10 Nov Hall Leys Park, Matlock c 1981

Photograph with paint and marker pen in a gilt frame

An early example of me drawing on and decorating a photograph.  Looking at photography exhibitions the images were always mounted with a large expanse of white card around them . This influenced me to print the image on a large piece of paper with an expanse of white around it. I loved the way it isolated the image but it lent itself to be drawn on too. And again the idea of  spoiling or defiling the print appealed to me. The gilt frames refer to paintings I saw in large galleries. I loved the way they  embellished the painting and added status to the work. I wanted photography to be equal to painting and have the same rules applied -you never saw photos in gilt frames , they  were always slim and black. This frame is a bit tacky but I did spend my grant on some very expensive Dutch gilt fames to free other work for my degree show