Teresa Borek, STIME, 2026
copper solution on handmade paper © the artist

Water and Ground brings together works by Teresa Borek that explore an intimate dialogue with landscape, geology, memory, and sensation through the expressive possibilities of ink. Using primarily drawing inks, alongside acrylic and alcohol inks, Borek creates works on paper and glass that evolve through repetition, experimentation, and an openness to the unexpected.

Drawing on coastal environments, ancient rock formations, and the elemental qualities of land, sea, and weather, her work evokes a deeper, felt sense of place rather than its surface appearance. Shifts between dark and light, often anchored by blue, create layered and luminous works that reflect both material process and emotional response.

Working on surfaces including tracing paper, handmade paper, photographic paper, cartridge paper, and glass, Borek embraces the inherent qualities of her materials. Her practice reflects a sustained engagement with landscape as a space for contemplation, growth, and transformation.

Teresa Borek (b. 1965) has spent most of her life in Orkney, leaving only to study at Falmouth School of Art (1984-1987) and complete her teacher training in Aberdeen. On returning to Orkney in 1989, she was appointed itinerant art teacher, later joining Kirkwall Grammar School, where she taught art from 1993 until her retirement in 2021. The artist now lives and works from her home studio in Stromness, continuing a longstanding engagement with the landscapes and seascapes of Orkney..