Friday 14 December 2012

Update-update

Finished work from past year now posting on:

www.npowellpainting.blogspot.com

Work here can be bought...!

Selection of work on show at Franks Bar, Norwich in the New Year timesTBC

Moving to new gallery/studio space in New Year too, hope to confirm soon.

Have a great christmas!





Monday 5 November 2012

Notes to myself on beginning a painting - R Diebenkorn

Page 115, The Art of Richard Diebenkorn , Whitney Museum of American Art, University of California Press

Notes to Myself on Beginning a Painting

1. Attempt what is not certain. Certainty may or may not come later. It may then be a valuable delusion.
2. The pretty , initial position which falls short of completeness is not to be valued- except as a stimulus for further moves.
3 Do search. But in order to find other than what is searched for.
4. Use and respond to the initial fresh qualities but consider them absolutely expendable
5 Don't 'discover' a subject - of any kind
6 Somehow don't be bored- but if you must, use it in action. Use its destructive potential
7 Mistakes can't be erased but they move you from your present position
8 Keep thinking about Polyanna
9 Tolerate Chaos
10 Be careful only in a perverse way

Saturday 20 October 2012

post project space post

My exhibition at the Project Space at Barbican Arts Group Trust finished last Wednesday and marks the end of my stay in London as I move to Norwich with my family. Being 2 hours away from the capitals lure is nothing these days and 10 years ago when I was last living here there is still a buzz about the city which I like. However will still miss the turkish bread.. .

The exhibition went well at the Project Space and was good for a number of reasons: 1 It marked an event which broke up my painting activity or rather gave me a deadline 2 It gave me a chance to view my work in a professional looking gallery setting.

The side of getting your work seen by others is something that easily gets forgotten about when engrossed in the making, the day-todayness, particularly when you are a full time teacher with a challenging 6+months daughter to father. What is my view on art and what I am making in this time poor context?  How can you talk about abstract painting when she is not sleeping...!!!
Winning little painting battles but then loosing them a week or so later (struggling to make paintings that look as great as you want).

I now really appreciate the work that goes into promoting an exhibition or show, getting people to see it, what people do you want to see your work? There are always transport issues that prevent attendence, cats dying, DIY to be finished at home etc.
I took alot of positives from the show.
ie talking to other artists/talking to people who do not do what you do, practicing your schpeel, using language to communicate why you do what you do.
Installing paintings against the harsh white walls is a brave thing to do, does the work hold up here as it did in the cluttered studio?
More or less ? Stuff the walls with lots of paintings or just put a few up.

Scratching the surface here about the whole experience...The folks at the Barbican Arts Group Trust were nice people and check out their studios next time they are open.
Time to find a new studio here in Norwich - will hopefully keep posting new work in the future
 and  will post pics on the show soon.

Monday 17 September 2012

Friday 25 May 2012

Euroart open studios 8-10th June 2012 - Tottenham London N15 4QQ

studio 34 in unit 6 is my space but lots of other stuff going on. Come say hi and have a look around. Fri 6 -10 pm sat 2-6pm sun 2 -6pm.

Saturday 14 April 2012

Saturday 31 March 2012

Saturday 24 March 2012

Sunday 11 March 2012

grandstanders

old paintings that said 'finished'  from a few years ago now sitting in cupboards get looked at again and get dragged back to the studio for some adjustments.............. some more layers stacked on top.......The one above - canvas on a stretcher made by myself is slightly off square , I should've just chucked it away but thought I'd tinker with it instead - the middle one was even framed and has graced the walls of Spence cafe....very harsh

Friday 9 March 2012

collage on gouache

Collage on gouache just placed ontop of paintings from last year. Cheep water based paint on black card Sometimes the cheap stuff can have an equally satisfying result as series 4 or five paint. Photographed in case they get moved before I get round to sticking them, though their temporary status is intreguing maybe i dont stick them on....