I have worked on 10 2ft by 2ft MDF boards playing with color and texture. each one on an individual basis, I had thought of attempting to do some colour field painting… And on four of the 2 x 2 boards that I had cut I have tried but it’s not working.
Because I like to add talcum powder and PVA glue to my paint as it increases the quantity of paint, I was told that it dulls the colour down so I thought that if I put the PVA glue and talcum powder into the white base paint then when I add the colour it won’t take anything away from the colour.
I like to use texture in my painting and so I experimented with patterns with base paint which I think looked okay but when put in the colour over the top with didn’t feel like it was working as induvial pictures.
I didn’t like very much individually…. but when I put them all together as a wall they seem to work.
During this time, I was also working on my dissertation, writing about Mark Rothko, the question I was asking was ‘How does Rothko’s work exemplify and/or illustrate Harold Rosenberg’s statemen that the canvas was” an arena in which to act”.’ (Rosenberg. Art in theory 1900 to 1990. p 582)
I admire and love Mark Rothko’s work, especially his large work, standing in front of a large canvas of one main colour in various tones and textures, the feeling of being immersed in to the painting, I had that feeling from my own painting ‘desire’ although it’s not as big as Rothko’s when standing close to it, it gave me that feeling.
My Own Experience of the Seagram Murals
I myself took a trip up to London to the Tate Modern where the Seagram Murals are now housed.
It was quite a busy day and so there were quite a few people milling around, I had been so excited to come and see these canvases, to experience what it would be like to be enveloped in his large colourful canvases.
In the centre of the room there are two seats situated in the middle of the room at either end, the lighting was quite dim, and so I sat down and looked, taking 10 to 15 minutes to let my eyes wander over the canvas; to take in the colour and brushstrokes.
I did this with each of the paintings one by one, and as I sat trying even get some feeling from the paintings, people were in and out again, wandering around and around talking.
I spent around an hour maybe a little bit more there. I think possibly, that I had built up an impression that to see Rothko’s work in the flesh (so to speak) would have a great effect on me, maybe even inspire me, but unfortunately, I left the gallery disappointed.
It hasn’t affected my view of Rothko’s work, I am still in awe of it and plan to go see the murals again and hopefully go to America to the Rothko Chapel.
