Paint Tubes
All last year and much of this year I have been working on a small series of paintings called PAINT TUBES. I have made other drawings and paintings too when I needed to give the work in progress a bit of space. But the 4 Paint Tubes are at the heart of it all.
This was my Mum’s paintbox. She painted the most beautiful cherry blossom
Firstly THE REASONS for this subject choice.
Detail of ‘PAINT TUBE – Cad Yellow with Lemon’
I see paint tubes every day. Most often they are not brand new but squeezed to form wildly erratic shapes.
SUBJECT MATTER
There were times (15th – 19th centuries) when the subject matter of paintings was Historic, Religious and Portraiture with some early Still Life works first showing up in the predella of larger paintings – that is the row of smaller details that often explain the content of the larger work above.
‘Il Polittico di Sant’Antonio’ Piero della Francesca
Here you can see the narrative although not in still life form it is less elaborate and more specific than the large composition above.
The poses of portraits would evoke status, splendour, even a particular location that spoke of achievement. The creativity was in the interpretation and imagination behind the conception – and skill of execution of course! Look at Caravaggio’s Conversion of St Paul in Cerasi Chapel, of the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo Rome.
‘Conversion on the Way to Damascus’ by Caravaggio
We see things from ground level. Another favorite of mine is Artemisia Gentileschi’s ‘Judith with her Maidservant’ in the Galeria Palantina, Palazzo Pitti, Florence The two figures are loosely posed as if there is a mirror between them reflecting and reversing the same stance. And there nestles the basket holding the severed head of the tyrant king Holofernes.
‘Judith and her Maidservant’ by Artermisia Gentileschi
Now Still Life choices are no longer limited and by elevating the simplest objects, giving them centre stage prominence, and in doing this we can be seen as continuing the steps of Arte Povera. This translates literally to poor art. An art movement in 60 – 70’s where the dross of life provided legitimate material for art works. For me, this is drawing attention of the remarkable beauty that can be found everywhere and anywhere, unexpectedly.
And we carry on with this idea and looking around an artist’s studio the very materials that go into making the paintings can be choices. The tubes themselves present a terrific challenge. As with all my works, my aim is to create a 3 dimensional illusion of plausibly actual ‘things’.
Definitely no Bright Yellow Lake left in this one
However it is most important that my painting of the tubes bears a sense of liveliness as that is how I feel about my them. Along with the brushes and canvas, they are set up for action.
Detail of PAINT TUBES – Poppies detail of Brilliant Pink and . . . well I’m not sure as I can’t read it!
The work in progress has been very quietly ticking along because when I’m in the middle of a project I’m a BIT SECRETIVE ! I just want to take things where they lead me and it can be very distracting to hear what other people think when you are in the middle of of finding out how you feel about what you are working on and HOW TO DO IT.
Detail from PAINT TUBES – Green Bottle
FEEDBACK can be pretty distracting too . . . so it’s just me, the subject, the canvas, the paint brushes and that totally absorbing and utterly familiar path of concentration.
All four paintings will be up on my website within the next few weeks. I have put them in for a rather smashing National Open Call Competition. I need deadlines and can only continue to be hopeful. I love the paintings. Hope you do too?