The search for a surface that’s imperfect, beautiful, ALIVE..

These are early layers… I’m experimenting with surface textures and acrylic inks.

One of my sticking points this past year has been a new-to-me feeling of dissatisfaction with canvas as a surface. I’ve been feeling drawn to surfaces that feel more natural, textured, “imperfect”, absorbent, “alive”, like wood and papers. In comparison, canvas feels manufactured, almost plastic, dead.

I want the surface to absorb the paint and ink more readily than canvas does, and I want to leave open spaces where the surface can been seen and felt. I want the surface to be beautiful in and of itself; to be part of the composition, integrated, rather than covered up by the composition.

I’ve been creating art on paper and wood, but also as I’ve gesso-ed over paintings I didn’t love, I’ve realised that I really like the textured surface that emerges from a painting on canvas that has paintings underneath it. And I love how fluid acrylic inks settle into and highlight the textures.

And as another option for canvas work, I’m trying out coating my canvas with textured paste which I can scratch lines into, and then I’ll work with inks and acrylics and soft pastels on top of the textured surface.

Let’s see how it goes…