The joy of experimenting

My good friend and fellow artist Pen Kirk is a fearless experimenter with her art practice. I’m more inclined to experiment slowly, playing with a colour, technique or idea in my art journals and on paper, over and over, until I see where it leads me.

Sometimes the steps are small, and then sometimes there’s a leap forward. Occasionally I realise I’m not enjoying the process, and I ditch the idea. If there’s no joy in the act of creating, I’m not interested.

My current path includes bright fluro colours against darks or neutrals, and memories of the landscape from recent trips away. I’m often starting with bright pink or orange under painting and allowing it to peep through in the final layers. I’m not sure where this is all leading, maybe nowhere, and that’s ok. Here’s a couple of pieces I’m playing with.