When DO you call a painting complete?

Benjamin West, The Treaty of Paris (1783 Unfinished)

I'm often asked how do I know when a painting is complete and in my case the answer is difficult to explain. Personally the act of painting can be best described as a game of balance between the abstract nature of paint and the image that is reconstructed. A painting can be described as 'complete' when I run out of spaces to move. It is therefore an individual choice of what I believe the painting needs in order to convey my intent and still hold a painterly balance. When I am satisfied then it will be left.

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Willem De Kooning referring to the same question spoke that "I refrain from 'finishing it. I paint myself out of the picture, and when I have done that, I either throw it away or keep it' It is this idea of not actually 'finishing' in a traditional sense that is very important to me. The viewer must be the person to 'finish' the painting (not by painting in my gaps!!) but by adding all of the disparate imagery and making their own connections. This open ending allows you to constantly revaluate the painting. Because of this I have no qualms of re-working a painting sometimes years after it has been exhibited if I still feel connected to it. This is not because the painting needs to be improved in any way but over time as I have changed a new aim and vision for the painting can develop. This does not always happen as paintings have a strange way of disowning you. This I must add is not negative. As De Kooning said you can paint yourself out. Sometimes you never see a way back in as a painter but can then fully enjoy it as a spectator.

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Ex Post Facto Available Now!!

My new book 'Ex Post Factor' is now available to buy.

The book costs £25 & is available to buy from either Gallerina or from my website.

Ex Post Facto is a book which is based upon a loosely tied together series of works created over the last three years.

It examines my influences & the main aims of the collection which is split into four sections, Objects, Advertisements, Knitting Patterns and Magazine and Book Covers.

Each book is signed by myself.

You can have a look inside here

Nice to see you, to see you nice ...

Thanks to everyone who dropped by Gallerina on Saturday it was great to talk to everyone. It was also good to see Mark Johnston there too chatting about his work.

Also an update on the book situation is that it should be here in about a week so will be available very soon. It will be available to buy online & in the gallery for those nearby.

If you want to be contacted by e-mail when the book is available click here for more info.

New Works On Paper

2 x 13 x 9.5” Men DO MAKE Passes at Girls Who Wear Glasses

14 x 11” Keep that Schoolgirl Complexion

14 x 11” How right she is (Drink at least one pint of milk every day)

These are a selection of new paintings on paper I have just finished & I will be dropping them off at Gallerina on Saturday.

It seems I'm painting adverts again which I haven't for around a year. The inspiration is a pile of Womans Own magazines from the 50s I purchased from a car boot. I think they had been stored somewhere a little damp but I really loved the aging on them. This has been the main influence to paint them onto paper, ripping the edges and aging them artificially. I like that they blur the gap between the original and my reproduction.

If you are in the Darlington area on Saturday drop into Gallerina as I will be there for a few hours to chat about my work. If you need help getting there click here.

I will be there from Noon until about 3pm if you want to come along.

Portrait of Regan

Hope you watched Imagine the other night.

If you missed it you can watch on BBC iplayer Click Here

Also here's the timelapse film of the painting too.

In The Telegraph

The Telegraph ran an article on Saturday about the upcoming art show Imagine which features myself & Gallerina.

You can read the article full article online here.

New Painting - Silky Lashes!

'Silky Lashes' 20" x 16"

This is a new painting I have just finished & dropped off at Gallerina today. The painting is taken from an advert found in a 1950's Woman's Own magazine.

BBC Art Show Imagine

Next weeks BBC1 art show Imagine will feature myself as they followed me through a portrait commission earlier in the year.

They filmed myself & Gallerina for the show which focuses on the Arts Council scheme Own Art.

The photo above shows the completed portrait with Alan Yentob & Regan who commissioned it through the Own Art scheme.

Catch the show on BBC1 Tuesday 1 December at 10.35pm.