A state of Flux…
So I have made a start on both paintings. I thought I would give them the opposing themes of Day and Night, or Light and Dark, as a loose starting point. Hopefully they will develop some sort of dialog between them and I expect this to evolve as time goes on. Already, as soon as I started painting, I have been changing my ideas as to the direction I think they will go in. Its amazing how reactive the painting process is. As marks build up there is a certain amount of serendipidy that takes place. Some of this is a reaction to a mark or colour not coming out quite as imagined, and some is the wandering of the mind as you get into the zone – Painting is a kind of meditation and with other thoughts blocked out, the mind is freed to go in new directions.
The first marks are always a pleasure on a big blank canvas (140cmx190cm) I think it goes right back to my early years scribbling over a white sheet of paper. There is plenty of room for big gestural marks and nothing to mess up yet…
I was imagining a hot sun and a red parasol…
But as more paint went on it developed into something more atmospheric
It all got a bit hazy
Night has a much more obvious starting point – it just needs darkness.
I dont know if the darkness is imploding or exploding
But it ends up as a starfield….
More firery by nights blackness
I loved the original bonfire!
Thanks Sara, so did I, it was a difficult decision to paint over it, as it has been at several stages. I think the physical presence of the final ‘Blaze’ gives a greater feeling of heat and warmth, which is one of the things I was trying to get across.
Just viewed your exhibition at the Black Swan. First of all I loved your paintings and have come away feeling very inspired. I am a mum of two young boys (one with special needs) and I am just again after many years of not doing anything creative, painting and drawing when I can snatch the time! My problem is finding it hard to start at all, or starting many things at once and never moving forward! The question of when to stop though is so relevant to all though!! To build up the finer detail or let it be? To morph into something else completely, or to give up a lost cause?! (On a differnent note, the web ad on your postcard has a typo; no ‘h’ in whitty) many thanks
Thanks Kate. I appreciate your comments. Starting after a gap can be tough, I find I tighten up and become more self conscious. Its also difficult to really lose yourself in the creative process if you only have short snatched moments, try and create a bigger time window if you can, so you can really get stuck in. The more you do, the more it seems to flow. Thanks for the typo tip – they were printed in a bit of a rush – I was still painting the day before I hung the show. Thats one of the problems with doing a show about when to stop…