Proteus

A perfect colour combination

Proteus is a stunning piece of art. Not only do the shapes and forms tell a dramatic story but the way in which I have fused colours together into a dizzying array of hybrid tones is nothing short of spectacular!

In many ways it’s hard to know where to look first. A quick glance around the edges reveals a base layer that is made up of soft, gentle arcs of colour that meander gracefully to distant rhythm. Back and forth they go changing colours along the way. Purple, silver, gold and black all add a grace and maturity to what lies beneath. The subtlety of blends is mesmerizing and is worthy of a painting on its own.

But then we come to what lies over the top of all this serenity and peace. It’s a cascading, unapologetic explosion of energy. Like some kind of primordial life bursting into existence.  It’s a collection of forms that’s bristling with intent and packed with details.

Cells appear and disappear whilst complex chains are formed and linked together by rigid structures and loose forms. It’s literally like the building blocks of life itself – captured with paint and canvas. A particular highlight for me is the contrast between light blue and dark blue paint; it has a remarkable effect on the whole piece. Then there are the small gestures of lime green that appear – love that little touch.

Size matters

Let’s be honest here – you are definitely going to need a sizable wall and surrounding space to hang this in. It’s one of those paintings that requires space to let it breathe. Having said that, it’s never over-bearing or oppressive and has a remarkably light air about it despite the obvious subject matter.

And space is the key to getting the most out of it to be fair. A painting as rich and powerful as this one needs to be appreciated from afar as well as up-close, so having the ability to interact with it from different distances is crucial to getting the most out of it.

You can see some of the room settings in the photos – in particular is the dining room feature. Here you get the feeling of it from about fifteen feet away and you can see what I mean about it filling a space right? I think this would fit well as a statement piece in any decent sized dining room.