By the sea
New Series
Here are four new paintings out of many I’ve been working on this past while. This work has taken on its own direction and I am very excited about where it is going and the process of making it.
I went back to abstraction in a more expressive way through charcoal drawing and bringing that through to the painting. When I am out sketching for ideas for a new paining I focus on the atmosphere and details that catch my eye. My drawings are more expressive and quick as I like to get the composition down quickly. When back in my studio I found that the freedom was more enjoyable while doing these quick sketches and that gave me the urge to start the painting with charcoal and pencil, making marks and developing something to start with. I didn’t want to loose the drawing so when painting I would keep what appealed and worked as part of the painting, so some of the drawing comes to the surface while other parts get lost. This is the challenge that makes the work more interesting to make and with free gestural strokes and use of colour, this way of painting has been an exciting new direction.
With my last painting series between 2016/17 which was my explorations of the forests and trees. I saw them as reminders of time and in brief of existance. I was interested in the fragilities of the landscape and I became more focused on the dyeing trees. I really indulged into my wonders and love of being in a forest and it was like an itch I had to itch.
I always find it hard to sit down and put words to where my work is coming from at new levels and progress but I finally got down to it and you can have a read here.
The Rings Of Saturn
I am working on this new painting at the moment and here is a small part of the detail in close up. In its early stages it had been leaning toward a title that came to mind – The Rings Of Saturn.. and more from a sound and movement perspective. For a part of the process I listened to sounds recorded of the planet posted on YouTube..it seemed to intensify the experience and I’m hoping some of that comes through in this painting on completion.
Incognito 2019
So thrilled to be a part of this
Group Exhibition – March 29th
Wicklow Artists a Gathering – Spring Exhibition March 29th – April 7th
Ink!
Trying some inks on cotton rag paper. It will be on exhibit in a group show I am delighted to be part of. ‘Wicklow Artists’, March 29th at La Touché Place, Greystones, Co.Wicklow
Painting Process
I am currently working on this painting and this was an early stage where it was a few months ago. I felt at the time that it could be finished at that early stage and I didn’t want to do much more with it. I put it aside for a few weeks, which is what I do when I am not sure about a work in progress.
In the above image is where it had come to in the beginning stages. In the first layer I used sand with PVA, which I haven’t used sense my previous trees series. I used the sand to start the beginnings of the composition and then when the PVA mixed with the sand dried I painted the next layer which was oils and colour with oil sticks to mark make. I painted loosely where the painting seemed to want to go toward. I left it for a few weeks and felt it needed to warmer and brighter. So far this is its progress.. it may be concluded but I’ll give it time to rest.
