Lesley Anne Derks

Born: Falkirk, Scotland
Lives and works: Grangemouth, Scotland
Education: Glasgow School of Art

Lesley Anne's cityscapes are inspired by her life in the industrial town of Grangemouth in Scotland, where the BP plant dominates much of the skyline. 

Inspiration

Lesley Anne became fascinated with nightscapes thanks to the halos of colour that eminated from the petrochemical plant in the darkness. She explains: "I was amazed that something so ugly during the day could become so beautiful at night. Its strange orange night glow is like an alien world, or a city such as New York."

To capture her scenes, the artist uses her camera as a sketchbook for her ideas. She then takes elements from each photograph to create a composition. Working with enamels and oils, she experiments with different textures and effects. She starts with a bright base coat of red, yellow and white to give her artworks a glow. The painting is then built up in a series of layers, which she often peels back to give it depth. 

Lesley Anne says: "I love the hustle and bustle of city streets at night. My father worked at the BP plant for 30 years and would take my friends and I on tours to see the lights at night. I aim to evoke feelings within the viewer, allowing them to step into these scenes."

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