Friday 17 October 2014

Woodland Escape

Woods and trees feature a lot in my art.  My Old Railway drawings are abstract trees and represent escape, which at the time was from a lot of things going on in my life (including getting away from art college for a few hours).  While trees mean escape and safety to me, culturally in Northern Europe, trees, woods and forests have been symbols of fear (think of Red Riding Hood/Handsel and Gretel/highway robberies).   My most recent drawing is inspired by one of my favourite places, Beeston castle and woods.  The first time I came here was two weeks before I started teaching in 2002.  I could not relax and felt very anxious about starting my new job (with good reason).  My visit to these woods provided a short respite from the otherwise permanent state of anxiety that I was living 24 hours a day.

Charcoal and coloured pencil drawing (A4), October 2014

Friday 10 October 2014

Girl 4 Painting









I've completed my first painting for my 'Girl' project titled 'Girl 4'.  The painting follows similar themes built up in the drawings that I have produced.  There is a focus on detail and the eye.  I need detail in my pieces because that is what I focus on in art and in life.  What others don't see or notice is what I notice the most.  Every line is important although most people won't notice everything in the pictures.

There is so much still to do for this project with lots of ideas constantly coming into my head about what this project means and how to explain it to the viewer.  It has and is a very personal project which makes explaining the meaning behind the pictures particularly difficult.  I will be starting a new painting next week and continuing with this project.  Hopefully as I work I will be able to put into words what my pictures are saying so that the observer can understand them better.












Girl 4, oil painting on board (110x110cm)