Whether it’s the tactile appeal of thickly worked paint, the intricacy of a carefully constructed collage, or the hidden words of a poem, layers give art a richness that goes far beyond the surface. From expressive brushwork to three-dimensional constructions, we explore how some of Clarendon’s most inventive artists are making every layer count.

There’s more than one way to make a mark. Tabitha Millett and Judith Bridgland both exploit the physical properties of paint, but to strikingly different effect. Millett combines it with marble dust and limestone to create understated, almost architectural surfaces, where matt finishes absorb the light and glossy highlights catch it. Bridgland, meanwhile, captures the drama and colour of the Scottish landscape in thick, expressive layers of oil paint, using palette knives to create bold, gestural marks before scratching back into the surface to reveal glimpses of the colours beneath.

Oli Arshinov applies a more literal approach to building an image; her vibrant work is constructed from hundreds of individually hand-painted cubes, meticulously arranged on aluminium to create playful, pixelated compositions. Viewed from a distance, the image comes together as a unified whole, but move closer and the individual blocks take centre stage. Part painting, part sculpture, it’s a clever play on the relationship between individual elements and the bigger picture.

For Tom Butler and Bram Reijnders, the building blocks are fragments of everyday life. Butler transforms newspaper clippings, magazine pages and even crossword puzzles into intricate land- and cityscapes, incorporating printed words and images into the architecture itself with wit and creativity. Reijnders takes a more rebellious approach, collecting posters torn from city walls and cutting, burning and layering the paper with paint and glazes. The result is a riot of colour, texture and urban imagery, where the torn edges, fragments of text and accumulated layers become as much a part of the artwork as the image itself.

Some of the most fascinating layers aren’t immediately apparent. They emerge gradually, rewarding a closer look and revealing just how much imagination and craftsmanship lie beneath the surface. Kristjana S Williams creates fantastical worlds by bringing together vintage illustrations, exotic wildlife and botanical imagery in elaborate collages where every creature, flower and flourish contributes to the bigger picture.

That same pleasure of exploring the finer details can be found in the bronze sculptures of Andrea Roggi. Using the ancient lost-wax casting process, Roggi creates exquisite compositions in which human figures and trees intertwine, rich in detail within their branching forms and beautifully patinated surfaces. Follow the twisting roots and branches around a piece and the complexity of its construction becomes part of the fascination.

For Danielle O’Connor Akiyama, however, the most meaningful layer may be one you cannot see at all. Before beginning a painting, she writes a short poem, which she calls a ‘drift’, directly onto the canvas. As she builds up the colour and texture with natural materials - from beeswax and minerals to coal dust and hand-ground pigments - the words gradually disappear beneath the surface, leaving a hidden foundation of love, hope and positivity woven into the finished work.

A sweep of thick paint, the ripped edge of a poster, or perhaps an unexpected detail hidden beneath the surface… It’s these individual touches that give an artwork depth, character and a presence all its own. And when you’re spending a little more time at home, what could be better than art that always has new layers to reveal?