Colleen Pugh, Cyclic
Colleen Pugh is a Wellington-based creative who trained in Visual Communication at Edinburgh College of Art. Pugh currently works in marketing, where she applies her skills in design, copywriting, animation, and filmmaking. In her spare time, she curates exhibitions, organises community art projects, and educates others in the arts, although her efforts in this area are sometimes limited by the demands of her energetic toddler.
For this project, Pugh drew inspiration from the woodblock templates, transforming them into woodcut relief plates. Each quarter circle has been carefully considered as an independent composition while also linking with the other blocks to create new circular arrangements. The works explore life cycles and connections within the natural world of Aotearoa New Zealand. The overall design reflects an Art Nouveau style, which pays homage to the woodblock print techniques commonly associated with this genre of art. Additionally, Pugh has produced a limited run of woodblock prints derived from the combined plates, which will be gifted alongside each carved piece.