Montez

Montez, aka Sara Jardine, is a Sussex-based screen printer whose work can be defined by the harsh contrast of bright neon colours that overlay images of the dark and sombre. Taking inspiration from Victorian anatomical illustrations, passages of poetry, and the majestic, Sara juxtaposes these motifs with polka dots and bright colours, bringing a touch of joy to even the most macabre of subjects.

After completing an Art Foundation at London Guildhall, and a Degree in Art and Design at Leeds, Sara started the 9 to 5 life, and her creative outlets got set aside to concentrate on a career in events. She returned to creative practice in 2016 after a long hiatus. A thoughtful gift of a 2 day screen printing workshop at Print Club London awoke her creative passion once again; “it was as if i had never been away, it was an if not now when moment… and the rest is history“.

As a mother of two and a part time advertising manager, Sara splits her time between printing at Ochre Studio in Guildford, and her home in Sussex. Her printmaking process begins by collating as much information as she can, and fully researching the subject in order to grasp and understand her chosen subject completely. With her Anatomy series, she started by sketching out imagery which she later scanned into adobe to digitally alter. Initially, Sara imagined all of her work would follow this pattern, but more recently she has enjoyed working with found image, and finishing work by hand.

“I draw inspiration from all over the place… a news headline, poetry, found image, letters, a photograph, or just how I am feeling at the time. I have always had an interest in the sombre and macabre. Victoriana fascinates me, and my most recent works all stem from drawings and photos of the time.“

Using neon colours in her work began accidentally, but now Sara cannot drag herself away from them, and they have become part of her signature aesthetic. The contrast of the sombre and old images completes her work; “I feel like this juxtaposition of image and colour, almost reinvigorates the subject, a second chance at life so to speak” describes the artist.

Current events have pushed Sara to think outside the box, and with a blank screen she has begun to experiment with mono printing, and stencils. Sara explains; “This is pushing me to alter the way I think about my practice, and call on some skills I haven’t used since graduating university“. Enjoying the freedom that this has provided, she is taking her work in a different direction, looking forward to creating new pieces, taking part in more events, and furthering her print practice with new techniques and styles.

www.montezmakes.com
@montezmakes

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