New Gouache 17.3.14 + 51 x 72 cm (paper)

New Gouache 17.3.14 + 51 x 72 cm (paper) using fluorescent pigment with white. An opaque and vibrandt yellow and light red with a resilience and command of surface not usual in the semi transparent fully saturated fluorescents.

Recent Large Gouaches on Show

Two of the most recent large gouaches have been Highly Commended in the Royal Cambrian Academy Open Show 2014.

New Paintings - Work in Progress

The 18 series paintings are developing well. Today, a grey from violet, raw umber and yellow gave a successful chromatic grey in linking area spaces in the pictorial space.

Archive Gouache

This gouache from 2009 found its way to daylight in the clearing and cleaning of work in the main plan chest. Its definitely worth a view albeit in the corner of this desk photo shot.

New Work - Paintings in Progress

The latest series of 18 paintings on mdf board are ongoing and nearing a conclusion. This series has been made over the past six months and as a process signal a slower way of working. Although small in size these works are taking what seems like a considerable amount of time to resolve. The full series can be viewed here.

WAVY BANNERS 2013 ET4U - DENMARK

The Banners are up and during August will move location for the re openings...see here for project images

GRIFFIN LIQUITEX OUTDOOR TEMPORARY WALL COMMISSION

Although unsuccessful on this project, the images created stand as a document of an idea. Title: Movement of Colour Dimension: Overall design will cover 2 x 60 metre, divided into 10 sections of 2 x 6 metre Proposed Media: Liquitex Spraypaint; Liquitex Acrylic for Edge Finish Concept: The design through elongation of form will create a dynamic synthesis of colour capitalising on the length of the wall and the curve at the entrance to Evesham Street. View the full portfolio here

New Paintings - Studio Practice

The series of 18 new small paintings on mdf continue this weekend in spectacular light conditions. Van Gogh and Amsterdam oil paint with regular Lukas and Roberson have created a new palette with seemingly quieter colours counter balanced by conscious elements of drawing designed to question the space.

OCEANUS 1 and 2 FINAL STAGES

The final stage of Oceanus and digitalisation for transfer to the banner. In painting the final parts a close brush line movement closed the surface of the interlacing bands of colour. The underlying elements are concealed and only part of their function as lines can be seen. Undercurrent of movements are apparent, but only partially clear. Then each painting is divided into four sections for photography and then rejoined to form the complete banner with Oceanus 2 being rotated 180 degrees. I have kept the edges of the painting because they really make the banner into an artwork. To do this, I had to stretch the painting because with the extra bit on each side, it did not fit the template.

OCEANUS Continuation - Two Stages

The two paintings that will form both sides of the banner for the ’Wavy banners’ 2013 with ET4U, Denmark are continuing...latest can be seen here with two further stages

OCEANUS continuation

The two paintings that will form both sides of the banner for the ’Wavy banners’ 2013 with ET4U, Denmark are continuing...latest can be seen here and previous at the link here

Studio Practice 23.2.13 - OCEANUS

New paintings and continuation of project Oceanus can be viewed here.

New Gouache Works for 2013

The new gouache works are beginning to filter through having relocated the paper based works production place from Moreia studio to the house conservatory for the winter. This new work is one of the planned larger gouache and as a first new painting is significant in the spatial and shape dynamic incresed dimension. This new work 71.1.13 is 75 x 53 cm.

New Paintings and Oceanus 1

New paintings started today. 18 in total using raw sienna, indian red, azo yellow and an olive green. An unusual colour and given to me, so trying out a hue never usually sourced myself. As with all colours the manufacturers' mix is at pigment stage so even the tertiary colours and greys have a luminosity hard to match when mixing on the palatte. With these new paintings I have bgun all with low key colours pushing a shape in different direction. These feel like somehting new. Not done this before. I have also started Oceanus 1, wavy banner project first side. The theme of movement and wave providing impetus for a painting of linear form.

SEA Research at British Museum 2

Tomb of Kybernis, see last post....

SEA Research at British Museum 1

Considering the depiction of ocean, waves and water in various creative media and periods, the British Museum led to looking at a mosaic of a sea god, from the 4th century in Gloucestershire. The acquatic scene depicts the head and upper torso of a sea god, either Oceanus or Neptune, with a staggling eard and lobster claws at each temple and a trident across one shoulder. He is surrounded by dolphins, mythical creatures and sea vegetation. Not so much depiction of waves in this but the title lingers. Whilst there I was struck also be the Tomb of Kybernis, about 480 BC where sirens, winged creatures, carry figure maybe the souls of the deceased. The same figures appear in a church in Oxfordshire, al though I can't recall the name, the figures are strikingly recognisable. From this Oceanus will be the working title for wavy banner project.

ØRESTAD STREET ART COMPETITION

The Ørestad street art competition invites artists from all over the world, to submit their vision for transforming a 271 meter long wall in Copenhagen, Denmark, into a spectacular work of art. Application concept: Title: Acceleration of Colour From distance viewing Ørestad is a fast moving and horizontal city, with new urban architecture and modern city planning. The wall is an integral part of the visible experience of the transport system, both road, rail, and pedestrian. The length of the wall and the distance from ‘start to finish’ presents an dynamic for pictorial design that will operate in ‘snatches’ but also as an integral whole image as viewed for example, from the train. In addition the work will function as a moving artwork as the viewer is positioned in transit. The sketches submitted have identified three sections for each element but in realisation the dimension of shapes in the design will stretch over five, six or more panels as the possibilities for the viewer are identified. Acceleration of Colour will be made in response to the place and location of the city of Ørestad featuring elements of the cityscape as initial idea shapes for the design. This follows recent commission projects where reference to place and location led to a new way of identifying pictorial structure. The project would involve drawing and research on location as angles, shapes and forms from around the town are identified for subject matter. Click here to view the two design sketches.

’WAVY BANNERS’ PROJECT 2013 - ET4U

Banner exhibitions 2013 In four villages in West Jutland, Denmark: Humlum Nörre Snede Sdr. Nissum Nees-Skalstrup - or Vorgod-Barde. The banner exhibitions 2013 will be part of the cultural festival ‘The Wave’ August 17. - October 19. 2013 organized by the Cultural Collaboration in Mid and West Jutland. ET4U is an artist-run non-profit artist run organization based in West Jutland, Denmark, whose main purpose is to create network among artists and to promote contemporary visual art in the western part of Denmark – the banner exhibitions is one of the ways for ET4U - to bring contemporary visual art out to anyone living in these rural areas. ET4U has invited artists from Morocco, Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Pakistan, India, Brazil, Ecuador, Scotland, Wales, France, Italy, Serbia, Spain, Portugal, USA, Canada, Lithuania, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and Denmark. Following invitation, research is now under way. With the theme of the Wave it is hard for me this time not to work from the ocean, Tremadog bay, that is right on top of the studio. It is a cliche for a them of 'wavy' or 'waves' to use water and movement of water, but, this time the visual possibilities are not to be ignored. Digital files have been made and these first digital sketchbooks will form the basis for the development of the designs - in the first instance.

Primed Supports for New Work

New painting supports made: 17 small mdf supports cut and primed with one coat. One further coat needed..

New Gouache Works

This autumn a new series of gouache works on fabriano extra white HP 300g paper are underway. In challenging previous work size of 'colour arena' has been readjusted and the component elements multiplied.

Past, Present, Future: 10 years of the Regional Print Centre

A celebration of work by Regional Print Centre patrons, associates and members from the past 10 years.

This 10th Birthday retrospective exhibition (Oriel Wrecsam, 6th October - 1st December 2012) and publication has been curated by the Regional Print Centre Coordinator Jim Creed and celebrates the artists who have contributed to the success of Centre over the past decade. It showcases the diversity, development and innovation of printmaking as a creative process whilst highlighting the traditional roots of the medium. Screenprint Orange Level features in the exhibiton, made at RPC and toured extensively in South Australia with Le Chiele Wales/Ireland Print making exhchange (see previous post).

Bangor University Degree Show Film

Andrew talks about the programme in a film commisioned by Pontio and made by Culture Colony. The film features four graduates from 2012 talking about their work in the Bangor Museum and Art gallery. the film is made and edited by Pete Telfer of Culture Colony.
(Film no longer available as Culture Colony is closed).

Interview with Eli Acheson from 'The Art Lounge', Môn FM

Here is the link to the Andrew Smith's in depth interview on his art work and his work as fine art subject leader on the expanding Lifelong Learning Fine Art programme and the recent degree show. Interview with Eli Acheson from 'The Art Lounge', Môn FM. Her show which features local artists and goes new on local art shows in broadcast every Monday evening 20.00 - 22.00 87.9 FM Digital radio.

Ar Ymyl Lliw • Edge of Colour

Exhibition Installation of Gallery 1 Bangor Museum and Art Gallery can now be viewed here