My work is a lot consumed with the sea, seasons and the weather. This week I am working on this piece (as yet untitled) which seems to sing of all three of my preoccupations.
I am loving the change in season – the evenings are definitively darker, the woolies are out and a ‘back to school’ vibe has landed in the studio. I love the routine of it – the 9 – 5 back in the studio. Holidays all boxed off and the rhythm of work gets back at pace.
As I type the rain is pounding off the roof – a nice, evocative touch given that these larger works are a little too immense (too intense!) to take out in to the soggy landscape. In earlier days and pre-covid, I spent much of my time outdoors in the landscape – often on residencies – extended periods of solitude to allow places seep into the marrow of me. My work still originates there but nowadays much of the work is from memory. I keep a good old fashioned nature table in the studio – shells, seaweed, fossils etc to ensure I am getting the colour and textures of the landscapes.
I am excited by these new paintings – they have been building up for many years over many layers. This one is 5ft square. I am lucky to have the vantage for it in this studio. More soon.