Photo by Kathi Robertson
I have come across patches on sidewalks that express everything I strive for in my work. Colour, texture, pattern, line quality. They also contain a quality of randomness, freeness and freshness. These are visually complete moments. My challenge is to capture this mixture of time and weathering in my own work. Mixing oil paint to imitate the colour and texture of asphalt didn’t make sense, so I now incorporate real asphalt in my work. This has led to a variety of different explorations and discoveries to mesh asphalt with various other mediums. It is exciting for me to apply a coat of wet asphalt to a sidewalk and then collect a print onto a primed canvas. I can never be certain what image will be produced.
By giving the initial markings to chance – either a child’s scribbling or a surface of a city sidewalk, I leave myself the task of completing the picture.
The preciousness of a blank canvas is removed from the equation and I am allowed to create an image to my own ideals. Playing and being in the moment are important components of my work.
Also important is the variety of situations and environment . Working on a 50′ concrete mural up on scaffolding affects the way I approach a concrete sculpture, which informs the way I create a painting which helps me to create a piece of participatory art which again alters my workings on the concrete mural. Everything I do, informs my other practices and in turn makes them resonate deeper. The contrast in scale and purpose keep me interested and curious.
Studio Locations:
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
49 Pownal Street, #102Ottawa, Ontario
435 Kent Street
Email
griffinartstudio@gmail.com