Max Angus SWLA

Statement

Originally, Max Angus came from a painting and strong graphic drawing background. It is with this background that she found it important for her as an artist to ground a subject in their own space or environment.

Angus' work is inspired by the everyday surroundings. From the village trees to off season trips to North Norfolk to see the migrating geese and visit coastal bird reserves. She tries to capture that shared moment with wildlife in their natural surroundings. 

Methodology

Max Angus continues to maintain a sketchbook with copious amounts of scrap paper. The limited detail captured with a pencil is just enough for the outlines for the linocuts. In her studio, the sketches are put together to create a composition that she feels represents the movement of the subject, the weather or what she can remember of that time.

The blocks are cut first considering light, shade and the overlapping of colours to make additional colour combinations. The limited palette takes weeks of trial and error. Each colour chosen is dependent on the relationship and quantity of the adjacent colours and the overlapping blocks. If the image requires additional colours then additional blocks are introduced.

Bio

1998: Printmaking South Kent College then on to KIAD

2010: Elected Associate member of the SWLA

2012: Elected to full membership of the SWLA

2013: Elected to the Council of the SWLA

2014: Elected as the Treasurer for the SWLA (2014-2023)

2021: Co-opted as Trustee for the SWLA

2022: Elected as Trustee for the SWLA

Scholarships, Awards, Prizes

2007 Birds Illustrated Magazine Printmaking Award

2008 St Cuthbert Mill Printmaking Award

2014 Dry Red Press Award

Exhibitions

The Society of Wildlife Artists annual exhibition ‘The Natural Eye’

Other exhibitions:

RA Summer Exhibition

The Discerning Eye

Cambridge Contemporary Gallery, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

Quay Art Gallery, Blakeney, North Norfolk

Taylor Jones & Son, Deal, Kent

The Lilford Gallery, Canterbury, Kent

Mill Tye Gallery, Great Cornard, Suffolk

Jessica Muir Gallery, Long Melford, Suffolk

Waterston House, SOC, Aberlady, Scotland

Publications

‘The Natural Eye’, Art Book One, Red Hare Publishing Ltd

‘The Artful Hare’, Published by Mascot Media

‘Norfolk Gems’, Published by Mascot Media

‘The Illustrated Garden’, Published by Mascot Media

‘Wings over Water’, Published by Mascot Media

‘Paw Prints’, Published by Mascot Media

‘The Beauty of the Beast’, Published by Mascot Media

‘Red Sixty-Seven’ Published by BTO

Features included in Artists & Illustrator, Kent Life, Birdwatch, Birds Illustrated, BBC Wildlife Magazine.