Relton Marine

West Yorkshire-based artists Christine Relton and Tom Marine have been painting collaboratively for almost two decades, working together on each canvas. They begin each work with the memory of a real place or particular event, discussing their rough ideas of the composition, and then working together through a process of over-painting and adjustment. Tom is primarily in charge of under-painting. This initial step is crucial in giving depth and texture to the finished work. Christine is more interested in the overall composition, transforming Tom’s abstract marks into a specific landscape. Relton Marine don’t tend to work together at the same time. Rather, they get together during the process to discuss what is and isn’t working. At this stage is isn’t unusual to change the entire composition and repaint whole areas again. The artists’ collaborative process allows them to paint with the ultimate freedom and stops them from getting too precious about their work. They use acrylic paint as it dries fast and allows a lot of manipulation and repainting.