A long, slim painting with deep, rich tones and textures
Black and gold is a classic combination I love to work with.
Add a contrasting light colour into the mix, some very fine detailing and a composition that brings two sides together and the results can be mesmerizing.
Even though I painted this with the idea of it being hung horizontally (as I show in most of the photographs) I cannot help but think it reminds me of a downpour overlooking the Houses of Parliament in London when it stands upright (you’re going to have to tilt your head to see what I mean). One of those drenched days where the heavens open and everything looks washed out.
That just happens to be a consequence of how I painted it and wasn’t part of the plan – merely a happy coincidence of a gruelling few sessions with the canvas. No work of art is ever easy but you occasionally get one that refuses to cooperate with what your hands and brain want to do. This is one of those.
Part of the issue was getting my very sticky paints to blend together, especially where the black meets the gold. At the opposite side I’ve used a different blending technique with the smokey grey and black applications.
Here they have been carefully applied with a needle and syringe to get the river effect, blooming from dark to light as they move from one side to the other.
Both these dark areas move towards the light in the middle, a part of the painting that allows a little breathing space. It’s not only a rest point but also the reason why the dark works so well – balance.
There are also elements of stone, mushroom, concrete and quartz represented in parts, all with the merest hint of suggestion and all meticulously crafted into the right places. As with many things in life one extreme rarely exists without another and it’s often the contrast between the two that generates the most intrigue. The painting was built on that principle.
I’m ecstatic with how it’s turned out, I love the light an dark properties as well as the richness of the gold that comes alive as soon as strong light hits it. Any white wall would be happy to receive it and almost any space would be enhanced because of it.
Overall I think this is a very mature and confident piece of work and I am definitely going to be experimenting with these techniques on a larger scale soon.
