THE SELF-ISOLATION RESIDENCY 5th AUGUST 2020: DAY 129

Work in progress, 'Near Black' Landscape, first layers.

As you probably realise I'm still currently working on the paintings in the 'Near Black' series. Although these paintings are quite small they are rather time consuming, not just because of the time it takes for each layer of impasto oil painting to dry but also because the plywood blocks which serve as their supports that time to prepare. So today I have decided to include a work in progress image just give some reference as to how the project is progressing. I have always though of this series as being related to land/sky/seascapes and so I am beginning by exploring how the hues, contrasts, forms and techniques which I am applying to the project can be utilised to explore this idea.

With this in mind I have decided to post an images of the first piece exploring these possibilities in which I have proceeded by approaching the subject of landscape in a very literal way by referencing the traditional ideas of sky, land and sea. I suspect this will not on the whole be the final direction for these paintings when beginning a project of this type it always makes sense to start from a fixed position, like the established heritage of landscape painting.