This week has been quite productive; 4 paintings completed since Wednesday.
Keeping in mind my commission of a large painting in “black and white with one dark colour”, I think it’s time to crank it up to the largest scale I can manage in my little attic studio: 120 x 100 cm.
‘Laughing Stock’, acrylic on canvas, 80 x 60 cm
I am concerned that the work has not been quite ‘black and white’ enough, so I’m going to see what happens when I literally only use black and white paint, no greys. We will see. I might fail, but something interesting always happens when you don’t succeed at what you originally set out to do.
‘Why The Hell Not?’, acrylic on canvas, 80 x 60 cm
‘Prisoner’, February 2022, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 cm.
I discover that I’ve not posted anything here since May 2020. Since then I have mainly used Instagram to share my work. I’d be interested to know how you feel about social media, and the best way to share and promote work? Links to my social media accounts are below.
Just over a year ago, perhaps as a reaction to the strangeness of our current situation, my work changed. In a moment of fearlessness, a large comical nose appeared, and then an eye. My abstract paintings were now also absurd grotesques. They made me laugh.
‘Ghoulish’, February 2022, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 cm.
I have been working with a more monochromatic palette because I have been asked to do something quite large in ‘black and white with one dark colour‘. I’m normally partial to pinks, turquoise, and bright yellows (see painting at the bottom of this post). It’s proving a very productive exercise. It is always good to limit the possibilities, that’s when you have to make concise decisions. I do wonder if/how my work will be affected by this period of monochromatic discipline when I let the colour back in.
The painting below, was created in September of 2021. I have entered it into the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition because, why not. I won’t know until April if I’m through to the next round. It’s hard to get in, so we will see. I’ll let you know.
‘Wayward’, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm
If you’re out there, reading this, please let me know. Thank you, Sarah.
Sarah Hoskins' Journal 