New Non-Portrait Head

This is the first non-portrait head I have painted since 2006.

Varvara, oil on panel, 40cm x 30cm, 2012

Latest Abstract

Untitled, oil on panel, 18cm x 24cm, 2011

This began as another by-product of previously mixed and stored colours, with the idea of keeping all squares as subtle variants of darks.  Blacks were then mixed from rose, lemon and phthalo blue as well as phthalo green and alizarin.  Blacks on the palette were often not blacks on the painting, depending on their relationship with surrounding squares.  The painting then evolved into a composition which I feel is of more interest and value than the original intent.

Epic Painting

In 2006 I began working on an oil painting on a 230cm x 123cm piece of aluminium. Having worked on it sporadically since then, I finally finished it this week. Working through many transformations and overcoming many problems, both within the figure and general composition, this really has been the most challenging painting I have ever experienced. If x-rays were to be taken, I’m sure a very peculiar journey would be revealed. No Longer Karen Little began as an extension of the non-portrait heads I had painted previously in that I wanted to expand that approach into a full figure piece. Looking back at my initial sketchbook notes I mentioned the idea of really cultivating the space and creating an accuracy of reality whilst enjoying abstract qualities. The fusion of a form of realism and pure abstraction (and the use of emotive-aesthetic colour) definitely emerged as a prominent concern as the painting progressed. I also mentioned the idea of playing around with the body and creating a sense of altered reality and “The moment when subjective reality coincided with the sublime”. I now find myself having to give some serious thought as to what I actually meant by that. Personal or subjective realism and an interest in the sensation of reality as opposed to a depiction of reality is definitely a significant strand within my work. And a healthy disbelief in the ‘unquestionable’ authority of ‘reality’ and a strong belief in the power of imagination and the possibilities of painting. I am also drawn to and excited by an attempt to approach or even exceed the limits of emotion and comprehension within my own work. Also, I do think the human ability to make a break in the clouds is a clue to the true nature of people and life. Other factors are of course an irrepressible dark sense of humour and a precarious combination of dichotomies: beautiful yet ugly, serene yet disturbing, both harmonious and chaotic. Although I’m still not sure how much I actually like this painting as a whole, I am sure it has been a valuable testing ground from which future work will emerge (the abstract geometric painting completed in March is an example of this) and from which valuable experience and decisions can be carried forward. The below pictures do give some sense of the actual painting, with the possible exception of the full view, as it would only look like this if one were standing a long way back, which of course is not how the painting would generally be experienced.

No Longer Karen Little, oil on aluminium, 230cm x 123cm, 2011

detail

detail

detail

detail

Latest Painting

Painting completed today:

Untitled, oil on panel, 24cm x 30cm

A Little Info (but possibly not at the heart of the matter):

General Theme -  the possibilities of emotive-aesthetic colour.

Composition – 360 unique colours placed according to a pre-determined random process, partially deviated from, partially overruled (within a geometric framework).

Other Considerations -  the triangle as a significant symbol in relation to the nature of existence, living with imperfections, the beauty of imperfections, population, relationships, barriers.

Thinking

Thoughts…