Sunday 13 December 2009

Solstice



A week or two ago I started to think about a painting to mark the forthcoming winter solstice.  I thought that it needed to be fairly bleak and minimal to reflect the weather we might expect for the next few weeks and so after a few false starts and alterations it is finished (I think), but I do not guarantee that there will not be some changes.



                      Solstice, mixed media in canvas


I have also finished the painting that has been languishing in my sidebar for some time as ‘Work in progress’.  I have to confess that this has not turned out as I had expected, I think it is much too sinister but I thought it was beyond rescue and as it has been on show as ‘Work in progress’ it seems only right and proper to come clean and show it to you.





                      Untitled, mixed media on canvas




9 comments:

Poetic Artist said...

I do think your finished piece does tell a story. I think it makes me think of hidden secrets we keep inside our self and then one day we can not keep them in and then they become flowing out and then we realized, oh why did I keep them inside. The peace of release. .
I also like the new one you are working on.

layers said...

the minimal one does connect to the weather here for sure-- freezing cold, gray skies, light snow dusting the ground off and on all day. and the work in progress one-- don't see the 'sinister' in it you do..

Caterina Giglio said...

I don't see sinister at all, but I love the texture.

nancy neva gagliano said...

aw, the solstice captured...waiting for the light! to return.
and hmmmm, sinister? i might not have seen that if you hadn't prompted that notion...so when i scrolled to the image, the dripping reds popped right out (in a sinister way)

merci33 said...

Congratulations on the two sold pieces (!!) that you've posted in the side bar...they are textural gems and my regret is that I can't finger them a bit and 'read the braille' messages that I like to imagine are embedded. The green one is telling me to beeeeeeee stilllllllllll. :-)The grey/blue orange (scrumptious) one is saying 'get beneath the surface of things' dive in.

The Solstice and Untitled pieces are, to my eye, silvery grey and plaster-like and that always appeals. One more bold than the other. I love the calligraphic brush strokes in Solstice...and you've got that Wabi Sabi rust (though redder) action happening along with that wonderful 'window' of twine...provocative and ever so painterly.
Clapping of hands :-)

ArtPropelled said...

I am admiring your latest paintings as well as the two sales in your sidebar...... and eyeing out the Sean Scully. If the cover is anything to go by it looks like a beautiful book.

Four Seasons in a Life said...

I have visited three times this particular post and I honestly cannot find words. Maybe it is because I fear the work presented as incomplete, while the two on the sidebar have the opposite reaction.

I know you are a man of a few words and your paintings reflect that for certain, but only you can decide when a painting is finished or not.

Thank you for sharing.

Warmest regards and wishing you and your family all the very best this holiday season,
Egmont

Sondra said...

These are finished to me, the texture and the lines are exciting. The grid in the second piece ads so much mystery. How you feel is most important, it is all so subjective. An artist's opinion is what is most meaningful.....not what the rest of the world thinks. Hope that this makes sense!

Anonymous said...

Hi Ian
I realise this is a long time after you posted this one but I think 'solstice' (the top one on this post)is really strong.
I love the mark-making and think it combines well with your trademark background texture.

Mari
(ps. really enjoyed the group show private view in wymondham last night).

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...