Alice Macdonald, Swimming in the River (1), 2022 (framed)
Monoprint with drypoint, 76.5 x 55.5cm
Alice Macdonald is an emerging, London-based artist whose diaristic paintings are informed by a broad range of sources spanning historical literature, classic films, myths, fairytales, memories, and friends and family painted from life. Fascinated by the complexities of human behaviour, emotion and relationships, she is attracted to the cinematic and the melodramatic, as well as the idea of role-playing. In her words: ‘I am interested in my subjects' psychological state and innermost thoughts and feelings but, dichotomously, I am also fascinated by the impossibility of knowing what these really are’.
Alice’s jewel-like works on paper form a core part of her practice, ranging in scale from small watercolour and gouache paintings to larger limited edition and unique works. This new monoprint is part of a series of three depicting the artist swimming al fresco, upside-down, surrounded by water plants and a friendly swan. In the background is the Tenfoot Bridge in Oxfordshire, near her family home. These works are based on drawings from life and then printed using copper and tetra-pack plates ; this technique allows the artist to play around with the positioning of various components in the composition meaning that each print is closely related but unique.
Alice studied at Falmouth University (2011- 2014) followed by the Royal Drawing School (2016 - 2017). Since graduating, she has undertaken several artistic residencies including the Dumfries House Residency, Scotland, the IIFA Teaching Residency, Modinagar, India and the Scuoloa Graphica Internazionale Printmaking residency, Venice, Italy. She has exhibited her work widely in the UK in group exhibitions including the Denton's Art Prize, London (2021), the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts (2019) and 'Dream Baby Dream', presented by Paint Talk at Fitzrovia Gallery (2022). She was awarded the Great Art Prize, given at the National Original Print Exhibition, 2017, and longlisted for the Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Prize (2021). Most recently, Alice was presented with the RWS Young Artist Award at the Royal Watercolour Society Open, Bankside Gallery, London. Alice is based in south east London.
