the artworks 11th annual exhibition opened to the public at blackthorpe today... i am a new member of this professional group of thirty east anglian artists... and this year the environment and mankind’s impact on it is the linking theme of the exhibition...here are some snapshot photographs of my new paintings in the artworks exhibition, sadly, only taken with a mobile phone... two large lichenscapes and nine small mouldscapes... note the ancient flinty wall on which they hang...
lichenscape I and II, mixed media on canvasit doesn't quite look it, but this section of the barn wall is four metres wide; i had to contend with a power socket smack in the middle... thinking more about this access to electricity perhaps the idea of backlighting might be worth pursuing more rigorously as a creative diversion - that is, my work is seemingly very solid, slab-like and heavy ( a concept i quite like exploring within the relative lightness of a stretched canvas - but i had back in 2006 pursued some ideas around using painted skins. light effects and transparency...the artworks private view was very well attended with much work sold in the first couple of hours... it was very nice to see some ex-work colleagues but somewhat odd to see the ex-boss there too; i am sure they didn't recognise me as a past employee... here are three of my small mouldscapes on wood panels, all are 15cm x 15cm x 3cm...
mouldscape II, acrylic & composition gold leaf on wood panel
mouldscape VI, acrylic & composition gold leaf on wood panel
mouldscape IX, acrylic & composition gold leaf on wood panela new exhibition with some fresh, new work! although my artistic concerns remain pretty much within the environmental decomposition and decay mould...i will also be doing a painting demonstration during the exhibition - painting without brushes. i'll be working on some paintings whilst there and will be available to answer any questions on my painting methods, which includes not using regular brushes to create the myriad textures of rust, corrosion and mould...if you are in the area, please do go see this exhibition as there is much more to see, all of the artists exhibiting are highly regarded... it would be impossible to mention everybody, (and sorry, no images)...michael wiggins incredibly detailed pen & ink drawings are a visual delight, with their optical complexities, imaginary scenes reminiscent of mc escher & piranesi...lynn hutton has created some intriguing free-standing sculptural pieces using light, fused glass and embedded fragments of textiles to allude to identity & memory loss - i was reminded of radiographs and x-rays...eleonora knowland's 3d curved canvases reference the lie of the land and the wider curvature of the earth's surface in the subtle perceptual shifts of colour, light and atmosphere, whether experienced as sculptural paintings or painterly sculptures...valerie armstrong's prints are both playful and dream-like, with imaginary figures and scenes lush with vibrant colours and a cultural richness...the 11th annual artworks exhibition at blackthorpe barns, is open daily. 10am - 5pm, 11 September to 3 October 2010…...i also have some unique, one-off collagraph prints in the breaking ground exhibition at the harleston gallery, 28 august to 25 september 2010…...lastly, i have somewhat neglected the little art giveaway with all the preparation work and finishing off of things for the artworks exhibition - it is not forgotten, but the deadline to win three small postcard paintings will now be extended to 1st october 2010 - to be in with a chance of receiving some free art just visit this blog post......