Nat Morley MA Oxon
My work reflects a passionate interest in the natural world. I like to depict creatures with a bit of ‘attitude’ and aim to create bold, lively images. I see my work as a celebration of my love for wildlife and try to capture a feeling of movement, vitality and humour in my pictures.
I have specialised in relief printmaking and carve my blocks out of MDF using lino cutting tools. I print them individually using the back of a spoon and lots of elbow grease. I often spend hours, even days preparing the blocks to achieve layers of different colours and shades of ink.
I also love painting in oils on large canvasses and have done many commissions of still lifes and portraits.
A little bit about me
I studied geography at St. John’s College, Oxford. I have always been interested in both the sciences and humanities and this subject embraced them all. A child of the era of ‘Live Aid’ I envisaged myself working for one of the big charities like Oxfam and a degree in geography was the perfect grounding. I had an amazing time researching my dissertation on Aboriginal land rights. I lived with a wonderful aboriginal community at Barrel Well Reserve in Western Australia which for me was a life changing experience and we still keep in touch. My dissertation gained a first class and I also was awarded the college geography prize.
After my degree I decided to go back to the drawing board – literally! Art was always something I had done. The walls of my student digs in Oxford were covered with my drawings. Encouraged by friends I took an access course in art at Stroud College while supporting myself with a variety of jobs. Having completed the course I established myself as an artist with the help of a substantial grant and loan from the Prince’s Youth Business Trust.
I exhibit in many galleries and have many designs published. I am a member of the Cotswold Craftsmen and we do many shows including the RHS Spring and Autumn gardening shows at Malvern. We also have a gallery in which my work is permanently on display in Nailsworth. Our website is www.cotswold-craftsmen.org. My studio is at Hallidays Mill in Chalford, Stroud and includes an exhibition space which I share with my friend and colleague Hazel Morris who is a silversmith and jeweller. We also invite other artists from the mill to exhibit here and have called it the ‘Barking Dog Gallery’. Visitors are very welcome.
I am the proud mum of twin daughters, Emily and Mimi, born in 2001 and have three cats – Scampi, Squid and Smudge. We live in Tetbury and enjoy playing lots of musical instruments and singing. Emily is lead singer of an Indie/Punk band called ‘Bones Like That’ – do look them up on You Tube, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify – and I am a chorister in Tewkesbury Abbey choir.
