Thomas in his first studio at The Rodd, Sidney & Mary Nolan’s last home
Short Biography…
Thomas Perceval is an Artist & Designer based on the border of Mid Wales and Herefordshire, where he was born and grew up. The surrounding landscape and woodlands greatly inspires his work. He is part of the Australian artistic dynasty, the Boyd family and grandson of renowned Australian painter, John Perceval. Surrounded by creativity from birth, his childhood was largely comprised of drawing, painting and playing music.
He studied a National Diploma in Graphic Design at Hereford College of Arts, followed by a Foundation in Art & Design. He then studied BA Drawing at Camberwell College of Arts in London. After exploring a myriad of processes and conceptually motivated art, he returned to the countryside.
Refreshed and inspired by the surrounding landscape, he re-engaged with the beauty and awe of the natural world. He now captures the energy and character of Trees in winter, by innovatively merging drawing techniques with laser burning technology.
Tree Artwork Process…
Before embarking on the creative process, Thomas explores the countryside extensively. Finding the correct tree is the top priority. Each tree is considered thoroughly before a final decision is made to commit the tree to drawing. The tree is then photographed from a specific preferred angle in appropriate lighting. Finally, the tree is then ready to be drawn in the studio, which can take hundreds of hours.
The drawings are meticulously created, to express the complexity and serenity found in the shape and form of each individual tree. Through subject, material and technique (wood & fire), Thomas’s work invites us to perceive the elemental, temporal and eternal.
As the source drawings take so long to produce, only one or two are usually produced each year. Each laser etched artwork edition is then created individually from the source drawing, over an extensive period of time. Each hand drawn line is effectively ‘re-drawn’ by the laser.
The end result shows this story of process and time; they are extremely intricate.
The tree artworks have a highly refined finish. The background wood is sanded down to a very smooth finish. Thousands of individual lines are then burnt in one by one, layered up, to create the overall image.
The entire artwork is created with one thickness of burnt line; darker areas are more lines, lighter areas less lines. No inks or dyes are used, all colouring a result of the burning process.
All artworks are made with FSC certified birch panels and oak/ash veneer woods. The surround frames are made with FSC certified lime and ash woods.
All artworks are limited edition, signed & numbered on the back. The individual wood grain pattern is an intrinsic part of the artwork and the burning process is always subtly distinct. Each edition is invariably unique.
Thomas’s work is sold internationally and has been exhibited widely across the UK, including at The Royal West of England Academy Bristol, La Galleria Pall Mall London and Olympia London.
