In my current work I have been stitching into the canvas or linen. Some pieces I have painted over the stitching some I have left as just stitching on canvas. The stitches make the drawing material when it is normally not, so the drawing is always visible. Some of the stitching is made of tense lines, which I have layered. This has led me to explore deeper textures in painting, these pieces are mainly small (30x30xm) and they are made with rubbish or stuff that would be thrown away. The change in colour in some work across a horizon line is looking at changing water levels in the landscape or city and the chemical changes that go with this. The painted lines appear to be behind the stitched lines so there are lines in front and behind the surface. I am looking at ways of including different dimensions in painting how we relate to our surroundings and how fragile and changeable the space we are in is.

I make 2-D work starting with lines. The lines are the edges of city structures. Some of the lines are drawn to contain colour. With colours I create a composition, then I paint over the colours with black or white picking out the lines, leaving them visible. The bright colours underneath peep through giving an internal light. The effect of the black and white is to make the white areas present against the black patches appearing absent. Painting around the lines makes the space solid. This is a recent change in my work a move away from the lines existing in a void.

I make these works to find the patterns of human habitation I look at the geology and depth of history in old cities, or areas occupied by man. Luxembourg and Stockport have been of interest to me because of the deep ravines and bridges over these. Rivers change course in cities, as the river has in Sheffield, making the city re-orientate buildings. I explore old 19th century maps, made before maps were gridded as they have more details of lost places. When I make my paintings there is an element of performance, the lines have a varying energy in them.

The cities I create are a shorthand for many other forms of human activity, such as music and science. When working with musicians I was surprised how easily I could communicate with them, particularly those improvising from visual art and my work. Another line of inquiry in my work is looking at Labanotation and how this brings music, and movement together with my city lines. There seems to be music there in my work ready for musicians to pick out.