Julia Manning

During lockdown I started doing a Daily Moth Drawing. Each evening, from day 1, I set up my moth trap in my garden. The excitement each morning opening it inspired me. I would pick a moth put it in a clear plastic pot and draw it using a magnifying glass. After I would release it into a shady spot in the garden and post the drawing on Instagram (juliamanningartist).

The prints in the exhibition are created from these drawings. The different species of moths caught have gradually changed from when I started in March, making it a real Moth Diary.

My Garden Cream Spots

Wood and lino cuts.

Cinnabar and Cream Spots

Woodcuts and stencils.

THE PANDEMIC EFFECT

I have loved my time in lockdown. It meant that I could divide my time between my studio and garden.

I have a garden moth trap and each day I had the excitement of opening it and selecting a moth to draw. This lead to my 'Daily Moth Drawing Diary' which I posted on Instagram at juliamanningartist.

It has brought me so much pleasure each morning , discovering these beautiful colourful, insect jewels. As the months went on the species I was seeing also changed, I have learnt so much more about them.

With no deadlines or stress I have been able to allow myself more time to experiment and play in using my drawings to create a new series of relief prints.