Seeing

At this stage of the degree experimentation has nearly completely stopped. This time now is to bring a body of work together that is of consistent high quality and works together well as a whole. Critical analysis of my paintings now is a key part of development. I have dedicated time to reflect on my work at each stage. It can be difficult to decide whether a work has reached its true potential or not. Sometimes a painting doesn’t seem well resolved and I carry on working it, to then find out that it was better before I fiddled with it! Other times it’s the other way around… Currently I am analysing four paintings very diligently. Having recently ‘ruined’ the last two paintings, it can be incredibly difficult to know when to stop on the next ones.

Above is a photograph from my supplementary portfolio for my degree. Single honours Fine Art students are required to include a minimum of four images in addition to their end of degree exhibition. For a painter with an inclination to other media, it has been a pleasure to incorporate photography into my main portfolio. Throughout the summer and term time I have spent time closely observing objects I’ve come across on my walks with the lovely Dot. I did not know about this extra portfolio of work when I started this project. Instead it was a genuine passion that links into my painting process.

I like these images for their mystical quality. Just like my paintings, I like the viewer to be somewhat in doubt as to the size of the subject. Size and scale are absolutely subjective – something I am very aware of being about a foot taller than a lot of people. Some of the strongest images are ones in which bridge the gap between knowing what it could be and leaving it a mystery. Could an ant be a cozy inhabitant or is it more likely to be a vast landscape where even the largest terrestrial being pale into insignificance?