Old paintings revisited in October and November

Half The Seed of Europe, One by One 2014-5 oil on linen 163x131cms

I have been re-thinking some old work which I still like. firstly, 'Half the Seed of Europe, One by One', where I simplified out the landscape, and now works well, so well that it has now been sold. An angel flies over Godney graveyard, its light blinding the youth...or is he just on his mobile phone?

I have also revisited a work from 2012 Soul to Sole, the Ecstatic Greeting of Two Women in  a Shoe Shop in Berlin. The Shoes have become jazzier, and the hard edges of the boxes and women softened.

 Soul to Sole, the Ecstatic Greeting of Two Women in  a Shoe Shop in Berlin, oil on calico on board, 120x100cms

Somerset ArtWeeks 2015 Over

Fabulous hang of my work at Shakespeare Glass, Langport. Kate has displayed it so sensitively, so that the objects and the pictures work perfectly together

Back to Landscape

July has been a quiet month, and I have gone back to landscape, remembering the eclipse of 4th April this year, which I photographed as a reflection. The abandoned Moorlands Factory, now surrounded by Howdens and Screwfix and other small industrial units is a haunting place at night.

Moorlands and the Eclipse 2015, oil on calico on board 120x100cms

Making a copy

My daughter wanted this, so I have done it as a present. I've never made a copy before, of something I have done. Quite difficult, and hard not to 'pick' at it.

Stanley as Goya's Grandson, 2015
oil on calico on canvas 30x40cms

Homage to Piero

Sheridan Tandy said that my work reminded him of Piero della Francesca. Nothing better could be said. So here are x6 family members wearing headgear from Masaccio, Piero, Ghirlandaio and Georges de la Tour.  Against a jet sky.

Homage to Piero 2015 oil on calico on canvas 85x61cms

A new project, back to portraiture

Today 24th May, all finished, quite big and brash and bright, but I think it works

'I Am The Family Face' 2015 oil on canvasses 193x97cms

My 2 months spent investigating Goya's work, his portraiture, has led me to starting a new project, another family portrait group. By simplifying Goya's markmaking, this is translating into a new way of looking at portraits for me. There will be 21 in the group eventually - the age range from 1 to 102 years.(Ani born 2013 and Nellie born 1913). The first group was called 'I Am The Family Face, Flesh Perishes, I Live On' Thomas Hardy. This second must surely have the same title.

I am the Family Face, Flesh Perishes, I Live On' 2012

Goyescas continued

Tomorrow is International Women's Day. I am going to speak to people at the town hall in Wells, along with other local artists. I have added to my Goyescas the Duchess of Alba clothed and naked, which I though might make for interesting observations from people.

Mayas Clothed and Naked after Goya 2015, oil on calico on
canvas 40x30cms each

February, more Goyescas and after Stubbs and Sasnal

I am finding a way of making my paintings as simple as possible, with intended rather than random brush strokes.

Dona Isabel de Porcel after Goya 2015 oil on canvas 30x40cms

After Stubbs and Sasnal 2015 oil on canvas 40x30cms

New Paintings for a New Year

A new lot of paintings coming up, influenced by a visit to Wilhelm Sasnal's exhibition at Sadie Coles, and my love of Goya. I have made up a lot of small canvasses, 30x40cms with calico covering the canvas. Here are the first three:

 (Goyesca3) 2015 30x40cms oil on calico

another Goyesca, 30x40cms oil on calico

New Year 2015

January night, The moon on Tuesday was fantastic, enormous and bright as I was driving at 6.30pm. Half an hour later the magic was gone.   The pollarded willows look remarkably like growing axons of neurons...axons carry messages to the next neuron and also nutrients etc to the axon tips..... so they are busy transporting important messages etc.  so the willow has a trunk which is active and pushing upwards to the night sky. A visit to Wilhelm Sasnal's exhibition at Sadie Coles made me see how important using the quality of the surface is, oil on calico on board, thin paint and simpler areas.

January Night 2015, oil on calico on board, 100x120cms

January 2015

I finished a December painting, a swan on the Westhay nature reserve seen late one afternoon, white against the dark of the water. 

November Swan 2014, oil on calico on board, 100x120cms

I have also just finished my September Gunnera, which has metamorphosed along the way, taking far longer to paint than other painting, probably because of the complexity of the female flower, and the inside of the leaf, like lace, in the sunlight. I wanted the whole thing to be very sexually suggestive, and I think I have now achieved that. I am told that Georgia O'Keefe didnt actually think about such things?!

September Gunnera 2014, oil on canvas 163x200cms