ELSEWHERE

Nicholas Thompson Gallery 2017

Through the manipulation of coloured pigment on a flat surface the art of painting has a remarkable way of letting things emerge - giving permanence to the ephemeral encounter between gesture, surface and colour. Inspired by the physical and chromatic properties of my chosen pigments, these paintings are developed intuitively and evolve from both a retinal and sensual engagement with form and the physical handling of material. Like a good margarita pizza, these paintings are made with an economy of means for maximum impact. Each ingredient that holds the work together is an essential component – notably the texture, weave and colour of the linen, the milky constituency and absorbency of the casein ground and finally the physical and chromatic qualities of the pigment and its suspension in linseed oil. A concern for the ‘stuff of painting’ has been considerably augmented via the fabrication of my own paint – a process that, like cooking, has furthered my understanding of materials, enabling me to highlight the unique properties of each colour.