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Sunday 26 May 2013

Studies from my sketchbook


I found this lovely gnarly old root on a rather wet walk with my dog a week ago.  When I saw it on the ground, the colours just glowed in the early morning light and I could see all the fine lines of stretched and distorted wood filaments.  As it dried out in the kitchen it started to loose colour, finally taking on the bleached patina and appearance of an animal skull.  A quick lick of oil soon restored the rich colours and texture!

I have been looking at it all week, studying the knots, whorls and lines.  I dreamed of a highly textured painting in acrylic or a collage.  But I don't think I'm a dedicated painter (or sketcher for that matter).  I'm looking for quick results and when my work doesn't turn out how I want, I abandon it for something new.  It's hard doing this kind of visual research and yet I know it pays dividends.  As I was trying to interpret what I saw it made me think of a Munch painting.  Is something screaming to get out?

I think this small lump of timber has a story to tell.

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