Notes from the studio June 4th

Yesterday I took a series of photos and films of the shadows of trees. It was a windy day, sunny spells broken by heavy downpours. When the sun appeared from behind the clouds the contrast of the burst of light was strong. Like a theatre light, the shadows from the trees along my path suddenly and drastically cast shadows as if in a spotlight. This, with the wind, gave a movement that felt distracting. How could I walk when such a show was being performed. The shadows moved around in the wind as if they were being disturbed. Light popped in and out, playing hide and seek.

This evening I looked at the images I had taken and decided to try to capture this fleeting light and shadow theatre. I built up a few layers or thin oil paint on a board quickly. Allowing the paintbrush to dance across the surface in the same way the shadows moved in the hope to show this interaction of the elements. I think I will call this one ‘the way of the shadows’ I might return to it once this first layer is dry but I like the way it’s quite loose and sketch-like.