The Self-Isolation Residency 7th may 2020: Day 39

So when is a kitchen sink not a kitchen sink? When its an artists studio. I've been thinking about how to approach this next phase of my project for the last couple of days, thinking through sketching as it were. I spent a lot of time looking at my kitchen for inspiration and whilst there is certainly a lot going on in there it does have the disadvantage that it changes very quickly. That wouldn't be a problem in itself but I do like to have time to think my ideas through, as I said, through sketching. Of course this does not have to be about the kitchen, the real point of it is that it isn't a posed still life in the same way that a portrait one would be. This really just has to be a snapshot of life as it happens without any editing or posing. With this in mind I started to look at where else I could use as a possible site for this study; I want somewhere busy and maybe a little chaotic so that rather eliminates my study and my bedroom as I tend to keep them as very calm spaces. The place that I of course keep coming back to is my studio again.

At first I was rather reticent to use my studio as a subject for a second time in this project, but the more I thought about it the more i realised that it was actually the perfect site for this painting. It means that in many ways the 2 paintings will become a pair, perhaps even a diptych. They will but speak about me during this time but each will approach the subject in a different way. The first piece, 'Desiderata', is a slow, thoughtful, considered piece; while this second piece is much more spontaneous and lively. I am going to send a little time analysing the best 'view' to present in the painting, but I am not going to be 'arranging' things to make sure that the correct message is passed as I would want it to be in the way that I did in 'Desiderata'.

So far I have considered several possible approaches to this painting, but the area that I am considering most strongly at the moment is my working area on the top of my plan chest where there are various jars of turps, tubes of paint, stacks of sketchbooks and of course masses of brushes and palette knives as in the sketch above. This is the real mt at work!

Before I sign off tonight I would just like to remind you that the online virtual exhibition at Air Gallery, which includes 'Desiderata' is now open, I have already 'visited' it myself, it looks great and is very busy so please do be patient. Please follow the link below to visit:

https://www.artsteps.com/view/5e94db20f73d3040726183cf