The vast blue skies as inspiration......

'white clouds drift'

diptych

synthetic polymer paint on canvas 100 x 150cm 

 Faced with two blank canvases, is a confrontation. As a new canvas in itself, is beautiful, clean and un-udulterated. I hope I can only do it justice .

Small notebook in hand , I set about doing a few very rough sketches, primitive as they are, and select one that grabs my attention, making adjustments on the final painting where I feel necessary. Immediacy is called for here, as I strive for the fresh and spontaneous . The final blue brush marks are the most important and my hand needs to be confident and sure ......

             

             

               white clouds drift

                      on winds that carry time,

                               blue sky dreaming

                                         alto-stratus, cumulus and nimbus

                                               drift by, I

                                                     hear distant bird call -

                                                                 towering above where winds soar,

                                                                        knowing I am

                                                                                 but a second away from eternity

                                                                                                       majestic but  fragile,

                                                                                                                     here and gone,

                                                                                                                                    white clouds drift

   

Drawing from within.....

.....is having the freedom to draw without relying on pre-conceived

ideas. To let the hand go where it will in total abandon.

Outdoors, barefoot and under the shade of my old plum tree,

I close my eyes and with brush and black paint in hand,

 I let my hand go where it will.

As a result, some very interesting images emerge.

I look  at positive and negative spaces

and how these shapes converse with each other on the page.

I prefer the most spontaneous and fleeting of brushmarks.

They are fresh and un-self conscious 

and provide me with ideas for paintings.