New paintings, sketches and illustrations by Jim Shirlaw 2012

Coloured Wreckage 2012, acrylic and mixed media on paper 55 x 46 (cm) 

   

General Population Study 2012 acrylic and mixed media on paper 64 x 46.5 (cm) 

 

Study for Torn Trailer 2012 acrylic and mixed media on paper 70 x 45.5 (cm)

  

 

  #46 Reprise 2012 ink and pen on paper 29.7 x 21cm

 

 Sex Poem #46 2012 ink and pen on paper 29.7 x 21cm

Winter Page 2012 acrylic on paper 74.5 x 56 (cm)

 

 

Winter Portrayal 2012 acrylic on paper 66 x 47.5 (cm)

   

No Light Left 2012 acrylic on paper 57 x 42 (cm) 

Study for Birdsville Terrain 2012 acrylic and mixed media on paper 69 x 47 (cm)

Aggression Beach 2012 acrylic and mixed media on paper 80 x 50 (cm)

 

Cloud Shadow 2012 acrylic and mixed media on paper 70 x 40 (cm)

  December Territory 2012, acrylic and mixed media on paper 69 x 45 (cm)

Above are mainly a range of recently completed studies and illustrations made in the studio thus far in 2012. As mentioned in previous blog posts (readpalmforest.blogspot.com) the pastel works were largely sourced from an expedition to the Australian Northern Territory last year. This environment provided a brilliant resource to further practice with the palette i've devised for these types of studies; largely hot and earthly colours against a warm ground. There's still another two of these studies unpublished here, will provide in an upcoming post. The works here that appear starkly different ie monochromatic were mainly created around another trip to America and Europe over a portion of this last winter (our Summer) the two works with ink and pen on paper definitely profited from being in an environment where it was conducive to stay indoors for long periods of time; some strong romantic inspiration was reason to create them as illustrations to poems l was writing then at the same time; check out some of the earlier posts this year from the readpalm blog inserted above. Enjoy and please feel free to leave some feedback here if you like. More output well on it's way.  

Jim Shirlaw

End of one series, beginning of another (almost)

works in progress (home studio 2012)

The near completion of a new landscape series is imminent, which l think presents some important developments from previous work using similar mediums. Certainly the latest works have better structure to them (to all be better presented here soon upon completion) mainly thanks to integrating bold pencil use in the forms to ground them against the bright colour use; in this series, to describe the Australian outback. These new works signify the end of a series l don't have a whole lot of conceptual use for but are good to have done after being inspired by a trip to the red center last year.

Next up is a far more important series; my new Interiors/Exteriors (working title) series; investigating space indoors and outdoors, man-made vs nature, a sense of competitiveness; not sure at this time. They'll be a lot of liberty in the detail given to 'Interior' works that are less subject to nature and have been purposely arranged to retain this composition for a period of time, thus providing the amount of time to sit night after night under artificial light and carefully render these objects with selected detail in a virtually undisturbed environment, plenty of still-life involved here. New works belonging to the 'Exteriors' division, being far more exposed to the elements and subject to nature's daily cycle (even just in terms of light) will be much more fleeting, gestural and likely sketched as a foundation on paper for a final work or derived from brief studies made on the go. 

Since being back home from overseas (new home/new studio) i've endeavored with my new found time to properly kick off some new directions with painting that i've been plotting for the last twelve months. These works tie in with the Interiors/Exteriors focus for the next little while, that whilst in a completely different style to their bright red acrylic/pastel cousins tie into the same movement at the moment to explore an abundance about nature with the Exteriors and then a restrained, governed man-made environment with the Interiors.

Structually these new works are going to be made on wood panel and will involve heavy translucent oil-based layering off set by areas of relief sculpting.. The boards are primed, more soon!

Jim S