Since my last project i was keen to develop my practice and understanding of my own process in relation to methods and exemplifying the meanings behind my works. I often express moods using a lot of colour and i was interested in being able to minimise the amount of colour i was using and reduce this into tones. I hoped this would concentrate myself and my paintings into portraying the atmosphere more effectively.
Moving to liverpool has been life changing and i wanted to explore and express my experience. There are many changes from culture, architecture, people, the reliance of myself and even what i call home. Starting fresh is an interesting experience and i was interested in seeing its effect on different people and fascinated by the effect it had on me.
My style is chaotic and I often feel like my creations become a battle; canvas vs pallet knife. I slash and scratch the canvas into shadings and perspectives until together we reach a solution. To combat this I started this project trying to simplify things into lines and allow the simplicity to tell its own story. I have found i have this recurring motif of perspectives, lines and angles in my works which i think blossomed from studies of Pablo Picasso, although Picasso captures life beautifully in his post impressionist period I was hooked by the way he expressed life with cubism. I love the focus on line and the how different angles and directions of these lines gave his pieces so much movement and energy. This idea of lines and shapes telling the story of the piece inspired me to do the same in my paintings diluting a view down to shapes. The idea of being able to tell a story with just lines and shapes really excites me and is something that i am always working towards. I wanted to continue this interest and add it to my process of painting. I did this by experimenting with using masking tape to help strengthen lines i struggled to define before.
My theme developed from my reaction to this new city and motivation to develop my practice and style into a new motivation powered by self reflection; what is my style? Not just as an artist but as a human, how is this new place going to develop me as a person? I then started looking at myself and thinking about my actions and the battle between the confident person i know and the lingering element of self doubt. I started creating different compositions of portraits inspired my an exhibition by Anna Boghiguian playing with repeated faces in different situations. The consideration of multiple identities then lead me to think about this line that is drawn between the good and the bad. Why do we think negatively and how come our actions can be wrong even when our intentions are good? Are we born with these feelings, does it develop inside us or do we learn them as a reaction/defense? good is often hard to find, despite out heart being in it does not always prevail, nor and shine when we are looking for it and answers. This line we have between right and wrong is perhaps a zig-zag, or is always on the move. Morals seem to change with time and often seem to be left behind with each generation. This leads onto st georges hall, a dungeon built in the 19th century and a place of punishment for people who have wronged, where two wrongs make a right.
The process of working out what was most effective to display in the curation process of st george;s hall was challenging. I had created many pieces yet no clear favourite or finale, so i experimented with the placement of each painting and its effect it had in each space. From clear white gallery walls, to deep darkened crevasses. I played with many different angles and eventually created this box out of the movement/company painting trio; i loved how this turned out and this sort of out the box thinking, making painting into sculpture has really inspired me with other ideas for the future. I also presented my multiple faces in a burning candle piece hidden away in one of the arches to replicate its portrayal of theme merging confusion with light/hope and then darkness and disappearance. For this piece i was considering having candles burning around the canvas although decided against it due to its potential as a fire hazard.
I hope my work was effective in the space it was in and the audience were able to have some reactions to it; it was all based on emotions and experiences everyone has felt and i’ve discovered is important to explore and share and accept. Whenever i create art my intention is to create something completely different to anyone else’s ideas; i want it to appear alien to how someone else has thought about it.
The aim of my pieces is to be a question to the audience and if i have painted effectively hopefully the audience will find their own answer based on my feelings and their reactions due to personal experiences.