Small pieces on the easels
Smaller pieces on the easel
Some work in progress
Psycho Too
A continuation of my Psycho meets Disney theme (the illusion of the American Dream) sees a more painterly base layer image of Marion Crane (as opposed to the screen print-style of Psychobabble) as its starting point. A lot of work to get her up to speed before I manipulate, add to the surface and continue building the layers. Who know where it goes, but in my mind that’s always a good thing.
A slightly more traditional portrait of my sister’s erstwhile dog, Angus. A beautiful, muckle beast, Again, work to do but I want to keep the mark-making broad and retain some of the base layer.
Just starting to conduct a little visual research on the anatomy of a horse. It’s important I understand fully the musculoskeletal system before I embark on a very large piece (2.5m +) in the Spring and Summer. I’m hoping to get to the local Kempton Park to photograph racehorses in the next couple of months. I’m excited by the thought of crafting the beauty and strength of the animal along with my mark-making approach.
The Barn
My live/work space
A live/work space on the outskirts of Brighton.
It’s been almost a year since I moved into a converted medieval barn near Shoreham-By-Sea. It’s a lovely space to rent and a great inspiration to paint in - excellent natural, flat light and incredibly peaceful. A real find. Whilst it doesn't’t have the buzz of Brighton and Hove, it has a sense of solitude and quiet purpose. I even have my own plaque outside! I’m only renting the middle one, not all four!
The tiny community of Kingston Buci where the barn sits within, has a 11th C church, St Julians, next door and I overlook not one but two graveyards! I guess that’s what I mean about it being quiet!
Work in Progress
Some other work on the spin.
A few of pieces of ‘work in progress’ to show you that are presently on easels in my studio space. Whilst I’m still working on the larger portraits from the ‘Carte Vista’ theme, these can be found here.
In ‘Psychobabble’ above, I’m now upping the scale of my smaller ‘Psycho’ pieces I did a couple of years ago into 2 metres (plus) canvases. They’ll explore filmic narratives mixed in with cultural iconography and ideas around framing and suspended animation and the notion of life as one, big conveyor belt (see some of my earlier Cambodia work in Painting).
Above is a small oil study of my Goddaughter, Arwen. It’s had one ‘pass’ so it needs a lot of work. I’m attempting to play around with a different, less restricted colour palette in anticipation of upcoming commissions. So it acts as a good test piece.
This charcoal drawing, Dog Day Afternoon, has been hanging around for ages. I haven’t even ‘fixed’ it yet! But it’s now up on an easel (again) and I’m determined to finish it!