Reclaiming the Landscape

Original oil painting on board,
30 x 50 cms, 12 x 20 inches
Signed and dated on reverse
Unframed, but ready to hang

This is the first painting in the series, and I thought of it when I was researching the geometric drawings of Barbara Hepworth for a student. I have always liked Hepworth's sculptures because of the smooth organic shapes, but in all honesty never looked at her drawings in depth, until one of my students wanted to draw some. As I was studying her drawings, I realised how the geometry within them became organic and flowed and created its own forms.

For many years I studied the geometry within nature and the order that comes from what appears to be chaotic. Hepworth's drawings reminded me of this research I had done. It is all these elements that made me start thinking about geometry within nature and how humanity attempts to impose order upon the landscape around them. Whilst at university I was fascinated with the idea that the majority of the British landscape has been sculpted and created by the population. What appears natural and wild on first glance isn't, such as equidistantly planted trees, the majority of our landscape has been sculpted by man.

Hepworth's drawings also reminded me of electricity pylons. When I walk across the Sussex fields, I like to see the majestic pylons striding through the landscape. I don't overly find them an eyesore like most people, the geometric shapes and patterns that repeat as part of their structure I find fascinating. If you take the time to look at them, or even photograph them like me, you will find that there are many different types. These huge structures need regular maintenance, because often the grass and weeds around them are overgrown around the base because the farmer can't get that close to them to mow it. Yet, there are never any brambles or ivy climbing them, just one season without maintenance and the plants would begin to climb the pylon’s legs.

It was these thoughts that led me to create this painting; I chose a wildflower called columbine that is quite abundant in the countryside, to become imposing in comparison to the pylons. This painting is completely imaginary, and the flowers are far too small to pose any real threat, they are a metaphor for nature and the size of them merely a matter of perspective.