Righty ho, I'm back with another update on the busy schedule of my existence. So since the start of university, I have had to participate in a selection of workshops in order to gain skills in various areas of art and design (Which was awesome may I add) and this week I did good old fashion painting. This might not seem that interesting when there are so many options available in my subject but painting has been on of the pillars of my work since I became interested all that time ago.

Anyway, we were greeted with a monstrous piece of paper each stapled to the wall of our studio. This was the selected substrate chosen for us and the canvas for my next abstract work. This workshop was presented in a walk through style which gave it a little spice, as the uncertainty stopped me from attempting to plan my painting and envision an end point, as there wasn't a specific one in site apart
from simply a painting.

I started with creating marks with found objects as well as creating as random marks as I can. This to me was almost a release from my usual style which is tight and precise. This was followed by the application of primary colours in several shades onto the existing marks. My weapon of choice was a palette knife but I also included dripping and dry brushing. The techniques and ideas behind this piece for me created a totally unpredictable outcome that is now one of my favourite works.

It has been quite a while since I have been let lose with something as large and abstract as that and I must say it had almost a therapeutic feeling to it by the way I for once felt totally free to just let loose and see what happens. I wasn't bogged down with the fear or acceptance or the lack of perfection. The word abstract from the beginning felt like the key to this slightly uptight lock I have in regards to my style of work. If you are like me, in you have a strict and perfectionist way of working, this exercise is very enlightening to what you are capable of as well as the possibilities. (As well as releasing some tension, I was in an awful mood that day and hell just being let free on a piece of paper was exactly what my tense little self needed!)




Plus, the skin paint job looked absolutely awesome. I'm not sure why, but I just love the natural chaos of an artist's hand at work.


Here is the finished product, and don't be fooled, it is rather large. The actual scale of it is visible in my time lapse I created for you all below.