Tiger trilogy

tigertrilogy281205

Here are three small paintings I've just finished.

Formal abstract expressionism

Thought I'd post regarding the term formal abstract expressionism. It describes the work I'm doing at present and so I thought I'd go and check out Google to see who else fits the bill. Amusingly the only site that came up (ooh er) was a site about big boobs. So I guess thats where I'm going wrong. I should be painting big boobs and stop all this formal abstract expressionism nonsense!

after

Enlargement

Here is the after shot of the painting mentioned earlier in the blog referred to as before. The painting is now called struggle and is finished. Its battered and scarred but it represents my transition from pretty pictures to hard core abstract expressionism. Listen to all along the watch tower (the Hendrix version) really loud for the full affect.

Whats on the wall 111205

Enlargement

Here are the latest paintings on the wall including "Struggle" in the middle.

Whats on the easel 111205

Enlargement

Here is the latest easel shot. It shows the three paintings on the easel shot from 051105 now reworked and almost complete. These three paintings and the slightly larger painting called struggle are the first in the new series of work.

Paula Rego

Theres a Paula Rego exhibition on locally (Brighton Museum and Art Gallery) and someone pointed it out to me. Alongside this there was a talk by Paula today which I just managed to sneek into. I'm not a Rego expert but have been interested for while because I'm a line artist as well as a painter and Paula is a very good drafts women. Anyway I thought the talk would be a good way to get to know her and her work quickly and I was right. Meeting the artist in this case was very enlightening, for a start some of the pictures appear quite dark but from her talk it was clear there is a lot of humour in there. She definitely understands magic!She's very much an individual and a long way from an expressionist, old school you could say. When asked what amateur artists should do she replied "learn to draw" (quite right), she emphasized drawing what you see not whats in your head.The show is quite a big one and well worth going to see. Allow an hour or two.Don't go too close to the cushion man though!

Struggle

I'm struggling away with the new paintings. In a pleasant way, I'm not stuck. The painting I'm currently working on is caught right in the crossfire between my previous series of paintings and all the new work I'm producing (see below). Its a scratched and scarred canvas (not my usual style) that has seen two different paintings come and go. However, I'm almost there and it feels like a real break through and has enabled me to see the world through Cezanne's eyes.

Whats on the easel 201105

Enlargement

Here is the latest shot of the easel. You can see the now reworked version of the painting “before” below, plus a new smaller one. This work is the first to fully come under the “formal expressionism” banner.

Formal Expressionism

Whilst I work on the after state of the painting below (its already changed considerably) I have been able to define my current work a bit more accurately and can now describe it as "formal expressionism". I did some research on Google and Wikipedia and can only find one other artist who has worked in this area, Justin Knowles. His work immediately strikes a cord with what I'm doing, although it is a bit more minimal than mine.

before

Enlargement

This is the latest painting in an unfinished state and about to be majorly reworked. I'll post the after when its done.

Pause

Haven't actually done much painting just lately, I've reached a pause. I worked particularly hard during the summer and inevitably this has resulted in a period of contemplation as I decide on my next move. On top of that I needed to do some work that actually pays money!

I'm working on some new paintings which are a progression from the work I did during the summer and can best be described as a kind of "formal expressionism". At least thats what I think they'll be as I haven't so far finished one. I'll post some pictures when I have something to show.

Expressionism

Well, the definition of Expressionism according to Wikipedia matchs the work I am producing. So after some thought I concluded I must be an expressionist. It seems that almost all the great artists I have liked and studied in the past are expressionists of one kind or another. Certainly looking at Kandinsky and Miro (wrongly branded a surrealist in my view) I recognise the thought process. I understand the language. But surely Expressionism (and painting come to that) died with Pollock? In my view abstract expressionism was the last great painting movement and until recently I believed painting died with it. The paintings I am currently producing are my attempt at taking painting on from Rothko and Pollock. I wonder what Pollock would have written on his blog?

Whats on the wall 051105

Enlargement

These are the current paintings I'm still "looking at". Some are on the 6fish site, most not yet.

Whats on the easel 051105

Enlargement

The Poem is "Do not go gentle into that good night" by Dylan Thomas. There are also three small paintings at various stages of completion.

6fish

Welcome to my blog, I'm intending to keep this blog focused on my painting and come to that, painting in general. I'm not really interested in what type of toothpaste I use and I'm sure you're not either so this isn't that kind of blog.

Why 6fish? Well its a name I've used for most of my adult life to describe myself artistically (obviously I don't use it in everyday life). I think some people in life have the right to name themselves and for various reasons I believe I'm one of those people.

I consider myself a modern abstract expressionist these days and if you take a look at the 6fish site you'll see a gradual progression towards this in the paintings on there.