Disovery of the week-ish: Zhu Jinshi

Image: Zhu Jinshi, Work no.1, 2008; Oil on Canvas, 120 x 110cm

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Image: The distant reaches are Chaotic, Oil on Canvas 2007

Image: Zhu Jinshi, Woman Hero, 2007,Oil on Canvas

OK. So since his work's been seen at art auctions, I guess he's no discovery to the rest of the world. But I've never seen his work before, and I'm hoping one or two of you haven't, either. So here's a couple of paintings.

I like the excessive paint application, the colour and combination of form and line. It's like a beefed up Cy Twombly from the Autumn Series. Obviously about paint but so much in a landscape vein.

The title link leads only to the artnet site listing artworks for sale. It was difficult finding his gallery, as the named galleries don't list him as a represented artist. MMMMM! Sounds familiar...an artist who's this good and no obvious representation....... or getting the run around from his/her gallery.

Let me know if you know his gallery or like his work.

Twilight Charcoals

Images; Gabrielle Jones, Twilight 1" (top and "Twilight II" (bottom);

both 2010 and Charcoal and Shellac, 70 x 100cm

These two drawings were actually the first in the series. I think I like them displayed one on top of the other. I also like that they are fresher than the later ones, and capture the abstract/real conundrum that asks the viewer to reassess what exactly it is that they are seeing. I hope the "looking" is rewarded.

I always seem to start fresh and then close up, the more pieces I do in a series. It is a constant battle to achieve a fluidity and mastery that looks effortless. I don't know if that's because, in this case, the process was so painstaking, or whether it's a natural result of the number of times you repeat a similar process in achieving a body of work. I try to approach each painting or drawing in a series in as novel a way as possible. The images and ideas I want to portray often demand it. Maybe it's just fatigue, and I need to take a break more often.

What do you think? How do you keep your work fresh?

If you'd like to see what they look like framed and on the wall (side by side) here's the link.

Drawings -Evidence of Patience

Image: Gabrielle Jones, "Rustle", 2011, Charcoal and Shellac, 70 x 100cm

Number three in the Charcoal drawing series "Lumen". Ok. I'm actually pretty proud of the set (and more so, with my patience!) To see what these look like framed and on the wall go here.

More drawings

Image: Gabrielle Jones, "Shimmer" 2011, Charcoal & Shellac on Paper, 70 x 100cm

Here's the second drawing in the Lumen Series. If you'd like to see what these look like framed and on a wall, go to this page of my website. It's also the title link.

I achieved these drawings by gridding the photo, which I had taken from a speeding car and manipulated on the computer. I then grid the drawing paper and transpose the original into a tonal composition, as I have found that the smallest difference in placement of any element changes the image unsatisfactorily. This is a painstaking process that takes between two and four seven hour days to complete and is rather like a test of my patience (I'm not known for that!)

Anyway, I hope this one makes it into the $20,000 Adelaide Perry Drawing Prize. Fingers Crossed

What's your best method of drawing?

New drawings

Image: Gabrielle Jones, "Glide" 2010 Charcoal and Shellac on paper 70 x 100cm

I've been enjoying the rigour of standing at the easel, hardboard mounted in upright position, breath held, arm at uncomfortable position, trying to draw from some photographs I have been taking whilst travelling to and from smaller, regional cities in this wide brown land, conducting the business of necessary evil involved in being an artist.

Who am I kidding??? It's been hell! And a total change from my usual freer, "expressionistic" bent. The discipline is killing me, but I hope it's somehow informing my work even if it's not exactly improving my character. Don't like the process of drawing, but happy to have done the drawing.

But seriously, I'm just trusting my instincts that this is necessary at the moment, and that all this observation will improve my work. Besides, it means I don't have to fork out the money to but the paint needed to replenish my stocks of oil paint and canvas, greatly depleted after a year working on large paintings. The Universe works in mysterious ways...

What do you do when you don't feel like painting or the material stocks are low? How do you spend down time creatively?

A Painters Porn II - Even more so!

Found another, even more sexy paint video. MMMM! See painter's Porn II video under my collection at left.

Thanks to Undercover Painter I've also added another Sean Scully video in which he talks about his inspiration for his work and the differences in structure and luminosity in the buildings near his three studios - New York, Barcelona and the English Countryside. (It's a tough life, but someone's gotta do it...)

A Painter's Porn

Back and at the desk....even if not at the studio so much!

I found this video - rather like a bird's eye view of the process that I imagine Jackson Pollock used. It made me want to throw paint around, roll in it, get down on the floor with it. Just watching it got me excited - I guess this is why I paint. I love the accidental nature of paint, the slippery slidy -ness, the elasticity, the color, the shapes it makes.... Stop already!

Too long out of the studio I hear you say?? Well, it will have to do until I can get to the studio and actually paint (In my defence, I've been drawing a LOT lately - more on that in future posts).

Are you salivating too??? Then you really ARE a painter (regardless of your profession).

Why do you paint?

Video by: Johann Cohrs, Siggi Kuckstein; Editing + Compositing: Michael Koch, Michael Lübben; Music + Sounddesign: Kian Djalili; Music