It's all about colour..........

At the opening of "The Art of Carnival" at the W3 Gallery

 "Carnavale" oil on canvas 131 x 76cm

 I painted "Carnavale" in 2010 at the Hampstead School of Art as part of a pair of paintings - the second an abstract interpretation of the Mona Lisa. Having visited the Dublin City, Hugh Lane Gallery previously, I was struck in awe and heavily influenced by Sean Scully's "Walls of Lights"paintings. In "Carnavale", I explored the boundaries of contrasting, subjued colours and it developed as an expression of the spirit of the annual Venice spectacle.

I am pleased this painting along with six others, have been included in the "Art of Carnival" Exhibition at the W3 Gallery, Acton Town, London. The common denominator to these pieces is the exploration of colour and allowing the colour to dictate the painting process above all other considerations. "Stanza" painted in 2011, was conceived at the Slade School of Art, in which I tried to convey a sense of the rhythm, harmony and freedom expressed in poetry. The rest of the pieces on show were painted during recent lockdowns between 2020 and 2021.

Speaking about colour, Roy Lichenstein said "Colour is crucial in painting, but is very hard to talk about... It depends on too may factors". Colour has a life of it's own. It can set a mood, attract attention or make a statement. It can be used to energise, cool things down or create a feeling of or tranquility. Those visually impaired or blind have a sense of colour.

Matisse once said about painting "Colour helps to express light,

"Untitled" Acrylic on canvas

not the physical phenomenon, but the only light that really exists, that in the artists brain". 

Yes, it's all about colour and many thanks to the W3 Gallery for the opportunity to show these pieces as part of this years "Art of Carnival" Exhibition.

W3 Gallery, 185 High St, Acton, W3 9DJ

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Under the Influence of Lockdown

"Under the Influence of Lockdown"  Acrylic on canvas 61x51cm

I am pleased to be showing three pieces at the Acton Open Exhibition, W3 Gallery, from Thursday May 5th. The work selected, all acrylics on canvas have one common denominator - they were painted during the lockdowns of 2020. The painting above appropriately entitled "Under the Influence of Lockdown" was completed during the first, which began in the UK on March 23rd. It had been started a couple of years earlier and left as "unresolved". In one sense, the lockdown forced me to re-visit this piece with heightened focus, given that most other human activities were on hold. I was reminded of how prisoners use art as a means of being in touch with the "outside world" and Van Gogh's productive time at the asylum in Saint-Remy de Provence.

Early stage of re-working the canvas

           The first lockdown lasted until June 23rd. These were times of facing fear and uncertainty. There were no vaccinations or boosters, just an instruction to self isolate and take paracetamol if you had symptoms. We watched the daily updates on TV and every Thursday evening at 8pm we saluted the true heroes - the NHS workers who took enormous risks to their own lives for the sake of others.

Art is a cathartic thing and can take you to places inwardly you cannot physically travel to. It can put you in a state of creative mindfulness. Colour has power and used the right way can provide hope and possibility. And so, art became even more important to me during these periods of lockdown. Like a Joycean experience, it felt like the spirits of both the living and the dead artists came to visit during these times. Looking at this work now, I can feel the immediate influences of Rothko, Scully and Heron. In the worst of circumstances, something kicks us on and the best of humanity shines through. And so, this canvas which lay "unresolved" for a couple of years gained new life and being. "Under the Influence of Lockdown".

In memory of all those we have lost from coronavirus and also to those who risked their own lives in our hospitals, care homes and services for the sake of others.

  "UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF LOCKDOWN", along with these other two works are on show at the W3 GALLERY, ACTON, LONDON W3 9DJ FROM MAY 5TH.

Untitled Acrylic on canvas 30x40cm

Monochrome Acrylic on canvas 28x35cm