Rod Nelson
Inspired by Eastern print culture, particularly Japanese woodblock prints, Nelson has developed a style that is unmistakably his own. His art is rooted in an appreciation of the energy and flowing lines that arises from the discipline necessary to portray an interplay between rigid control and chaotic freedom.
His work reflects a deep appreciation of the discipline required to produce woodblock prints and through the artwork, he showcases the beauty of the ancient medium of wood cuts.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
The Royal Society of British Artists, Mall Galleries, London UK 2019 | The International Cultural Association of Shanghai | The Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition, 2019 | Winter Exhibition of the International Print Center of New York 2017 | The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London UK 2017
Rod Nelson lives and works in Gloucestershire, England.
Developing a personal style has been a challenging process for Nelson. From the outset, he has been conscious of the dichotomy between rigid control and chaotic freedom and strived to find a “sweet spot” between the two. However, reliably achieving this proved elusive. While admiring the mastery of Eastern woodblock prints, Nelson remains open to being influenced by the European tradition.
“I am interested to achieve a sense of depth and distance in my prints, and use graded variations in colour and tone to imply perspective. My current work falls under the description of ‘imagined land- and seascapes’ and I like to make a sense of space.The techniques I use enable me to create sophisticated gradients and to play around with the saturation across a gradient, and also the hue. This enables, not only distance and implied perspective, but also the play of light across a surface. I am often surprising myself with just how interesting to me are the results of playing around with simple parameters within colour grading.”
Interview:
