The studios are open next weekend – Melbourne Cup weekend – 4 – 6 November. I exhibit in a shared studio called Muddy’s She-shed at 5 River Reserve Road, Anglesea.
All welcome to chat about the work and browse. Maggi Jean is exhibiting drawing, collagraph, gelatine prints, ceramic sculpture and artist books. www.facebook.com/muddys-she-shed/
I am exhibiting small drawings derived from my Lake Mungo series.
Background first stages (underpainting)
Layers beneath were thoroughly dry – frottage on art and printmaking paper glued with gesso containing some Indian ink for soft tone in areas then over painted with greys containing a little raw umber for cooler tones and warmed with the addition of Sanguine highlights.
In the overpainting I darkened the left side of the composition with a semi-transparent cool dark wash consisting of lamp black, raw sienna and raw umber. Then on the right opaque multi toned warm greys were moved around the canvas with a rag.
The next paint application consisted of pouring light pink grey brown pigment into a central circular shape as a way to unify the composition. Then with a black oil stick I drew a couple of line to hint at Lunette shapes of the Mungo landform. However the top of the painting isn’t working yet so time to down tools and let this layer dry.
‘Thinking about Painting’ and its process is a topic that I try to depict every now and then. I like to imagine different moments when between viewing the subject and then turning away, retaining aspects of the image before the hand conveys it to paint and canvas.
The black light globe indicates the moment when the artist looks from the subject and is momentarily ‘blinded’ as thoughts turn inward to the imagination where the mind delivers aspects of the remembered image to another mental place. One eye is obscured as thoughts about paint and how its qualities and manipulations are organised before the hand moves to depict some of the image. At the same time the warm colours situated on the artist’s head indicate the ‘ah ha’ moment when the remembered image and paint manipulation coalesce.
The composition became clearer as I moved through layers going from more detailed and complex to simplified. I often put too much into the composition but usually cut away unnecessary detail eventually. Colour as an elements receded as I used a tonal less busy paint combination.
I placed frottage application of BFK Rives with compressed charcoal and graphite onto the canvas with gesso and then brushed some diluted gesso over the frottage.
The first two images are details showing different paint viscosities blending and forming different wet in wet texture.
The third image is the complete composition and the last is the first stage before paint viscosities form different textures.
Grated oxide pastel combined with gesso also made earthy texture. Powdered red oxide also has a similar effect but more intense so I use it sparingly.
I want to avoid over-working this one and keep the dry parched effect.
I waited for 24 hours and gradually peeled off glad wrap (cling wrap) in two stages, the first being moister than the second and consequently edges were less defined while the rest were drier and crisper. The image looked better in horizontal format at this stage but that could change.
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