Caroline
Borghetto

My path into painting hasn’t been linear. Although I was drawn to art from a young age, it wasn’t something I initially pursued. I spent many years working in other industries before starting a small creative business producing design-led objects and textiles, which I ran for over eight years. Painting re-entered my life more quietly—initially as a form of self-care through local classes, and later through further study. Over time, the practice deepened, shifting from something supportive to something essential. Following this, I committed more fully to developing a studio practice, recognising that painting offered a way of thinking and working that felt both instinctive and necessary.

I work primarily with acrylic paint. I enjoy using it for its ability to be both thick and painterly and also thin and watercolour-like. I appreciate that it is quick-drying, as this suits my process. I love to come along with pencil later and study the way the paint has dried and play with mark-making to accentuate or blend or draw the eye elsewhere. I sometimes do this with conté or oil pastels as well, although pencil has a quality to it that I really love.

Sometimes my work starts with sketches of composition ideas, I go through stages where I like to sketch small thumbnails into my notebook, this often helps for inspiration. Other times my pieces start with a visual picture or a loose idea, shapes and colours, and I sketch directly onto the canvas. Then I enjoy building from those first marks. I like to have a few on the go at different stages. Once I am satisfied with my layers and composition I almost always add marks with pencil or pastels until I feel the work is balanced and finished and communicates my concepts.