This fine art print is based on an original drawing created during the Covid lockdown, when the world suddenly became a very different place. I called the artwork Social Distance, reflecting the need to keep away from other people while searching for some sense of hope and normality in an uncertain time.
The drawing depicts a deep forest of tall, dark trees, with shafts of warm sunlight breaking through the canopy and illuminating a small pool below. At the water's edge, a solitary deer looks upwards towards the light.
For me, the deer represents my own search for something positive during what was an “unprecedented” time. Surrounded by darkness and uncertainty, the warm sunlight breaking through the trees offered a sense of hope for the future.
The contrast between the dark forest and the brilliant shafts of sunlight is central to the drawing. Although Social Distance was inspired by a very specific period in our lives, its message of seeking light and hope in difficult circumstances remains relevant beyond the lockdown itself.
 
Subject: Sunlit forest
Medium: Graphite and black colour pencil
Paper: Bristol 500 smooth paper
Image size: 59 × 42 cm
Framed: No
Original: Yes
Certificate of Authentication: Yes
Artist: Graham McKenzie-Smith
 
SOLD