This is one of four large paintings which are being collected today for a hospital project. I was commissioned by a London based interior designer to create the works for rehabilitation suites (for those who will need residential care). This is the third time I've done something for a hospital or clinic - one in Switzerland and the other in the UK.
Knowing where these paintings would be, I was especially slow and gentle in the way that I created them. I considered the person in the suite, contemplating ways to provide a point of meditative calm, something soothing for the eye. All four paintings have muted palettes and careful transitions.
This last piece was still drying at the time of this photo last week (see top left), which is always a drawback when working with oils. I use Winsor & Newton Liquin to aid the drying process. (Thankfully the work is fully dried out now!) When I first began painting in oils, I reached out to the supremely talented Richard Whadcock to find out more of his process. He was the one who introduced me to Liquin and it allowed me to not only speed up drying time but to blend my transitions in a far more silky way. I experimented with ways of almost throwing Liquin on massive brushstrokes of oil paint and seeing what effects the Liquin would have on that when passed over with the largest palette knife I could find. It was a great effect (see below) but did result in some pretty blinding headaches thanks to the fumes.
