24 Feb. Paint. . . Paint in Ian Moods Exhibition and my paint.

I'm trying not to let Degree show planning take over my focus on other things but I do check in each day to make sure we're on top of things. 

Sent some info on teams today about everyone donating a fiver because some people appear to have missed this information and I really want our degree show to be a positive experience for our year - not a mixed communication stressful one.

 

Finished this after going to see the Ian Mood exhibition at the Brampton Museum and Art Gallery. Ian's paintings really inspire me - They make things make sense and kind of give me license to paint how I want to.  In this one, I'm happy that you can see some charcoal pre-drawing coming through - I've left shapes and brush marks and mixed detail with looser marks. I've mixed different brush sizes and enjoyed putting it together -and I've felt confident to just stop. I only want to add some realism details to the centre of the apple core to focus in on the star shape - because I'm exploring iconography of interested in the pattern as a witch mark.  It's been less important to 'finish' it and more important to find a colour that pulls something out or a mark that operates in a good way. 

All of the below section are works and details of works by Ian Mood.  They have texture, contrasts, interesting palettes, scratches, raised gesso, sand textures.. there's everything going on!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Went straight from Ian Mood's work to finishing my canvases with textured gesso marks that I could work with. I've filled in corners on two canvases that. I'd left bare - I think I just need to run with the approach I was taking to guessing - with the whole canvas. 

Seeing this exhibition was like renewing a license to paint  - really confirmed my mark making.

  

Popped into the Staffs Art Foundation 'Rituals' exhibition and found some interesting work.

 

                                        

Did some more work on the painting of me and my daughter Jasmin.

  

Before really looking at Ian's work I wasn't sure how to approach the dress but had started added white patterned areas - today I've just run with the shape and colour of the dress and am much happier. I've blocked some areas and added texture to the back ground and will keep playing with the marks and shapes until I'm happy - just keeping her face in focus. 

 Picked up a couple of these while I was at the Brampton - for £1.50 each you can decorate one and have it exhibited so I've taken one for me and for Jack. It's important to me to bring Jack into my practice as he grows up as I've realised how connected everything is.

Spoke to Poppy for ages about her work today - really interested in the performance and escapism of it.