Hidden Depths

CARNE GRIFFITHS tells REBECCA BRADBURY why he swapped blockbuster movies for ornate illustrations – and why a good cup of tea is so important

- CARNE GRIFFITHS

Asking an artist how they brew their tea may seem like an odd question when discussing their materials, but for Carne Griffi ths’s illustrations the British staple is as vital as the ink itself. Look at any painting from his latest exhibition, Nature’s Riches, and you’ll begin to notice the tea’s presence, from the soft vanilla hues of a freshly-made jasmine tea to the earthy browns of a more robust blend.

Alongside the eye-catching colours created by this unique combination of ink and tea, the drawings themselves also bring together pristine portraiture, intricate floral motives and free-flowing, abstract marks. The more you look at a piece, the more it fascinates as layer after layer of incredible detail reveals itself.

In Nature’s Riches, the London based artist wanted to explore how advertising uses imagery to entice us and to show what would happen if opulent products like high-end fashion, perfume and jewelry were replaced by nature. “The idea is that we should have this pride in nature, this appreciation of the natural world,” Carne explains. “So, I suppose the exhibition asks the question, what if we were to sell or advertise these items? And if we were to find them in a magazine, what would they look like?”