After using painting knife for a long spate, I suddenly missed my brushes and decided to try a new approach using short vertical strokes and simplifying the objects in the scene. In a sense, I was gravitating towards the abstract. I was never a realist anyway and more of an impressionist but I needed to establish an identity. Many have said that my colours are distinctive but something more is needed.
Flipping through my photos, I came across 2 pictures from my hiking trip in Tasmania on the Overland Track (some say Underwater Track) that gave me strong indescribable feelings. They both have this imposing mountain aptly called Cathedral Mountain, the 1st in the distance taken when we were hiking towards it, and the 2nd captured when we've reached our hut that has the mountain as a magnificient backdrop.
I did both paintings at the same time and they therefore have a common colour palette. They are an experiment and different from my past works. But I do think that they convey the feelings that the pics and my remembrance of the trek gave to me.
Title: Tree And Cathedral Mountain (O21,SA24)
Description: On the Overland Track in Tasmania with Cathedral Mountain in the distance. 2009.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 50 x 40cm.
To round off my cloud-themed series, I decided to do 2 works simultaneously that involved clouds in the backdrop. As it turned out, both reference pics I chose happened to have mountains.
The 1st is an opportune shot I took while descending on the plane to Capetown at the southern tip of South Africa. It shows the city's omnipresent Table Mountain which seemed to carry a beacon of hope at the top amidst a gathering storm over the sprawling city. Capetown is an exquisitely beautiful, sparkling city - exotic, colourful, exciting, even dangerous, full of contraditions, and somehow the wilderness is always nearby in Africa..
Suffice to say, my trip was a memorable one by all accounts. And somehow, the vibes of the place came through when I did the painting. My colours got stronger and stronger and I ended up with a colourfully drama piece which hopefully captures the unique essence of the place. This work will be displayed at the 6 perspectEVEs exhibition on 4 ~ 28 August 2009 at The Art Loft @ Volvo.
Title: Approaching Storm I (O18,SA9)
Description: Hope amidst an approaching storm at Capetown's Table Mountain. 2009.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 60 x 45cm.
Price: SOLD.
1 comment:
tt said...
Like the picture "The approaching storm 1". Good effort.
A couple years back, I took a hiatus from work and went gallivanting in France & Scandinavia for a good 2 months, which was altogether fun, funny and challenging since I speak no French.. ;p But I had to visit the art museums in France (and they are really good - when they are not closed ;p ) and pay pilgrimage to the land of my favourite Impressionist artists. So naturally I made my way to Provence and ambled into Arles, which I learned to be Vincent van Gogh's place except there wasn't a painting of his there and his studio had been destroyed in WWII. Nevertheless, I was much inspired by the place, especially the lovely uneven buildings with multi-coloured tiled roof intertwined in a fascinating maze of narrow winding streets, which probably accounts for this being considered Van Gogh's most creative period.
So it was that I painted this particular piece from a reference photo which was actually quite muted in colour but the feeling and atmosphere of my stay in Arles came through in the gay colours I put to the buildings of this street scene of a middle-aged lady going home. The bags may seem heavy but the mood is not, with hope and warmth represented by the strong lighting that I added to the scene. This was also one of my first oil pieces using painting knife and I found that the splattering effect turned out well on the buildings and pavement :)
The painting will be displayed at the 6 perspectEVEs exhibition on 4 ~ 28 August 2009 at The Art Loft @ Volvo.
Title: A Street In Arles (O6, SA1)
Description: Inspired by the narrow winding streets of Arles, Provence, France. 2008.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 60 x 50cm. SOLD.
Mini-Acrylic Work (with burgundy cardboard frame) 24x21cm: S$45 (USD30).
5 comments:
mary c. aikens said...
I really like your paintings very much. You have captured the use of color. I also use much color in my artwork. The "Street Scene in Arles" and "Tea At Boathouse" are among two of my favorites of your paintings.
beibei said...
I like this
valerie said...
I loved your painting of Arles. I hope to visit someday. In the meantime, thank you for capturing and sharing with us this beautiful place through your works.
teckmeng said...
I too like your piece of Arles. Been to France before but never knew that place even existed.
huilin said...
i like this one =) inspiration from??
Sometimes, the feel is just so strong that makes it easy when I do a painting. This was one of them. The reference photo (below) is a favourite photo of mine which I took whilst on a backpacking trip to East Europe with 2 good friends. We were in Krakow's Rynek Glowny Grand Square, the largest medieval town square in Europe. The pigeons were so much a part of the hustle and bustle of this lovely place. I especially like how they sat around the fountain enjoying the cool flowing waters, a parallel congregation to us happy human beings also gathered at this great square conversing, relaxing, observing, idling or generally enjoying the life and great atmosphere here.
The way the pigeons positioned at this rounded fountain also reminds me of an audience listening intently at a concert arena, except in this case they are attending a "fountain symphony" with music courtesy of the rhythmic white waters. With so much feel, the colours just came naturally that I can't even explain my method, if there was one at all. Perhaps they are an expression of the music that I imagined the pigeons were listening to.
Title: Pigeon Symphony (O3)
Description: Pigeons enjoying the flowing fountain waters at Krakow's Rynek Glowny Square. 2006.Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.Dimensions: 60 x 50cm.
Price: SOLD.
Print available for purchase at my artfire shop.
3 comments:
trudy said...
the colours are really unique in that painting, what was your inspiration?
jeffrey said...
Well done! Lovely
sharon mau said...
this is a fabulous painting, very beautiful work.
Other works on East Europe:
Title: Window Display (A2)
Description: An enchanting window display of a lady in red at a Budapest shop. 2005.
Medium: Acrylic on Panel (flat).
Dimensions: 41 x 33cm.
Price: SOLD.
Title: Krakow Bell Tower (A4)
Description: Reach for the gigantic bell at Krakow's Bell Tower! 2006.
Medium: Acrylic on Panel (flat).
Dimensions: 40 x 30cm.
Price: SOLD.
Title: Zakopane Hut I & II (SA22, SA23)
Description: At Poland's Tatra Mountains where I find the triangular shape of the huts most interesting. 2008.
