Time Between Plays at Brighton Open Air Theatre BOAT

Print description

This print depicts that quiet, slightly peculiar moment between performances at the Brighton Open Air Theatre or BOAT, as the locals fondly call it.

The stage sits empty, the audience gone off for the day, and nature, quite undeterred, begins to reclaim the spotlight. There’s a real sense of biodiversity here; a layered performance not of actors, but of petals, wings, and humming things. The oxeye daisies bloom in full confidence, the insects take their cues, and suddenly the theatre is alive with a different kind of drama. The bumble bees are busy in the wings. The butterflies, with their delicate Regency flair, have fluttered in straight from the Royal Pavilion’s wallpaper; a cheeky little historical cameo. And then there’s the dragonfly; unmistakably Japanese in character; gliding in with quiet poise, like it’s borrowed from a woodblock print.

The architecture of the amphitheatre; concrete, a touch Brutalist, softened by the scrubby charm of Brighton flora and fauna.

Print details

To create this print, I start by crafting individual drawings in ink, which collectively form a collage comprising the final piece. I scan my drawings and digitally add colour. The original design solely exists in digital format, and I print it using archival inks and paper. I then release my design as a limited edition print, available in standard ‘A’ sizes, ranging from A0 (84.1 cm x 118.9 cm) to A4 (21 x 29.7 cm).