Into the Rainbow Vein no2

A painting does often have a final outcome but this element of the craft is associated with a product that is something done and complete, or can never be altered once it is finished. It has been known for Artists to re purchase work and continue it in the studio, because the stuff that is paint, belongs to another category, which is continually affected and has no definite end. In order for a process to continue we have to generate an accident or series of accidents that are the catalyst of a new action/actions. It is out of force and necessity that things are closed. Death is one example. In the seascapes I like to imagine that they represent a place that is finite but at the same time they show a process that is always in transition. A technical note; When the initial thick paint has been directly applied to the fabric, this effect can not be achieved on a second layer when the application is often more of a creamy consistency and the final layers are very thin and transparent. The point is the transition has already been carried through, a bit like when you boil an egg, it will never be egg yoke again! The same rule can be applied to all subjects. Portraiture included.  

In the visual arts privation, (a cause of events which are not strongly necessitated) has dominance, when sometimes it seems impossible to see a transition through, because potentiality is an actuality still in the process of forming and bears only vague resemblance to a world that is necessity driven, which is why it is difficult to justify an activity such as painting. In modern society it is often considered as a glorified hobby, unless we enter solely into commercial enterprises.

The simple actuality of change is the process of transition. It is a special kind of actuality and permanently incomplete where we are unable or refuse to bring it to a conclusion, however even though it is elusive it is not impossible. The idea is to keep moving on. The process of change can often happen through deliberation in a controlled balance towards a proposed outcome and will remain random in it's basic form. Therefore it is necessary to display the process at rest, when it is not changing, rather than allowing it to constantly shift forward, determinate towards it's own end!

The Sunny Side

Oil paint is potentially a substance that is dry. If I use it when it's completely wet I am in the throws of an actuality decided by a condition that is the opposite to it's potential. Whilst it is drying there is a tendency to keep checking if it is ready to apply another layer. This is a bit like testing the water of a bath-a pointless activity. I may as well either leave it at the first decisions or do so many paintings that I could only return back to some of them months later. As an analogy, I would prefer to jump straight into the bath and get the timing perfect.

First decisions on the canvas are adequate enough and it isn't a positive thought process to try desperately to improve on them, therefore a process needs to be established so that we are not constantly judging the work as a good painting or bad painting. For instance in my portraits, I first sketch from life, then I use a full limited pallet and later introduce white paint from photos. This is standard practise. Inventing your own process however is a lot harder, which is the task I have to face with the seascapes. I am currently trying to marry something very sculptural with a  2 dimensional mind set, which includes constructing the frames and experimenting with a heavy coarse surface, using lots of masking tape to assist in the application of  rabbit skin glue and the compositions.

However I have realised that the original theory that I coined as Successionist does still seem to apply but it was formed in an accidental way. Whether it is necessitated or not necessitated makes no difference. The masking tape on the Jute is necessary in the preparation of rabbit skin glue because it prevents it from sticking to the box frame, which makes it easier for re stretching. I am now free to play around with something that isn't necessitated. 

Painting has the capacity for being created and destroyed, the properties for which, exist both potentially and actually but not at the same time or in the same respect. The first actuality for an Artist is potentiality, the 2nd is actuality and sustaining the moment infinitely. Whilst I build a body of work I am creating pictures, therefore it is not my objective to destroy them, even though the odd one here and there ruins. However I am aware that this process could eventually lead to destruction because the two are connected, but whilst I am in the process of creativity, the opposite doesn't apply even though it is apparent. Basically there are definite goals which are the result of hard work and we put equal amounts of energy into destroying and acheiving them. When the two are mixed the process is counteractive but still important in producing a genuine work of art. It's the paintings that go wrong that are more interesting or the ones that are full of mistakes, discrepancies and accidents.

The Seascapes