I’ve just completed a new oil painting which I’ve called “Burrows”. It is based on an abandoned building I often pass just outside Stafford. Earlier this year I parked up near the building and took a few reference photos to work on back at the studio. I really like the way nature takes over the spaces we leave behind and the contrast between the worn surfaces of the building and the plant life surrounding it. I started this earlier on in the year, put it on hold for a while and then carried on more recently to bring it to completion. Sometimes it’s good to take a break mid way through as it gives you a fresh perspective. You can find ‘Burrows’ in the ‘Abandoned Spaces’ section of the website.
Vacation
I have just completed a new acrylic painting which I’ve called ‘Vacation’. It features a derelict ceramics factory in Middleport as seen from across the canal. The abandoned caravan caught my attention and made it appear as if someone had chosen to have a holiday amongst an overgrown and neglected part of Stoke-on-Trent. There was something absurd but also sad about the scene. It is the same building that appears in my ‘Inside Out’ and ‘Outside In’ paintings. This piece will feature in my next solo show next year. You can view it in the ‘Abandoned Spaces’ section of my website.
Outside In
I’ve just completed a new acrylic painting based on the abandoned ceramics factory I discovered in Middleport. It is the same building featured in the ‘Inside Out’ painting which is currently on display at the RWA Gallery in Bristol. As usual, I was fascinated by the way nature takes over the spaces we leave behind and also how the light gently breaks through, bathing the leaves with an ethereal glow. This painting will feature in a new solo exhibition next year at Stoke on Trent (details to follow). You can view my new painting in the ‘Abandoned Spaces’ section of my website.
Urban Exploring
Last weekend I met up with Jemma Gunning to explore parts of Stoke-on-Trent in order to find derelict buildings. We have both independently worked on this theme before but this was the first time we had visited the same site. The idea was that it would be interesting to share ideas and to compare how we both responded to the same visual stimulus.
We ended up in Middleport and discovered abandoned ceramics factories along the canals. These places were falling apart and nature was beginning to take over the spaces. Remnants of the factory work shared space with litter and random debris. We found a sofa outside one place and a graffiti covered caravan too.
These places are ugly seen from one perspective but there is a peculiar beauty and fascination to them too. You think about the loss of industry but also wonder at where all these additional random items originated from. Myself and Jemma took a lot of photos that day and look forward to beginning new work.