Thomas Keyes

Thomas is an ink-maker and parchmenter currently working in Scotland.  He says: “my first obsession in art was with graffiti writing in the Belfast scene from the late 90’s onwards. The aesthetics, the purism and the excitement of creating work out in the environment have informed and lead my practice since. After graduating with a B.A. in Fine Art and History of Art from Newcastle University in 2009 I headed for the Scottish Highlands to live off the land and create locally inspired art from what I could forage from my surroundings. This has led to a love of deer skin parchment as my favourite foraged material and that has fostered a deep appreciation of the early Christian Pictish culture of the Highlands and recognition of its connection to the Irish school of illumination. The graphic letter styles of my earlier graffiti art are helping me to unlock the potential of my parchment to engage with the rich visual culture of the Insular Manuscripts.”