Erica Collage

I started drawing nudes a few years ago when I took evening classes in life drawing. These classes had a very experimental and playful approach and I was encouraged by my tutor to simplify and abstract the model in front of me. One of these experiments was to try Matisse’s method of using cut paper to ‘draw’ the nude. This method really clicked with me – I loved the unconscious abstraction that happened as I cut and stuck paper. Since then, I’ve continued making cut-outs using painted paper, working both from live models and photographs. I like to keep the poses were short - maybe 20 mins, which means I have to work fast and not deliberate. There's no planning involved, other than a quick 30 second mental scan of the model once she's in the pose to work out the main shapes of the pose and which way round my paper should go. I pretty much just dive in! Even when I'm cutting, I tend to spend most of the time looking at the model, so I'm unaware of what's happening on the paper. I use a really sharp scalpel, which responds to even slight movements of my hand, just like a pen or pencil. I think this energy comes across in the final pieces and I love the accidental abstraction that goes hand in hand with this method of working. There's something about the nude as a subject which keeps me wanting to capture it again and again. I think it must be the sharp outlines of the human form and the endless variation of poses and models. I think there is a subtle calmness in my figures. I don't purposely strive for that, but I am always drawn to poses that look natural and not too staged or self conscious.