NEWS

Today a change of direction was needed. Last night I started Paul Auster's - Man in the Dark, it starts with a man in a hole. Yesterday started to feel like that in the studio, time out away from the current works, it was a good move.

If you know my work you will know that I work in project's. They usually take several years from start to completion, I can be thinking about various projects at the same time. When one needs time to breath I turn to another body of work. What can I say it works for me.

One such project that has been rattling around my brain for a few years decided it wanted attention today.

The initial idea came from a Goya painting - Dos Frailes/Dos Viejos/ A Final Pilgrim.



What is he saying ?

The project is related directly to this painting, in terms of what space or place would this occur? Artist Studio? The hermatige came to mind. There is one that I used to visit as a child at Stanton by Dale, and a very funny story about moles that I won't go into now.

Reading Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane had sent this project up to the west coast of Scotland and the hermitages found along that coast. Particularly the collection of meditation spaces formed like bee hives.

Today it was dragged back into Cornwall, temporarily perhaps and a drawing trip to St Helen's Oratory.



St Helen's is located at Cape Cornwall, just a short walk from my current home. It sits perfectly in the saddle of the landscape.



Compositionally it happened again. When ever I include the sea in paintings, drawings or photographs I exclude the sky. It a very automatic response. One painting exists with both elements.




This project has many undercurrents. It is not intended to be a religious project but inevitably there will be an element of spirituality. The other influence is the poetry of St. John of the cross. I am in agreement with Nick Cave that St.John did write his best stuff while imprisoned in a box.

On a lighter note if anyone knows where I can get sun glasses for Rupert, I think he would appreciate it.



Back to the Strata Painting's in the morning.

Mark.