My art practice tends to be a reflection on my life. Yes, I am my own worst art critic, but think I have found effective shortcuts. I might settle for material results, a boost for the ego, but this tendency definitely does not compare to the joy found within when creating in the moment, listening to nature and making a quiet interactive response. When my distracted mind causes me to conceive an idea only to carry it out the project much later, of-course I am telling old stories.. repeating patterns, learning old lessons. I often put off what is relevant at the time in order to catch up, making something which is not as cutting edge as the idea that has come to me in a moment of divine inspiration that morning. So there are gaps in my practice, as their is in my life, leaving spaces for doubt to seep in, and making it all too easy to just stop or make a cup of tea and knit a beanie.
Nobody got famous by doing that!
I thought I'd get back in practice by trying multiples.
The notion of multiples is something that has been on my mind for a while. As an exercise in really getting to know your subject, and materials. Not only is making multiples a great way to learn, but it allows the painter to get great use of the colour mixed on a pallette, applying it to many surfaces, beginning more than one painting at a time, and finishing several in the time it could have taken to make one. Greater output and confirmation of effective technique. The paintings don't have to be the same ofcourse, and its probably better if they aren't, but in my case they kind of are.
I have been obsessed with a tiny blue motif I found on the front of a pearl jam album cover.
I have called my version 'cleansing', chasing that feeling of being washed. i can look at the image and feel clean.
The inspired work is majorly process based. I have attempted eight identical paintings, aprox 60cm x 60cm with a process of four distinct stages. This does take some of the spontenaety out of the work but applying this tried and tested process, I know i'll be satisfied with the final result. I use a putty to create texture, acrylics to get quick coverage, oils to coat the acrylics and a final coat of wax. Using the parrafin wax coat allows me to
finish the work even before the oils have properly dried.
Several of the paintings can fit together to make a larger whole. When these are done I am going to work on the plant based paints again and build a small house out of sticks and mud. I hope thats still cutting edge. :)
By Elaine Morcombe
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