This term I have built on the painting practice I have been developing for nearly two years now, and I truly feel I have found a practice that is honest and refined. As a summary, I would describe my work to be following in the footsteps of the abstract expressionists. I paint to leave a piece of my unconscious in every painting and I strive to feel completely connected to my work. I find the best of them deeply personal because I can see my rawest emotions and thoughts within them. This term I have been exploring and cementing the use of written word within my practice, since doing this I believe that I have come to terms with what the work is about and being able to share my honest thoughts and feelings with the canvas has been really important. I start my work by writing and scribbling the days ‘diary’ entry onto the canvas and then use paint and washes to build off the ideas brought to the surface. I love the pen/pencil peaking through the brush strokes and I think it allows the paintings to suggest a subject or encourage the viewer to spend more time with the work. I want my paintings to hold substance and meaning rather than just being driven by aesthetics and process.
My historical and contextual knowledge has continued to develop and my interest in the post war american art has only grown and strengthened. I have a good understanding of where my work sits in relation to the current art climate and how my work links to its historical context. I have thoroughly researched the origins of abstract art and believe I have used this knowledge to my advantage by learning from the greats and borrowing their techniques to build my own practice. I have been more aware of how others perceive my work this year, I want the paintings to be taken seriously and not just seen as decorative. However, I am cautious of letting people I don't trust allow me to wander from my ideas and practices. I have had to be really honest with myself about what the work is about and if I am doing the subject/thought justice. I do not want to be seen to be making work and then thinking of a subject after it's done. That way of working doesn't fulfill me, and I have been thinking recently about how I need to mentally and physically prepare to paint.
“It is not difficult to make things; what is difficult to put ourselves in a proper condition to make them” -Brancusi
“I sit for two or three hours and then in 15 minutes I can do a painting, but that’s part of it. You have to get ready and decide to jump up and do it; you build yourself up psychologically, and so painting has no time for brush. Brush is boring, you give it and all of a sudden it’s dry, you have to go. Before you cut the thought, you know?”
Cy Twombly
I have noticed a difference in my work when I don't take the time to sit and understand what I will be painting about that day before I get started, It could be an argument with a friend that is playing on my mind, something that I am excited for or most recently a fear and unease for starting my professional life. In the past, when I have painted because I think I should be doing a painting rather than wanting to make a painting- my thoughts can be blurred and the work feels disconnected. Maybe I work in waves like Twombly.
Just as I thought I was starting to understand colour my mind has been opened again, maybe the opaque prismatic colours I was predominantly using before held me back? Being too concerned about colour can be tricky when trying to work from subconscious thoughts and in the past I never saw the use of colour palettes. In my studio file I explain, in detail, the most important ideas I took away from Meg Buick’s colour workshops and talk. I feel that my understanding of colour has been cemented this year and I have built on the knowledge gained from Mark Cazalet’s colour workshops in the first year. I have been working with washes of paint recently, I think this way of working has a more organic feel and by applying the paint with sponges or my hands can feel more truthful to the concept of the work. Furthermore, as I touched on in my final blog post, I have come to terms with my own ideas about grounds and edges, much like Joan Micthell describes, my work is colour (eg, emotions) in space. My painting is not an object of myself but rather an artistic representation of my inner thoughts much like words on paper and lyrics in songs. The canvas, representing 'myself' stands alone as an object and the emotions painted on top I can separate myself (spirit/soul/identity) from. In the teachings of spirituality your emotions and feelings are a reaction to your body being alive, you should be able to remove yourself from these reactions in moments of meditation and zen. This is why I often leave the canvas off-white because it represents my true self and the unconscious thoughts and emotions that I can't control are placed in the space and are affecting everything around them.
This year I have been trying to work on just one standardised size. This has really helped my work feel more polished and refined. The size I have been working on is 48x60 inches and has been working well for me. It is large enough that I can express full body movements and gestures but I am able to move it around easily and have it stored in my house. I like that this size is human-like and I believe this adds to the idea that my paintings are an extension of myself. Having all the work the same size further relates to the idea that these paintings are my diary entries and all the work is taken from a book with pages all equally sized. Having sourced stretcher frames to be able to present my work better, I realised while I measured out the canvas before working on it they do shrink quite a lot when primed on a wall rather than the frame. So when it came to putting the work on to the stretcher frames I had some issues making them fit. This was a valuable lesson to learn and at least now I know for next time.
The materials and surface I have been using this term is canvas and acrylic, it has worked well. However, I am looking to transition to a more eco friendly non toxic pigment and water based binder when my paints run out. I don't like the idea that my work is having a damaging environmental effect (many micro plastics enter the drains when washing brushes) so I want to give these pigments a go. I am also thinking that now I am using less saturated and opaque colours this should ,in theory, work quite well with my practice.
Over the last three years on my degree I have experimented with many different ways that I can express myself with total transparency. Having started the course as predominantly a printmaker my practice has changed and developed hugely. I enjoy painting and the freedom it gives me. However, my main attachment to painting stems from the purity of it, so little stands between you and the artist when looking at a painting in person. Each brush stroke allows the imagination to visualise what action was used to create each mark and you feel like you’re right there with the artist. I truly believe a part of us will live on through our paintings, which is why I want to be as truthful as I can. This term I have been able to really solidify my practice and refine my work. I have found it difficult moving between workspaces and painting at home. However, I think I have overcome this quite positively and I am happy with the work I have produced. I have been able to make six pieces that I would be happy to exhibit. I think I will reduce this down to a series of three that compliment each other well. Overall, I am extremely proud of the developments I have made over the last three years and thoroughly look forward to continuing my painting practice and taking forward all the knowledge and practical skills I have gained.
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