Latest news: MY WORK

Posted: March 9, 2023

About my process:

I paint with Golden Acrylics (fluid and heavy body) on both fine-tooth canvas and gesso panels.  My first step is to loosely cover the white canvas using Van Dyke Brown, Dioxazine Purple and Paynes Grey to build a rich base.  I then work broadly, drawing with the paint, shifting the structure around, keeping the image mobile and fluid, and finding the balance. The painting is then built using layers of gels and glazes incorporating mica flakes, copper and gold leaf.  I combine thick loose brush strokes with finer detail and scumble pigments in a dry pastel-like manner to increase the shimmer and atmosphere.  Some pieces can take months and occasionally years to resolve and I find that leaving a painting on the studio shelf is helpful,  seeing it out of the corner of my eye, and accepting that it will irritate me until I finally see a way into the solution.

Working digitally in Procreate on the iPad, I employ the same approach, building layers of light and textures, working broadly, shifting the image around.

I also work on Ampersand Claybord.  This is a panel coated with Kaolin clay ground to create an extremely smooth, highly absorbent surface (similar to the clay gesso grounds used during the Renaissance).  This is a very delicate and elegant process and pretty much the reverse of my acrylic painting technique.  I begin by drawing with soft graphite sticks and then applying Indian ink thinly with mop brushes.  I gradually build watery layers on the surface taking time to let the water slowly dry before working into it with steel wool and scalpel blades.

Although all my processes are different they are a very organic and fluid way of working which give me both freedom and control in my pursuit of vitality, atmosphere, and a quiet energy.