: 63cm x W: 50cm - £495Sixth Mass Extinction, unframed: £395
Nat's work reflects a passionate interest in the natural world. We have chosen two of her extinction-themed prints to introduce her to our clients - both are powerful in their design intricacy and their messages about endangeried species.
In the Sixth Mass Extinction hand-pressed print, the tree of life, being chopped down by humans, features lots of different animals, as well as leaves and fruits of various tree species. Meanwhile, the Dodo is based on Nat's sketch of the one in the Natural History Museum in Oxford. The plants surrounding the bird are Mauritian - mostly endangered.
In her animal-based compositions, Nat likes to depict creatures with a bit of ‘attitude’ and aims to create bold, lively images. She regards her prints as a celebration of her love for wildlife and tries to capture a feeling of movement, vitality and humour in her pictures.
Her process is painstaking and careful and makes every print unique in its details and ink densities: "I have specialised in relief printmaking and carve most of my blocks out of MDF using lino cutting tools. I print them individually, using the back of a spoon and lots of elbow grease to burnish the ink onto the paper. I often spend hours, even days preparing the blocks to achieve layers of different colours and shades of ink. Some of my more complex prints take many weeks – even months to produce."
ABOUT NAT MORLEY
This South Cotswolds artist studied geography at St John’s College, Oxford. She has always been interested in both the sciences and the humanities and man’s impact on the environment. Her dissertation focused on Aboriginal Land Rights and she lived with an aboriginal community in Western Australia.
After her degree, she decided to go back to the drawing board – literally. She took an access course in art at Stroud College and established herself as an artist with the help of a substantial grant and loan from the Prince’s Youth Business Trust.
She is a member of the Cotswold Craftsmen, with whom she mounts lots of shows, and she lives in Tetbury with her twin daughters and four cats, where she enjoys playing musical instruments and singing. She is also very proactive campaigning for government action with respect to the climate crisis and the ecological emergency.