For my exhibition at Oriel Davies, I created 15 small paintings. 12 are currently in my solo exhibition at the gallery. They are all mixed media on canvas, damar varnish, oil paint, acrylic bases, spray paint, paper and wax. They are all identical in size, 36cm x 28cm x 1cm or 14 x 11 x ½ inches, and framed in white tray frames.
They also have the same start to their title.
The word “it”.
When I was talking to Ceri Hand at my private view, she asked me about the titles for the works, and my initial response was that the titles reflected the actual process of painting. The struggle, the joy, and the satisfaction of manipulating shapes and mediums, and how the light plays across these delicate surfaces.
It Glares, It Gazes, It Strokes, It Envelops, It Dazzles, It Touches, It Listens, It Holds, It Grasps, It Forgives, It Adores, It Falls, It Inhales, It Hears, and It Conseals, all refer to how I, as an artist, see the work and how the paintings respond to my mark-making.
Paint is a tricky medium, especially oil. It's not inert; it behaves in many different ways; linseed oil, drying mediums, and interactions with other materials create different surfaces that often surprise me.
These 15 paintings have assumed extraordinary significance. Though all paintings are important, a subtle shift has occurred within my studio – a renewed vitality pulsates through these small yet jewel-like works.
They exude vibrant energy and untapped potential.
And the refrain continues – the title, "It."
But what, indeed, is "it"?
A musing upon the inexplicable, a longing for clarity, a thirst for comprehension.
Within these canvases, "it" signifies the enigmatic, not a mere label or abbreviation. "It" points towards the ineffable "It Gazes," "It Glares," "It Conceals," "It Falls," and "It Listens."
"It" refers to the things that are beyond our ability to know, either because they are beyond the reach of our senses or because they are beyond the reach of our reason.
They are metaphysical musings borne of intuition and emotion.
I'm about to start reading Bitter Sweet by Susan Cain, about the human need for Sorrow & Longing. A book recommended by Ceri Hand during our conversation at Oriel Davies.
I've also just finished All the Little Bird-Hearts by Viktoria LLoyd-Barlow, quite a strange book about obsession and possession. It has a dark atmosphere throughout but gripped me from the get-go. Mainly because, Sunday, the main character has quiet days where she can only eat white foods, and the book's opening paragraphs describe her obsession and need for white.
I can relate to this yearning for a certain colour.
It's been shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and the audiobook is beautifully narrated by Rose Akroyd.
I've also really enjoyed Studying Visionaries, an excerpt from Senga Nengudi's new book, in Frieze Magazine.
I love the eclectic nature of the pages; artist statements, images, essays, personal statements, poetry and my favourite
Verb List (2020)
Emerge
Release
Discover
Define
Defend
Go
Give
Sway
Balance
Stop
help
Circle
Focus
Embrace
This article allowed me to reflect on my use of verbs in my 15 small works at Oriel Davies.
I can't wait to buy the book.