Artist's Statement
The paintings consist of oil paint applied onto sheet steel stretchers. These are initially treated with chemicals to create a variety of colour patinas and textures. Layers of oil colour are successively built upon this in thin veils using squeedgees, to create depth and space. The treated areas sometimes show through the translucent layers of paint to create a subtle interplay between the soft, illusory elements of the paint and the solid, physical certainty of the steel.
The paintings are intended to be undefined spaces or 'scapes' that have recently been inspired by images from the macro world, i.e. the solar system, and from the micro world, i.e. bacterium, as well as working on a more human scale. They are obviously concerned with colour, structure and depth, through which I aim to convey a sense of mystery and subtle beauty. Through the application of these translucent layers, I try to achieve an exterior calm and order, that on closer inspection reveals more tumultuous details underneath.
Close up to the small details within the painting, I aim to draw the viewer into the process of painting. The viewer becomes witness to the subtlety and drama of colours sweeping through each other, tangling and mixing viscerally. The result is both a contemplative and dramatic space that the viewer is engaged with.
