falling back to earth …

My most recent painting, shown below, is another mixed-media on paper (approx 55x44cm), titled ‘Falling back to earth’, but one which took me rather by surprise. I’m conscious that most of my work still has discernible land/sky horizons, and while I’ve enjoyed producing them, for a long time I’ve wanted to allow the work to become more abstract, though still influenced by my experience of the landscape. 

Then this one happened, seemingly out of the blue, though of course that is too simplistic. I know this will be a culmination of what I’ve been painting over the past months/years – all the ‘successes’ and ‘failures’, but it feels completely subconscious. 

Falling back to earth. © Mari French 2016. Expressive mixed-media abstract on paper.

Falling back to earth. © Mari French 2016

I feel more confident in leaving lots of white space now, or editing into the work with white. 

(See some of my recent work here). 

I’ve also used a new blue-grey here too from Amsterdam acrylics, which combines with the red and the pink quite satisfactorily. And, crucially, I’ve stopped myself overworking the piece!

These occasional surprises are one of the joys of experimental painting for me.

Falling back to earth. © Mari French 2016. Expressive mixed-media on paper, framed.

Falling back to earth (framed). © Mari French 2016

Salt & sand…

Salt & sand series. Mixed media on paper, 70x50cm.

Salt & sand series. Mixed media on paper, 70x50cm. © Mari French 2016

Two of the artworks I’ve been producing recently for my solo show at the Grapevine, Burnham Market, late June. 

This was in between sorting out framing/delivery etc for my solo exhibition at Anteros in Norwich, which has just finished, new work for Thompsons Gallery in Aldeburgh, a new piece for Cley Contemporary in July and also works for several more art fairs coming up at Hampstead and Tunbridge Wells in June for Sheridan Russell. 

I think I’m in a roundabout way apologising for not having posted on here for a while, but as you can see, I’ve been pretty busy.  I’ll try to catch up with my posts soon as I can!

Salt & sand series. Mixed media on paper, 70x50cm. © Mari French 2016

Salt & sand series. Mixed media on paper, 70x50cm. © Mari French 2016

breathing space …

 

Breathing space, Mixed-media on paper. © Mari French 2016

Breathing space, Mixed-media on paper. © Mari French 2016

 
This past few months I’ve been painting madly away in my studio in preparation for two solo shows coming up soon. 

The first, entitled ‘Breathing Space’, will be at Anteros Arts Foundation in Norwich, in the main gallery, from 3rd to 14th May, and is a varied show including some of my new works, a few of which are shown here, alongside several existing favourites.

My second show, entitled ‘Salt & Sand’, will be at The Grapevine Gallery in Burnham Market, north Norfolk, and will solely consist of work inspired by the creeks, reedbeds and marshes of the wild expanse of the Norfolk Saltmarsh coast, where, as you may know from many posts on this blog, I spend a lot of time walking and sketching.

I think it’s clear that I’ve been putting into practice some of the mark-making techniques I learnt at the Emily Ball workshop back in January!

 

Pools of light, mixed-media on paper, © Mari French 2016

Pools of light, mixed-media on paper. Mari French 2016