studio notes Nick Powell

This is the first work in progress oil on canvas, current status.

Begun end of June 2017

(Canvas was primed with PVA mixed medium then I used oil primer for the first time)

Before the priming a number of drawings were made to try to work through what I wanted to do. (Will eventually upload these)

I’m beginning to question the importance of the start of a work. Looking back on older works that have been completed the gap measured by start and end points is mind bogglingly vast in whatever terms you measure it. Whatever the intention is, I think the element of fear and trying to be brave by entering the space of the work by applying marks on the stark surface is there. It quickly fades though, like the sensation of temperature on the body entering the swimming pool. 

Making drawings for the purpose of having specific visual information for the paintings is not something I have really done before.* By this I mean, getting close to what used to be called technical drawing at school, measuring, working out of scale, background areas, figure relationships and so on.

*(Common previous studio habits; collection of temporary material, cut-outs from the daily, 10 second things of the mind, a mesh of marks on paper, a colour combination, a snippet from electric media etc that sits next to wip, but also aiming for the work to give itself what you will do- another issue)

After priming, some intense drawing with pencil on the canvas started, getting the overall structure down. This was pleasing to do because you can judge if the measurements you made were right, but it was on my mind how the measuring stood up to the fluidness of oil paint. In other words how controlled was I going to be in obeying to the demarcation of the different areas with oil paint, once colour and consistency of this was agreed upon. Thinning out allows you to see the plan underneath.

Ive run a blogspot before;

the dusty looking ‘word of hand’ www.nickspowell.blogspot.co.uk

and was useful for some while to chart progress and territory for art activity; mostly painting, but drawing and mixed media. Posting on it tailed off because I had less time to write about what was happening at the studio. Instagram and other social media are go to places to post work now without need to write notes etc, which is what the blog became, just posting work in progress.

I think it is accepted as an artist writing about your own work is tricky (various shades of cringe factors, think that’s why statements are written by others or written in third person) but diary approach is probably right in this context. The standpoint assumption is that you are operating in doubt always, or should be.

Another reason to write this is I left Art school with BA FA in 98 and always harboured aim to do an MA but not happened or may never happen. I am more que sera sera about this now for all those reasons out there. But i think the bit about trying to locate the context for your work is a blind spot for me now as it would be part of that MA practice.

Another one is obviously some people would read this and its the relating to the common ground.

Lastly trying to be a better artist by being reflective is probably a goal here too, (aesthetics aside) Lost count of those paintings lost to the layers, but feel that is for next post.

Photos of work in different places at the moment so will get organised