Power with Paint?

Power with Paint?

Exploring expressionistic painting methods in new work

Recently I have been trying to quite radically change the style of my work by employing more 'action painting' type methods, to try and create a more energetic composition and interplay of elements in my work. I have also started to limit the colours I use in a painting, and in some cases dull them down from my usual bright primary colours! The reason for this is because most of the work I have produced recently which I think has had the most impact has been the pieces with a limited pallete, and I am beginning to learn that simply bombarding the eye with colour does not have as much potential for creating atmospheres in paintings, as say using a more limited amount of colours effectively.

These are the results of my experimentation

Schism 01:



















Medium sized acrylic painting on Board
This was one of the earlier experiments with using more expressive , painterly methods in my work. I have splattered paint, smudged it, scratched into it etc and I like the final frenzied nature of it. Be interesting to see if I can expand on this style and make it more my own as it were.

Drowning:


















Another medium scale square canvas painting. This time with a even more reduced pallete and with a lot more emphasis on scratching and smudging. Fairly happy with it, in some ways I find it unnerving and intense but I like that quality , make it more interesting perhaps?

Glacial Unrest:



















This is the biggest work I have done in this style at 48 by 36 inches , I'm really happy with it and I think it achieves that which i've been groping for with this experimentation - namely the portrayal of atmosphere and an increased intenstity that my older work may have lacked. I think it is a perfect synthesis of the first piece and the 2nd piece, as it employs methods from both in a more effective manner than both I think. This has portrayed some manner of power in paint I think, and I am going to aim to capture this kind of power again.

Leave any comments you may have about employing expressive methods in painting, about the work or anything else (relevant) that comes to mind. How do you portray power in paint? Leave your thoughts!

Upcoming Exhibition - Lost and Found

Upcoming Exhibition: Lost and Found As Part of Macclesfield Barnaby Festival

I have an group exhibition coming up soon which I am going to be a part of, Lost and Found is an exhibition featuring art which uses 'lost' 'discarded' or discovered' objects as the raw materials for the work. It is going to be one of many visual art exhibitions running as part of the Barnaby Cultural Festival in Macclesfield

The artists are all artists based in Victoria Mill, the converted mill with studios where my own studio is located.

I have been quite busy for the last few months doing work and organizing this exhibition and am very excited about it. So excited that i'm going to post up a sneak peek of one of the works on this blog.


This is one of the first works I completed in preperation for the exhibition called Bug City , it is acrylic , emulsion posca pen on Found fence. It will be on show along with many other works Lost and Found art from the 16th (Private View Night) till the 25th of June.

More specifics can be found on the lost and found microsite

Newest work + Oxfam exhibition

Haven't updated for a while, mostly because iv'e been slacking a bit in the artwork department (skint, lack of materials and energy etc etc) but here's the latest work i've done , well from last month but still :)

Oh yeh , the exhibition for oxfam never really updated on how that went, it was preety good even though I didn't sell anything , it was nice to get the chance to see what people thought of my work though and I got positive feedback on the whole as well as some constructive criticism which is always useful!!






Construct - Acrylic on 60 by 80cm canvas


A simple abstract composition , kind of done on a whim , didn't really plan this one out just went with the flow. It turned out ok I think though perhaps it could be more complex.














Lips that would kiss form prayers to broken stone - Acrylic

Based on a line from the T S Eliot poem 'The Hollow Men' which I was listening to a lot prior to this paintings creation. This was based on a sketch I did of two figures kissing, and then I added the detail of the buildings in the background in the painting. I wanted to create a loving yet sombre image for this painting hence why the colours are quite faded and greyish/dark. Im quite pleased with it and I was going for an expressionist feel which I think I broadly achieved. Though the guys ear could of been done better, that is the major niggle I have with this one, ears are tough though!!!








Outwards and Downwards - Acrylic

The oldest of these three, actually thought I had uploaded this one, obviously not though. I am really rather pleased with it, just like how it is very energetic and busy, more akin to some of my abstract drawings.