‘In Flanders Fields’
is a red and orange original painting featuring black, pink and gold
170cm x 130cm (67″ x 51″)
Stardust Rhythms
£2500
‘In Flanders Fields’
Red and orange (and the name)
This is a very powerful combination of colours and one I love to use wherever I can. When you add in an equally powerful name it becomes something rather significant. And whilst we are on the subject of the name I would like to point out that it came after the painting was finished.
That happens a lot. In fact nearly always. Though I have to paint with a clear idea in my head (this was entirely planned from a creative perspective) the names usually come to me after they are stretched and photographed.
It seemed entirely fitting that this got a name linked to the first World War. Why you may ask? Because that’s how it made me feel. Interestingly I hadn’t had the slightest connection to this subject matter during its creation – it was only after I sat back and looked at it did the name come in a flash. When your gut creams out you have to listen.
So what do we have here then?
Good question. The painting is composed of two main layers. The background is a series of applied colours that have been loosely fused into a single mass. These colour blends are deliberately defined (rather than a series of finely mixed gradients) and have some crisp edges and sharp contrasts.
On to this comes the foreground paint layer that runs from corner to corner. This was made up from pink, gold, white, red and black enamel paints and was completed in one session. And of course there’s a healthy dose of orange in there to help link the top and bottom parts together.
What do I do with this?
I think you need to stick to a nice white wall ideally – light grey at a push (although a blue wall would look pretty epic!).
It can be hung in either portrait or landscape orientation though and could look amazing in a dining room, stairwell, or downstairs feature wall. It’s quite a powerful painting and needs some space tp breathe so a passing space like a corridor or narrow landing could be a little oppressive.
If you can grab a South facing source of natural light I think this would look unbelievable around 4pm in the afternoon as the sun catches it. The warmth and vibrancy of the colours are exceptional – especially the inclusion of a very expensive red called, wait for it, Rocket Red!
In summary
This is a stunning large format abstract painting, based around red and orange, that’s named after (but not influenced by) memories of World War 1. It’s the addition of a main central series of movements in pink, black, white and gold that really brings the painting alive.
Finished in a mixture of matt and gloss paints it has some beautiful light reflective qualities and textures. The details are superb and there are myriad of infinite twists and turns the closer you get to it.
