Post 43 - Artists Statement April 2024 seminar

My research question is how do I best use the affective states or modes of perceiving to describe the body’s presence in space, and revolves around the methods and processes of my art-making compared to its conceptual framework.

Methods and processes

I employ collage, en plein air drawing and painting, stream of consciousness mark-making, and layering or scraping back of oil paint to evoke depth within the picture plane. My process involves a balance between methodical rule-based creation and spontaneous, intuitive gestures, drawing from both visual and bodily memory.
My research focuses on how I create art and how I can benefit by aligning my process with its underlying concepts.

I interpret landscape painting not as representation but as an exploration of the emotional depth and complexity of nature through gestural marks and personal experiences. My work, which could be described as mindscapes, combine nature and urban elements with past memories. I'm currently exploring collage to reinterpret landscapes and their relationship with light, air, atmosphere, and space. By utilizing color as a primary tool, I aim to create a sense of internal exploration within the landscape.

I plan to further develop these ideas through larger-scale paintings and collages. My work finds resonance in the concepts of Emergence and Unfreedom, utilising En Plein Air painting, collage techniques, and oil painting layering.

Key words and terms

Form and Space

unfreedom

affective state

Emergence

Colour as Emotion

Head and Body Space

Pictorial Space

Windows, Walls and Dreams

experiential

reflective structure

The continual effort to activate the picture plane and to unify the picture plane

Artist Statement

"I begin with the need to transform the surface of the painting into a personal and meaningful space. I see the dimensions of this space as a kind of metaphor which transforms the surface of the 4 bounded edges of the rectangle into a window, wall + dream.” 1

For me the "window" represents a space open for viewing the world, the "wall" acknowledges the flat, two-dimensional nature of paintings, and the "dream" reflects the role of the subconscious in shaping painting elements into a new order.
Using collage and small-scale formats, I've been creating numerous artworks depicting landscapes, whether imagined or inspired by reality.

My current work can be broadly categorized into three main areas.

Firstly, I focus on archetypal elements such as the horizon, sun, moon, stars, clouds, sea, and land. My inspiration comes from personal perceptions of landscapes and interpretations evoked by existing imagery.

Secondly, I explore the art historical context of landscape painting, blending influences from romantic traditions with elements of Cubism, Fauvism, and Neo Expressionism. This blend informs the conceptual framework of my work, balancing traditional atmosphere with alternative spatial concepts, as well as exploring the notion of "emergence" and its rationality in painting.

Lastly, I utilize colour as a fundamental tool for creating depth and stimulating the imagination within my landscapes.

1 Jesse Murry, Painting is a Supreme Fiction: Writings, 1980-1993 (Chicago, IL: Soberscove Press), 163

Works

"Postcards from the Edge." 1- 52

2024
Oil, charcoal, ink, pencil, tracing paper on paper and canvas. 150mm x110mm.

“studies “ 1- 4

Oil on panel 200 x 350mm