The pregnant nude is a painting I had in the back of my mind for 10 years … I am in the process of putting all random ideas that never left my head on tiny canvasses (less than 8×10″). This is such a good way to purge the mind of these nagging ideas. And the small canvasses feel incredibly tender to me.
For quite some time I have this passion for tapestry paintings on the verge of chaos. I started the above two paintings in 2018 and abandoned them until now. The apples in the tree are almost abstract compared to the rose bush.
I noticed that people who can cope with a degree of uncertainty and chaos seem to like it while people who definitely need more order and control in their life seem to be put off by it. I’m going to test this hypothesis in the future. During these Covid-19 shut down times it certainly feels like there is not ever going to be a normal gallery show on again.
But there will be. There will be normal life. Let’s get used to the chaos.
Arthur’s Seat on an Early Winter Morning. December 2019, Edinburgh, Scotland … a digital painting.
Ok, so I succumbed to the iPad drawing and painting universe. I had been watching David Hockney’s digital artworks for a long time. I don’t need to like those “paintings” but I understand his reasons to work digitally. The idea of carrying a small device into a bitterly cold December morning (as done in the 2 paintings shown here) and be as quick as I possibly can before my hands turn numb instead of carrying a portable easel and oil paints … what shall I say? It’s brilliant! My nostalgic self recoils ever so slightly but it is so much fun too.
The logical next step was to make those digital drawings open editions and available for downloading to be able to print them at home, at a photo print shop or with an online printer. I had heated discussions with my art loving friends about “artificially” limiting a medium that in its core is unlimited – like a digital painting or any print medium where the plate doesn’t wear off giving prints of declining quality. To me it doesn’t quite make sense.
Of course this looks like a painting but is it one? The principles of composition, colour and mark making are the same, but it of course lacks the tactile surface despite doing a good job of imitating it … the crustiness or thin veil of oil paint … To me it is a painting that is contemporary and certainly quicker to make (and therefore so much cheaper) but without the sensual nature of a painted surface. That in itself isn’t bad. It just is… A sacrifice for the brilliant ease and speed possible with this digital “medium”. Something’s gotta give.
Arthur’s Seat on an Early Winter Morning, Chimneys. December 2019, Edinburgh, Scotland
I finally opened my etsy shop for smaller scale studio work and compositions that keep accumulating. You can find the etsy shop here. At the moment the shop has original oil paintings – mostly on paper. Have a look and enjoy!
