Bus Stop #1
Size 80cm x 50cm
Acrylic Mediums on stretched cotton/poly canvas. Unframed
This painting was an experiment in acrylic mediums, glazes and complex surface textures.
The image refers to years of struggle as the disabled artist fought pain and illness to travel by public transport attending university for the Bachelor of Fine Arts. He would often spend the time between buses and trains with his head down staring at the pavement trying to draw strength from stillness.
As he has indicated throughout his painted works he has a strong attraction to textures and he experienced the narrow view of the pavement from the head-down position as compelling and beautiful even through the exhaustion. The shapes in the image hint at other,far greater, struggles while merely being the joints in the footpath.
Untitled
Size 60.1cm x 50.1cm
Acrylic Mediums on stretched cotton canvas. Unframed
The Materials.
The artist was ill and broke when this canvas was used as a sign for a school fete and thrown away. The friend who found it saw it as a lost and living thing waiting to be given to someone who could bring that out.
For some people an artist is like a shaman and art making is precious and magical. It is rather more of an earthy and practical thing for the artist most of the time but perhaps it is doing a disservice to simply deny the deeper aspects of art and the meaning it holds to the people who experience it.
When an artist has found the well spring of creativity and managed to get that into the images they may certainly take these or similar labels. I just find labels a bit pretentious
The little house seems to be slowly becoming a part of the earth and yet has the feel of a living, quiet spirit among the trees. It has become a part of this landscape rather than something imposed on it. It is modest and yet strong, impermanent and decaying yet still timeless
All images copyright Stephen Solomons. (C)2005,2006.
site by Weblight Studio (Australia)
The Fish
Size 1.3m x .90m
Acrylic Medium on stretched canvas
Several paintings were attempted on this canvas before the final image making the surface deep and rich with texture and life. The colours are all oxides and are stains and dry-brush rather than glazes.
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