Final Project-Learning Log 2 - Hold On

Hold On

Hold On began as a montage of photocopies of a painting I had done in the summer of two children on a slide. I loved the tenderness of this painting and an idea for a series based on the theme of 'holding on' began to formulate for  my figurative work - remember Agnieska was struggling to pull herself onto the climbing frame. I felt that the reference was appropriate to the Fen landscape where our hold is tenuous  and a constant struggle against the forces of nature. If we let go the land will be lost to the forces of nature.

I added structure and texture to the canvas with thread, fabrics and papers referencing the patterns of fields from an arial perspective. I then added oil paint with a pallete knife in block colours using a section of a small oil pastel as inspiration. Small photos of individuals living in the area have been snipped from the local paper and attached to the canvas. These images, and the many figurative elements and forms within the painting, provide a subtle texture and allude to the relationship of man and land in the Fens. I have used some printing  and have worked some soft pencil through the paint for other  effects.