Companion Pieces

 

The two pieces above were created at the same time. The one on the left is called "Train Journey in the Rain" and the one on the right, "Beach Holiday".  The one on the left was created as a consequence of the one on the right. 

The process usually works like this.  I plan a work.  The theme is usually a still life in an unusual setting, of which Beach Holiday is a prime example.  There is always a point when painting something like this when I have to stop before you can continue, either because I have run out of time or the paint needs to dry before I can continue.    Then I set myself the task of using a painting knife and the left over paint of creating a more instinctive abstract piece. It is an interesting and engaging tactic.  Thus one main piece can generate several companion pieces.

This time it was different.  My method of painting has change.  I still uses brushes, artist medium and terps with which to paint.  I have however become slower and more thoughtful.  I take longer on my paintings and simply apply more paint.  A consequence of this was that during the creating of Beach Holiday no Left over Paintings were created, until the end. 

At the end of Beach holiday, I was working on the beach, adding depth and complexity. This left me with allot of unused blue and read.  And so Train Journey in the Rain was born.  I liked the idea that this was perhaps the journey to the beach.  I wanted to capture the passing lines of a train journey.  I used a small triangular knife to drag the pain across the canvas.  Previously I have only ever used left over paint.  This time however I hit upon the idea of using the left over artist medium to create a rain droplet effect by depositing diluted paint on the canvas and letting it drip down the canvas.  I am very pleased with the result.

I am also pleased with the result on Beach Holiday.  The extra paint gives it more of an internal glow.

I hope you like it to.