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This pair from Villarrica was painted in the woods by the river-one of the few places, in the unusual heatwave, to offer shade.
The two paintings represent two stylistic approaches that I have been playing with over the last years, the former more detailed and constructed of smaller strokes, the second made from fewer, larger areas, and with much thicker strokes.
One reason for the second style is that it is a reaction to the former, which can degenerate into fussiness. The fussiness happens when the light shifts on the motif- and as a result I unconsciously start repainting various areas, and therefore the painting loses the compositional objectives it had the start. To resolve the resulting confusions I simplify the composition using larger brushes.
Another reason for this style is that I am conscious that pastoral painting can easily become twee. This awareness makes me want to use a more forceful style to prevent this from happening, and which I call the blocky style and which produces pictures that are a bit more like posters.
In contemporary art twee, or any sweetness is an anathema. This is connected to the idea that artists should participate in (and ideally lead) revolutionary movements and these have to be utterly poker-faced and cold and aggressive to achieve their objectives. There are one or two exceptions, such as Klee.
In contemporary art twee, or any sweetness is an anathema. This is connected to the idea that artists should participate in (and ideally lead) revolutionary movements and these have to be utterly poker-faced and cold and aggressive to achieve their objectives. There are one or two exceptions, such as Klee.
Villarrica, forest path, oil on card, 24 x 28.2 cm
Villarrica, oil on card, 28.7 x 23.7 cm unavailable
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