Jesse Dolman
Oil rig tree 2008

woodcut, transfer print, watercolour
35.0 x 26.0 cm
Portland Secondary College, Portland
 
I focused on the effect of industry on nature. The process began when an oil rig visited my hometown, Portland. This unfamiliar construction was in blatant contrast to the natural environment. I developed imagery to highlight the qualities of trees by using the grainy texture of a woodcut to contrast with the mechanical shapes of the rig. The use of autumnal leaves and fleeing birds illustrates how industrialisation can ruin a natural environment, and expresses its detrimental effect on our coastal town.