I have spent time today finishing off my latest painting The Hob. Because of the very sharp definition between the colours I have been concentrating on sharpening the lines to make them as clean as possible. This process proved to be akin to sign writing. As an artist who has previously incorporated text into art work I am only too aware of how difficult this can be. It takes a very steady hand and first class materials for the best results. I think over working problematic areas can often be a mistake and experience and practice are the best teachers in this instance. I have tried to strike a balance here and although the painting is not an example of perfection, as such it remains a painting.
Whilst putting the Dwelling Fusion project together I was reminded of the poet W. B. Yeats, (1865-1939), in particular his poem The Stolen Child, (1886). In the final verse he writes about ‘the kettle on the hob’ articles which echo through my project so strongly. The narrative relates the tale of a child taken from his home by fairies to their world. Here I also find myself drawing parallels with my own situation, as one moving from my home of over fifty years to live three hundred miles away. By coincidence, I heard the cover of Stolen Child by The Waterboys on one of my frequent journeys between homes, and reflected on how much all this struck a chord with me and its relevance to my current work.
