15 May Martine Wright Diptych finished
I have now finished the companion piece for the Martine Diptych. It has been quite a challenge, but I think I am there.
The landscape painting I had originally planned did not work at all, I ended up painting a whole scene of the entire team, net and all and it was very strange, it didn’t work with the Portrait, it was too detailed, too figurative and a bit static.
I had a re-think about what would complement the portrait and had already got an alternative canvas ready (un-primed), slightly narrower version as the portrait but the same height.
I have ended up making quite an abstract rendering of Martine’s powerful serve, using the same colours as the portrait but using thick swooping movements in oil as a celebration. I have linked both pieces using the ball as a motif and I have applied 23.5ct gold leaf to the ball, substituting the yellow. I think the sparsity of the bare canvas as a complimentary colour to the blue painting works and it is almost as if the paint I have scraped off the portrait has been applied to this, this was by accident, but it looks intentional.
The gold leaf is a celebratory element and a way for me to say to Martine go for gold!! I have also applied a very small slither to her hair in the portrait which catches the light.
I deliver the work to Clifford Chance on 9th June, I am hoping the thick oil paint will dry to touch in time for the framers on 26th May (both pieces are having a white tray frame and will hang together side by side).
CC Private View is on June 21st. There will be remarks by The deputy Speaker of the House MP Nigel Evans. CC also have 4 other MPs attending (from all the major parties). I am really looking forward to Martine and Nick seeing the work displayed on 21st and hope it has the celebratory element I wanted to achieve to represent this amazing woman, who in my book, is just about as inspirational as they come!
I will post photos from the PV after 21st, so don’t forget to subscribe to my blog (see left-hand side of main blog listings page) to get the update.
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