Simplifying shape and colour.

oil on paper. 20x20cm

oil on canvas 50x50cm

oil on paper 30x30cm

                                                               oil on card. 30x18cm

I am really trying to exclude anything unnecessary in these recent pieces: it is hard to give up on things that have a degree of familiarity. The small size doesn't help either because I feel the need to be expansive, to work outside any comfort zone and of course there is a huge difference in the marks made when the arms gesture is wider. Having said that, the small size of these still means two or three days work or in some cases, weeks. I said earlier that I wanted to try not to revise, to set it down once but I don.t think that I am up to it or maybe it is the reworking, the breaking down and rebuilding that I like.

 The light is very bright here in June and the colour of the trunk of this tree changes throughout the day along with shadows .