Reflections on part 3 feedback

Printing was completely new to me, but my tutor picked up on the fact I really enjoyed it, which is great to hear!

Ex 3.1 – highly expressive and different brushes helped it stop being too fussy

Ex 3.2 – good selection, basic portraits but highly expressive, really likes landscapes [prefers second striped to first which I wondered if overpainted!], bold, has energy

Ex 3.3 – works on black are effective. Mark making bit repetitive – lots of shorter strokes suggest lack of confidence, try more varied with fluid marks

Ex 3.4 – sensitive mark making and delicate colouring. Monochrome worked particularly well – don’t be too tidy, charm of this is surface textures

Assignment – Red and black is particularly striking and have iconic poster look, sense of movement. Middle portrait – delicate fine lines produced work of sensitivity even though proportions not quite right.

 

Reflections – try to use different marks, not just short repetitive ones, don’t be too tidy, try more fluid marks.

Great advice once again and will try to build on this for assignment 5 as printing has become a new favourite of mine!

Assignment 3

PORTRAIT 1

I’ve been looking at Chantal Joffes’s work and how she paints in quite a simple style with slight distortions of features. she breaks some rules of formal portrait painting. The shadow between the lips is just a brown line for instance. It reminds me a little of Lucien Freud’s work where he enlarges features, eyes for instance, to add impact.

I wanted to use an expression with some emotional intensity, and more of a sad face. This is the kind of face I see a lot in my work as a doctor – in the corridor people are cheerful but the mask soon slips in my room. It’s this kind of emotion that I find my personal voice heading in the direction of.

These first A5 prints [the second had some paint added] seemed to be the start of a journey and not the end to me.

A3 oil monoprint on paper

This next print is A3 size and I used a glass plate for the first time instead of the Gelli-plate. This produced quite a different effect. I liked the expression here, but wandered about trying a reduction technique next. This seemed too much like the prints I’ve been making in the exercises so far, and I wanted to develop what I had started in exercise 3.4 with a new direction – the reduction print inspired by my Maggi Hambling exhibition visit.

For theseI painted the figure in black and blocked in and the outside in red oil paint. Then I wiped off with cotton buds and rags. The first is actually the second print off the plate but I used it to practice adding paint with a rag and cotton bud. The second I think is the most successful. It has more variety of marks, and the rag adds a bit of a random element, in the lack of control.

A3 oil monoprint on paper

 

I think with this one, I achieved the expression I wanted through experimentation. I think the red background contrasts well with the black. I wanted to keep the colour palette bold which I feel meant it needed to be limited. None of these have perfect drawing but I feel it is reasonable, and the imperfect drawing of features is actually what I want I wanted to achieve here. The eyes are too large for instance, but I hope it adds some drama to the expression.

PORTRAIT 2

For this, I was inspired by experiments at the end of exercise 3.4 where I was looking at a side profile. I have been reading Emily Ball’s book ‘Drawing and Painting People’ [1]. She really does offer a fresh approach to painting and I wondered about adapting it for printing too.

Emily Ball is about looking hard, but then making marks in a more expressive way. I wanted to do something quite different with the second work, and decided to use 3 non realistic colours and see how it went.

 

First, I did a continuous line contour drawing of the face to loosen up and then a couple of exercises from the Emily Ball book where I smeared on graphite and charcoal powder, and used an additive and reductive technique to achieve the image I wanted, finally adding a few fine details. This got me warmed up for the next development work in printing.

I also came across this artist in Emily’s book, and the different use of colour in this self portrait inspired me to try something quite different to what I’ve been printing so far.

I thought it might be easy just to use 3 random colours but it quickly became clear how difficult it is, after I had an afternoon of failure after failure.

However, these failures made me realise that I need to choose 3 colours that have 3 different tones, from light to dark, and that making use of negative shapes/white space made the print more interesting. The fourth experiment was the closest I got to what I wanted. The background was red paint on a rag after the print had been taken.

A3 oil monoprint on paper

I felt this print was the closest to what I wanted, and I added a few details with a rigger brush, darkened a few areas and added the red background with a paint dipped rag. This made the face stand out, as the red line outlining it got covered.

PORTRAIT 3

For this I wanted to try the reductive techniques I had read of Degas, and seen in the Maggi Hambling exhibition visit.

I like her deliberate and confident marks in removing the paint from the board, but have read she uses a metal plate. I still used my glass plate, as I really didn’t want to buy any more equipment at this stage!

I used an image I had painted in part 1, that I remembered had very clear tonal definition and strong shapes. I tried out a sketch with the charcoal dust.

I was really pleased with the first print, and added a few details to it with a rigger.

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A3 oil monoprint on paper

I could have got a more even finish like Maggi Hambling by using a roller to put the paint on the glass, but I actually quite like the painterly marks left by the brush. I like the composition of only part of the face visible, as this contrasts with the more conventional poses of the first two portraits.

ARRANGEMENTS

I like the arrangement of Annie Kevans of her dictators as children portraits. It’s at eye level and flows around the room.

Eleanor Moreton has a similar theme.

Luc Tuymans is one of my favourite artists, and I found this arrangement close together, but they are related objects, which mine are not.

Yuko Nasu uses a double linear row here. With multiple paintings this looks effective, but not with the three I have!

I tried a few combinations first not using the linear scheme.

but felt the long row would look better.

I decided I preferred the last, because there was some space between them, the  outside portraits both faced the larger central one.

REFLECTIONS

Demonstration of visual skills; Its been trial and error here with the completely new printing technique. Frustrating at first, it’s been a steep  but exciting learning curve. I think my drawing has stood up to the test. I’ve only used oil paint, because of not wanting to buy too many new materials in case I never print again. Having said that, I have ordered some Sakura print oils to try, because they stay wet for so long – something I’ve struggled with in this hot weather. I’ve tried Gelli plates and glass of different sizes – I’m glad I went up to A3 for the assignments. I’ve been using different brush sizes, as pointed out by my tutor in assignment 1.

Quality of outcome; I think I’m becoming more discerning in knowing what’s successful and what isn’t. For example the afternoon of failures with portrait 2 being discarded and a fresh attempt being made the next day. Sometimes things have to be put down to learning, and seen in that context rather than as failures.

Demonstration of creativity; this wasn’t coming through at first as I stuck with my usual style while I tried to master some printing technique! Finally in this assignment I feel I’ve really experimented, building on the previous exercises where I discovered painting with rags, reduction technique and different composition ideas [eg. using parts of a face].

Context; With this course, I find I’m discovering more and more contemporary artists that I like. The study visits I continue to attend are helping me to understand artists whose work I had initially not found so interesting [Stanley Spencer and Georgia O’Keeffe]. I’m starting to see what appeals to my working practice the most and my personal voice does seem to be leading me down the road of people/emotions and contemporary issues.

REFERENCES

1. Drawing and painting people. Emily Ball. 2009. The  Crowood Press

 

Exercise 3.4

Adding paint makes a huge difference. Using quite dry brush strokes I’ve found makes the paint look more consistent with the rest of the paint. Here, the chin and neck came out far too dark so I add some light paint.

Adding paint to the second made a huge difference – meaning the eyes, mouth and tones have more definition. Losing the white border around the face makes the image look more real. The black paper image is the second print off the plate and I didn’t retouch it, as I quite like the negative quality of it.

The last picture is from my medical journal, and while it’s of a model, she reminds me of a case I looked after who sadly had cancer.

Again it is a hot day and the sansodor oil mix is drying quickly. I retouched small parts for the second picture and was fairly happy with the expression. Her hand might need some further definition, but I wasn’t sure how much more to do so always think it’s best to leave it there! I’ve become OK at removing paint off the plate with a sansodor soaked rag to leave a neat edge.

I decided to try the reductive technique on the image that I saw at the Maggi Hambling exhibition last weekend, and also the interesting monochrome marks that William Kentridge uses. I used a thickish layer of black paint and tried removal with lollipop sticks, a rag and hands with a little sansodor.

This was what the plate looked like, but the print came off looking quite thin and light. I was covered in black paint and forgot to take a photo of it. I took two prints and worked into them with some thin black paint on a rag.

I was quite pleased with both of these, as they are complete experiments. Rubbing the oil paint left some interesting marks on both and I tried to stop before filling in the whole portrait, which is what I wanted to do! I was trying to leave something to the imagination.

What went well?

I think I’m getting the hang of the consistency of paint for oil printing monoprints and some confidence with the technique. Strong shapes are needed to paint quickly.Experimentation is giving me some good ideas for the assignment, particularly from looking at the reductive methods of Degas and Hambling discussed on the gallery visit.

A big change from this course I’ve noticed, is that I’m constantly looking for images to inspire me, and also that I’m looking far more at contemporary artists than ever before.

What could be improved?

I’ve been concentrating on one technique but have ordered some water based printing inks, and am thinking about Sakura oil printing colour that has been recommended. I need to experiment with other mediums and plates too. I’ve been using flexi silicone so far [Gelli plate] but have ordered some cheap plexi glass which I won’t mind ruining if say, acrylic ink dries permanently to it!

Art gallery visit – George Shaw at the National Gallery and Maggi Hambling at the British museum

George Shaw at the National Gallery

I was eager to see George Shaws work, knowing he has painted for many years with Humbrol enamel, that I enjoyed dabbling with in Part 2!

I had come across his work when he was short listed for the 2011 Turner prize, with his derelict bare paintings of his old Coventry housing estate. They had no figures in them, but as he explains in the exhibition film, the people echo in his paintings like ghosts.

These paintings are lit brightly in a dark room, which makes the glossy enamel shine. In the film, he explains how he likes making the utilitarian Humbrol paint into something completely different and that he chose putting odd things in woods feeling like the ‘remains of teenagers’.

His detailed drawings take inspiration from the famous paintings in the National Gallery, such as this Constable.

John Constable. 1833-6. Cenotaph to the memory of Sir Joshua Reynolds

which I went to visit afterwards. I can see how this scene does have a ghost of the artist it commemorates. Certainly George has put a contemporary twist to his own work!

George Shaw. Mocht’ ich zurucke wieder wanken 2015-16

The detail he has got with his enamel is amazing. The magazine pages on the floor are quite realistic in their detail! He then blends the backgrounds a little so they look more distant and out of focus. From the film showing him working, it looks like he paints with quite thinned glazes to achieve this effect and that it must take a long time for these layers to dry.

I was inspired to buy the exhibition book, and will enjoy reading some more insight into this artist. I like his choice of compositions – an old mattress int he wood, an old tent, spray painted graffiti. I did get that feeling of echoes of humans in there.

Maggi Hambling at the British museum

I had watched the 1990 film of this artist on BBC iplayer the night before, and was fascinated by her quick expressive way of drawing. Her marks sort of build up into a form out of some chaos. She explains how she can go days with nothing going right until a drawing hits the mark.

Maggi Hambling. Stephen falling asleep. 1993

This series shows the variety of marks she uses. I can see in places she has wet the paper first to let them bleed out. I realise from looking a this that the marks I used for my self portraits in exercise 3.1 are too similar and boring!

Maggi Hambling – Beryl reclining 1988

This monotype seemed very relevant with my recent attempts at printing. Staring at his I couldn’t work out how she’d done it, until I read on another print that she uses a method similar to Degas of reductive printing. So the ink is rolled onto a plate and removed with fingers, a rag, sticks and then printed. Looking again, I could see this and this is a method I’m determined to try for myself. It would be nice to have a change from oil paint printing, but I’m thinking this will be even faster than the oil paint!

This was a great little exhibition, and I’ve ordered a book of her work, so that I can look into it in more detail.

Art gallery visit – Georgia O’Keeffe at Tate Modern. OCA study visit.

Georgia O’Keeffe has not been a favourite of mine, but I’ve realised if I attend a study visit about someone thats never really lit my fire, I come away with a new insight and appreciation of the artist.

Before the visit, I only knew of her flower paintings, which I considered to be too even layered, lacking in texture and flat. Also too over stylised and over simplified.

Seeing them in the flesh, and chatting with our tutor Bryan Eccleshall soon changed my perception!

This is the famous ‘Jimson weed’ sold for 32 million recently and painted in 1932. Far from looking flat, in real life its strong shapes kind of suck you in. From standing in front of it, drawing it, I realised how the outer petal tendrils curl so delicately one way and the inner stamens the other. So your eye gets taken round in different ways. This is balanced by the geometrical shapes of the leaves. On one side the are so ordered they could be a ladder or a green book cupboard! Far from looking  flat, standing in front of it I can see how cleverly the paint is blended and how this must have taken weeks of work to do. It looks a very loving homage to this common weed flower! It has a feeling of sereneness about it. Its a sort of stylised abstraction – its not real life but its an interesting twist on it.

This is a small painting, from exactly 100 years ago. but I was immediately drawn in by the strong vibrant colours. Only 3 colours are used including prussian blue. There are some strong blunt borders, and some deliberate ‘cauliflowers’ at the foreground to cleverly represent foliage. If it were technically perfect it would not be half as interesting as in the end, it is 3 bands of colour!

This was painted in 1925. The harsh lines of the man made buildings contrast with the undulating cloudy sky. The focal point is the light, and this leads your eye upwards. I was drawn in by the perspective, as it makes the buildings look odd shapes. The sky is framed by the buildings and is a clever use of composition which I need to think about in my work.

This painting is of the Canadian landscape she visited, and is an abstraction of the rolling skies and turbulent water. The brush work I could see in odd places really stood out, I feel she wanted that effect, as the rest is so much flatter. I stood drawing these whirling, curving shapes and it was hard to do. There feels a real harmony in the colours and how the shapes interact.

I found this painting intriguing, because the strong colours within it make the perspective odd when you stand in front of it. the blue background mountains are a stronger cobalt blue than in reproduction and appear nearer to you. The foreground has vibrant warm greens and flesh like colours. She painted a lot around her house in New Mexico, living quite a solitary life at times, taking off in her car and coming back with a painted canvas. Her strong connection to this landscape is obvious. Interestingly, she was not well known with local people, including local art circles. There are no figures in this landscape.

This is a larger painting, and the clouds look so substantial and white at the front, that I felt I could walk on them like stepping stones. Towards the back, they recede by fluffier edges and being mixed with a little pink and blue. The horizon is a soft pink and really does remind me of being on an aeroplane at dawn. Ofcourse, its not realistic again, she’s twisted it in an abstract way but I find myself flowing up and over these clouds to the horizon.

This is intriguing, because the part of interest is a hole! It’s a pelvis bone she found hwen out and about. I liked the optical illusion of not knowing if I’m looking up through the sky or the sky is bulging down at me like a blue balloon coming through the hole. It’s a simple but clever composition.

Of the exhibition as whole, I liked the way the work was in a chronological order, as it allowed me to see how she developed over the years into the very abstract works of her later years. Her use of colour seemed to be quite ‘feminine’ pastel colours, but as Bryan pointed out, which came first – her paintings, or colours being labelled as feminine?

She paints large scale on small sized canvases. Flowers are zoomed up to, or whole mountains fitted on to a domestic sized canvas. This surprised me. The stylised way of painting seemed quite American to me, as contemporary American painters seem to favour this, which makes me think she was very influential. Certainly not the European more painterly style. Made me think more of Edward Hopper.

Ideas I could steal? Composition and strong use of colour definitely.

Seeing it in the flesh was far more interesting than in books. The odd brush stoke here and there makes it appear more ‘human’. Reproductions make the paintings look like they could have been done digitally, and in fact they are far more delicate and interesting than that.

A very interesting study visit, and as with Stanley Spencer, I have come away with a whole new insight into this artist.

Exercise 3.3

I’m getting quicker at the painting and here more brush strokes stand out. I have added a bit of paint to make the eyes stand out. I added too much under the chin which makes it look like my daughter hasn’t had a bath in a week. Removing paint is easier if using a tiny bit of turps too, otherwise it smears.

This is from a life drawing I did, so I didn’t have the live model in front of me, I had to use my original painting [in part 3 non course work on this blog]. That makes it harder, as I have to rely on me getting that painting right! I actually prefer the second print off it, it hasn’t reproduced so well here, but it looks more delicate in real life. The first one lacks some tones. I’ve realised that dark prints better than light, so with the retouching, it’s likely to be the lights that need it.

I decided to try a background – a big brush to do it quickly as the figure was starting to dry. It’s quite roughly done, but I think it enhances it. I had to add some paint to the face, but I think it’s come out a bit mask like.

I like this view looking down. But I took too long painting it, and it did not come out so well. A lot of light areas, and the eye looks quite crude. Definitely one to think of adding some paint to.

Inspired by the Kim Baker paintings on a black ground, I took a print on white paper, then a faint one black paper. That didn’t work well, made me see how you have to mix smooth paint not to leave splodges. So I painted back on the glass and tried again. It was easier as there was already an outline. I think the black paper is more successful than the white. The white paper needs more paint I think, but doesn’t reproduce well here.

What went well?

I’m getting more used to handling the paint for this process, speeding up and using simple shapes. Bigger brushes help keep the paint smoother.

What could be improved?

Continuing practice is needed to get better images. I want to have a change of media too, because it would be good to try some inks, or acrylic – but that would need a lot of medium to make it dry slower. I want to start being more creative too – using different colours on one brush edge and going for a more abstract image by using a rag. I think I’ve been very figurative in practicing prints and it will be good to go in a different direction soon.

 

Exercise 3.2

I’ve never done this before, so a steep learning curve. 

The first monotype with oil – getting the consistency was difficult. Also, the hot weather meant the Sansodor made the oil dry quickly. I liked this when it printed, but now I look and see the white gaps which I’m not sure if they add to the ‘printed look’ or make it look amateurish.

I did this to see what a more simple composition might look like – the second is the second print, but it didn’t work. I can see now that more paint on the face would be better, it looks a bit flat leaving it white.

Another change, using a upview and large brush strokes. Interesting to see how the brush marks really show up here. I think more paint on this might ruin it.

I decided to have a change from faces and try this photo from a landscape photo I’d taken that morning with sun coming through railings. The first print came out pretty well. the second print I added more paint but I lost the ‘printed look’ and I think I prefer the first one because of the textures left on the leaves.

The first is the traditional oil painting I did on holiday. The second is a print of the same view a fortnight later. I’m starting to realise that simple shapes work best.

What went well?

Using A4 prints is a good size for this practice because if it goes badly at least I haven’t spent hours painting it for it to fail!

What could be improved?

As well as drawing, tone and colours, I realise printing also involves even more thought with the paint mix. Any lumpy bits will looks a mess. Handling the print with painted fingers ruins the clean edge. If the paint on the plate isn’t shiny it isn’t going to print much at all. I have to be quick with my painting, which means getting set up first with what I want to do. There’s not time for meandering about because the paint is dry and it’s ruined before it’s started. I’ve stuck with quite traditional styles, because this is about getting the printing sorted, I feel the more creative bit can develop on when I’ve got that right!

Exercise 3.1

20 A4 studies in ink is harder than I thought. I kept having a break because staring at your own face gets tiring! Also, trying to be quick and only take a few minutes.

I got bored with front and face views and decided to go for looking up, down and mouth open, even a smile! I think 2 and 10 look most like me. 4 is an interesting angle.

I tried to vary the marks too.

What went well?

A variety of poses made it more interesting

What could be improved?

Looking at them now, I realise I’ve used the same brush and I could have used different sizes. My tutor had pointed that out in the first feedback.

Research artists – part 3

Kim Baker [1]

Looking at Kim’s website inspired me to buy a copy of a book with a new take on still life that includes her work [2]. She takes inspiration from 17th century Dutch still lifes but look spontaneous. The book says she often reworks her canvases, painting one image on top of another.

I like the dynamic fresh look of the flowers. It still looks like the colour choices are careful. I like the contrast of her light subjects on the dark ground. I’m going to try a monoprint from an image made with a wide brush loaded with different paint along its edge. This idea has come to me from looking at the work of Chloe Woods at the Hepworth study visit, and Mimei Thompson’s cave paintings at the Syson gallery. I’m also inspired to try a monoprint on black paper!

Having been quite bored drawing and painting boring items around my house in previous courses, this book has revolutionised my thinking about still life arrangements. Paintings of pieces of clothing hanging in an indeterminate space look strange, especially on a black background like they’re hanging in space. William Sasnal paints a simple medicine bottle on half a laptop is effective with a limited palette of black, blue and white. The composition here is effective because the laptop is seen in a limited view and there is another object which cannot be identified. Andro Semeiko paints one piece of popcorn in ‘very big toffee popcorn’ 2005. It looks like a brain. The hyper realistic style is not my choice of painting but I can admire the attention to detail in this.

William Kentridge

I came across this prolific artist on another student’s blog. He is a prolific South African artist that paints, draws and prints.

There’s a great article about him here [3]. His website [4] has many examples of his distinctive style of using strong distinctions in tones in his work. His themes are wide ranging and include theatre and apartheid. His build up of rapid dark and light marks reminds me of Frank Auerbach drawings. Seeing his work has inspired me to book on an OCA study visit to his London exhibition next month and learn more about him!

Annie Kevans

I am immediately drawn to this artist’s work [5].At first, I thought her work similar to that of Elizabeth Peyton’s celebrity portraits. But actually there are dark themes behind them. The exhibition of dictators as boys at the Saatchi gallery appears to me quite unsettling. The thin paint makes the portraits feel not quite real or full of any substance.

Looking at Adolf Hitler as a young boy it’s hard to see what that face could do to the world later. I like looking at some meaning behind paintings. Marlene Dumas and  Luc Tuymans have similar themes in their work. It makes me wonder if some of my work is over painted and I need to try thinner paint and less of it! Certainly my enamel on metal was overworked in some places, like the Morrissey portrait.

Tracey Emin

I’ve started reading Tracey Emin’s autobiography ‘Strangeland’ [6] and although I’m still only at her childhood, what an excellent book it is. It really gives an insight into her character and makes much more sense of the ‘one thousand drawings’ [7] I got from the library. These naive drawings come to life once you know some of her background, childhood abuse and some neglect.

I liked her ‘unmade bed’ at the Tate Britain more than I thought I would, it really felt like spying on her private life. I think she’s been brave with these drawings too, as they open up some things which must be very uncomfortable for her.

I’ve now watched the BBC program available on You Tube ‘what do artists do all day’ about Tracey. She comes across as refreshingly honest, humble and it was interesting to see her having self doubt about her painting. She paints quickly and expressively and her intense emotion does come out in her work. I can see the technical skill in her figure work. Also good to see an exhibition put together.

References

1. http://www.kimbaker.co.uk/
2. Nature Morte. Michael Petry. Thames and Hudson. 2013
3. http://www.art21.org/anythingispossible/resources/essays/thinking-aloud-the-prints-of-william-kentridge/
4. http://moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2010/williamkentridge/?_ga=1.25256312.450948301.1472628751
5. http://www.anniekevans.com/
6. Strangeland. Tracey Emin. Sceptre. 2006
7. One thousand drawings. Tracey Emin. Rizzoli. 2009

 

Art Gallery visit – Hepworth gallery, Wakefield including work from Kettles Yard, Cambridge

Before the OCA study visit started, I allowed some time to visit the rest of the gallery as I had already read online about some of the great works it had. As Kettles Yard is being refurbished in Cambridge, a lot of works from there were also being shown.

Anthony Caro – Nude 1986

This simple life drawing caught my eye. I like the confident marks, most done only once and a few others refined with two or three marks. The shadows are done simply with side of charcoal to give blunt edges. Again, it seems a confident look. The composition is simple but interesting as we are viewing upwards. There is no background to give any context as the figure floats in air! The proportions are good with a large foreshortened foot. It looks elegant and was probably done in 10 or 20 minutes??

Ben Nicholson – Bertha no 2 1924

This looks better in real life than the photo. It is quite crudely painted with a graphite outline plainly visible, and thick brush strokes. There are just large blocks of colour in beige tones with only the face blended a little more.

I like the expression which is distant and looking away. There is little detail, no eyelashes for instance. The paint is thin and I can see the grey  ground in places.

Christopher Woods – Boy with cat 1926

This looks like it was painted in a hurry, with the clothes and cat in a rough thin style, almost like an underpainting, compared to the more stylised face. There are pencil marks everywhere, and I even found two faces to the side of the main face, in pencil as if he had been planning more figures.

The canvas is elongated and it looks as if he painted the figure to fit the canvas! The eyes of the boy and cat are both blue and similar looking. The lips of the boy look too stylised, like he’s wearing lipstick as the edges are too sharp. The cat has its claws out like its ready to pounce!

I looked into more work of this artist after the visit, and was sad to see he died under a train aged 29.

David Hockney – the arrival of spring in Waldgate woods 2011

I knew this was Hockney, before reading the label. I’ve seen his charcoal wood drawings, which have a great variety of marks and use of negative shapes that I see echoed here. I was surprised to see it’s drawn on an ipad, which is something I’m yet to try.

The vivid greens and yellow make me feel as if I’m standing in a Spring wood. I really like the variety of mark making used. It’s a change from his flat 60’s stuff.

Sunken line – Clare Woods 2016

I was drawn to this because of my recent painting on metal – and this is on aluminium. The way the large brush strokes have picked up different colours across it reminds me of the style of Mimei Thompson. It is quite abstract, I picked up a forest like part to it, but could not fathom the pink and white structures at all. Spilt liquid? Heated wax? A fellow OCA visit student had no better luck. I like it though, because of the different colours across the brush. It perhaps doesn’t even need the flat pink and white bits. I shall have to look at more of this artist’s work and see what her themes are.