The Hands Up Foundation Fundraiser Curated by Cramer & Bell

Cleo has used photography from her travels in Australia as her main inspiration for this geometric collage. The landscape, found in the backdrop, is the Blue Mountains, a breathtaking mountainous region located in New South Wales. Cleo has created one of her signature Art Deco inspired motifs and used hand painted textures in primary colours to make up the shapes. After painting the textures, the paintwork is scanned and made digital, allowing Cleo to experiment with shapes and layouts until the perfect design is achieved. Once the design has been printed on high quality Somerset Velvet paper, a gloss silkscreen layer is applied over the ‘paintwork’ to make it extra eye catching. It’s then that the meticulous hand stitching process begins, first with tiny hole punching and then stitches carefully applied with needle and thread. The result is an eye catching glossy and shiny effect, bringing a new dimension to the matt print. 

Cleo Barbour is an English artist based in Cheshire, specialising in limited-edition and original Giclée prints and monoprints for commercial spaces and the home. Previously known for her shoe designs and brand Cleo B, the artist now creates bold and colourful graphic artwork inspired predominately by Art Deco design and tropical climates. This combined with her mixed media technique and hand embellishment results in artwork that brings colour and positivity to the spaces they inhabit.

Artist website