Collages 7,8,9,10,11, Urban marks ( 2)

So, I have two strands of work at the moment....the collages and the urban marks.

The collages.
Slow, slow, slow....lots of thought, placing, reviewing, researching....recurring. What do I want from these ? Not sure yet, it's enough that it's a trip down memory lane for me, using my paintings on paper to make new work. I am still thinking of landscapes, but aware that when I twist or turn them round, they look mor abstract....just go with it...I like not knowing where they are going.

I had another go at this one....there were elements that have niggled me this week. I like to live with them for a few days before they almost come into their own or become seperate from me....if that makes sense....will live with it again now...

This one from last week re painted and some of the crunchy edges removed....I think I got a bit giddy with the crunchy edges last week, need to calm it down. Interesting ( to me anyway ) that I am keeping to a very limited pallette....that seems to be pleasing this week. 

Can you gave too much thought in a painting...?For me...yes you can...better sometimes to , ' think in paint. ' 

Added cotton canvas into these . I used to mount works in paper on cotton so I could display them like a canvas. It worked but not for long term display. It's nice to work with, will see what they are like when they dry, sometimes they die.

Urban Marks

This work is much more instinctive, intuitive work...what do I want ? A flavour of my a Urban world...love the monochrome. So, I started with a monoprint using a geli plate ( I had some really good results this week from bacofoil over mountcard ) and then rewet the block printing ink , adding sumi ink , varnish and white acrylic paint. I had been looking at the work of a John Virtue and for his big paintings he had used Indian ink, shellac and white acrylic paint, so worth a try. This one was 18 cm sq.

This was 21 x 22 cm sq. I wanted to explore the urban marks rather than produce urban landscapes.

Print off the geli plate, reworked. Don't know that this one has anything going for it but not deciding that for the moment.

Reworked 2 of the collages. Have gone pale, pale, pale. I like them though....today...

52 cm sq.

52 cm sq. Created as a landscape but much preferred it turned on it's side.

52 cm sq. This one felt more like a landscape.

52 cm sq. Went through a few incarnations.

Four together in the studio. Still unsure whether to title them as collage no 1,2,3 etc or give them titles. Loved the colours .

Collages 7,8,9

The collages are slow.....the process is sooo slow....it gives you time to think....but sometimes too much thought blocks an artists flow ! So different than how I normally work, exhausting....but rewarding and exciting too.

Very into monochromatic work at the moment....it's from going back into the ink for the group....it's sent me down a different path....back to greys !

I have been looking particularly at the London paintings of John Virtue. Wonderful work. His large paintings were done with Indian ink, shellac and white acrylic....something to try....there were lots of prints too but not sure what type the prints were...more research required....he also numbered his paintings / pieces of art which I liked the idea of doing. Try it with the collages. He explained that although he might be up to number 735, that didn't neccessarily mean he had 735 paintings because some were destroyed.

This was first one that was finished , but it had lots of work . I had painted it as a landscape but wasn't happy with it the landscape way, turned around it worked for me.....

So, because this area of work is so new, I could easily be over critical and only see what I didn't like about the piece. It's better therefore....at this stage.... to only list what I do like about the piece....

I love the fact that it uses old work to produce new.
I love the monochrome....
I love the umber that warms the black slightly and the ochre the colours the white
I love the fact that the old paintings peep through in parts.
I love the crunchy edges that happen through layering the ripped pieces.
I love the fact that the piece is not square.
It was easier to create them on board with a frame on, the first ones were on Mdf and they warped. Maybe try just on hardboard if I continue with them.
So, this one is collage number 7.

It's hard to get as much of a feeling of depth with acrylics as opposed to oil. Mmm. I think I just need to keep going. 

I like....the ochre passages...the darker marks...the golds left from the collaged painting...the greyness...

I have mixed quite a few grey colours....love the mixing...

You can't see the texture properly on the photo...it's lovely....crunchy...dark...a little unsettling...organic maybe...it feels like a scar....it feels a little Modernist which I didn't want but that can be altered...it may be to do with the geometric shape of the collaged pieces....

So these three are drying out on the Art lounge chimney breast , where I can live with them and look at them....Although they started life as landscapes , they have moved away a little.....all will become clear ...or not as the case might be.....do more !

Urban marks ( 1 )

Looking at Urban still. Love the darkness, love the genre really. Love the Urban marks of David Coulter, David Bez, Anthony Mann ....lots really...will enjoy the painting and the research....will see how long the muse lasts for Urban marks. I liked that title , it just seems to fit....you can see them as marks solely or as paintings. Nice. Something to work towards. Here are the first few.....

New work from old work (4)

I have completed two 33 inch square collages now. There is a lot of work in them, they need , ' living with. I love the textures and the fact that I used paintings in them . Interesting. But, for the moment , I don't want to do anymore this size. I much preferred the 52 cm sq. ones.never say never, I may well change my mind.

Below is ink and gesso, we are looking at small black and white Northern studies in the Art group on Wednesday. Doing an Art group does work for me, I let them decide what we are painting or drawing each week and just do a little preparation. It usually informs my own work in some way and I like that, although I don't think it would suit every artist.