Difficult to know where to begin in describing what’s going on here! Let’s get one thing straight – what looks like an apparent disregard for the principles of anything but chaos and blind chance is actually a carefully planned sequence of events in colour application. You need only browse through the close up shots of this painting further down to realize that this kind of mixing and applying cannot be left to anything but a mind that can understand and manipulate colour into something uniquely expressive and challenging.
What I’m talking about is things like relative density of paint, movement from one place to another, viscosity, rates of flow, which layer goes on first, how long is left between application, where the paint should be applied and from what it is dispensed from etc.. There are so many factors to consider when attempting to create a piece like this. I’m going to take it a s huge compliment if people tell me it looks like I did it in five minutes – that means what I have done looks natural, free and effortless. I’ll take that.
The detial in this painting is astonishing as you can see in these pictures. I like leaving patches of white exposed canvas – it gives far more gravity to the colours painted onto it. This will be unlike most things you will see hung in your local art gallery. Different is good – it demonstrates a desire to be individual, a need to forge your own path and express your uniqueness. If I ever have to look at a painting of an upturned boat on a beach again I think I shall be sick.
This particular piece measures 1400mm x 1400mm x 47mm and was painted onto 12oz triple primed Belgian canvas and hand stretched (by me) over a kiln-dried museum graded hardwood frame. It was painted in eight shades of oil based enamel paint. The canvas was painted on the floor.
The Extremist is ready to hang.
