The Arts & Culture Journal

Following our recent week-long feature on Loop Artists and our subsequent focus along the art of print we are very pleased to feature Gail Mallatratt.

The beautiful and wonderfully crafted prints on display for you here are a fine example of Gail’s ability to capture a range of moods; from bright and lively to darker and more morose. Of the former, Gail sites the German expressionist and member of the Dresden formed group The Bridge (1905) Ernst Ludwig Kirchner as an influence.

“I do feel that an artist's work constantly evolves with influences popping up all the time. Several sources of inspiration for me, or perhaps enthusiasm is a better word, is the wonderful Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. I always find his work a tonic. I particularly love his woodcuts-- so simple and strong.”

Indeed within Gail’s work there is a fascinating high contrast and variation of colour; characteristic of Kirchner’s expressionist prints.

Being complimented by a fantastic sense of depth sets the prints with a sense of the alluring and mystical. An important draw in Gail’s prints are the narratives they create, or rather allude to. More than simply a static frame, they hint at being stills from an animation - a snapshot of a story.

Gail's mark-making surpasses many of her contemporaries. Her drive to experiment and explore with different techniques is evident in her playful compositions. “Print has its own quality. There is always that element of surprise about the print media. In my case, mainly using wood, it translates your marks into its own language, which adds, not detracts from the mark.”

For more of Gail’s work please go to: http://www.mallatratt.eu