A major new drip painting in red, white and black
This painting doesn’t hide away from anything; it’s as loud and brash as I have ever created. Sometimes it’s good to throw caution to the wind and stir things up a little.
It’s been a while since I have done a splash or drip work. Often these techniques are lambasted but also regrettably misunderstood. These kind of paintings are so difficult to do because each application, each flick or movement of the wrist can result in disaster.
There is a real and present threat of disaster with each sweep of the canvas. I think this trends to show itself when the painting is finished – especially if it comes out well. That ragged edge of right and wrong – can’t beat it.
This particular painting has a mix of reds along with a dark black and a charcoal grey. Unusually I went straight onto bare canvas with the first paint application – preferring not to add a couple of base coats. This just adds to the raw and unpredictable nature of the painting. Gotta love that approach sometimes.
Would I call something that looks like a gunshot wound beautiful? Yes, I think I would. It’s so left-field of what you normally see that I think it stands on its own merit without being attributed to any particular figurative or emotional reference. Testament to the gravity of the painting. That’ll do for me.
