Evaluation Drawing - Module FA4001

This module has been a very insightful on occasion a painful journey of acceptance. I have struggled with the concept of drawing to develop my ideas, as in my head I had an image of detailed figurative pencil drawings which is not my thing at all, I have learnt differently and really almost anything goes! What drawing has done is make me look at my surroundings more closely, actually think about what Im seeing as well as developing ideas that are just in my head. I have especially enjoyed working on a larger scale and experimenting with mark making as seen in my ink drawings and wall art, inspired by
Jackson Pollocks action paintings and playing with imagery in my Urban project.

Ink splatter I

Transition through a tunnel

Negative spaces

Its interesting to play with your perception of what you actually see, its not always about physical objects as seen in my drawing of negative space.

My world of drawing has been opened thanks to the perseverance of MS who has encouraged me to broaden my approach with 'Wall Art' and to think about setting small challenges for myself. This has definately helped me break the mental block I had come up against. Artists such as Fiona Robinson, Discords II a Jerwood prize, shortlist, Anthony Gormley, Sol Lewitt and Richard Wright all looked at lines using buildings or walls to exhibit, they alll had extremely different styles but from them my ideas culminated. Development of my 'Horizon' series led me to draw an 8m long horizon down the public corridor in the Art School, for me that was not just about the illusion of the horizon viewed from different angles but it was about the social aspect of working and getting people involved in talking about my work as they walked past.

MDF drawings

8m long Horizon

Terrington Fen

Working Pleine Air in the Fens was liberating, quick fibre pen and pastel sketches of the flat landscape, recording the landscape ready for the studio.I love working outside, I think your brain not only captures what you see but somehow captures the atmosphere more accurately. Fred Ingrams a Fen artist works solely pleine air captures the essence of the Fens fantastically through clean lines and blocks of vibrant colour. 

Terrington Marsh & Onion Field

Photography has also played a major role in my investigation and recording of work, developing into drawings on MDF experimenting with imagery for the final piece.

Fen Horizon II

Fen Horizon I

Investigation and development of my ideas for presenting my ceramic installation, superimposing a photographic image over my Fen drawings, this was a completely new technique which is really effective and I shall definitely be developing this further.

It has been quite a journey for me on this drawing module, I have definitely grown as an artist and now after several months of experimenting have allowed myself to 'get it'. I think my major major mental block is that it had to be part of a process, but infact Ive learnt its all about investigation, developing ideas and recording these, it just so happens that in this courses context this activity is classified as 'drawing'.

I feel the world of drawing is at last really opening up for me, I just need to be open myself and allow the process side of things take a backseat.

Source:

http://www.fionarobinson.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/discords-ii.jpg

http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/lewitt-wall-drawing-1136-ar00165/image-292687

http://www.antonygormley.com/drawing/series

http://www.contemporaryartdaily.com/2014/09/richard-wright-at-the-modern-institute/

http://www.webexhibits.org/colorart/abstract-expressionism.html

http://jacksonpollock.org

http://www.fredingrams.com

Final Evaluation of FA4003 - 3 Projects

The past 5 months has been a double edged sword. Exciting, creative, emotional, inspiring and informative. This series of projects have coincided with my fathers illness and subsequent death, this work reflects my personal journey during this time. 

I have worked hard to develop and shape my personal style as an artist, taking the opportunity to experiment and explore through research, reading critiques and observing contemporary and historical art . I chose to focus on two media in particular, painting and ceramics. 

Project 1 - The Fens

The Fens
120x90cm
Acrylic & mixed media

120 x 90cm canvas. Mixed medium, acrylic paint and Fen soil. Dominated by a pale windswept sky, titanium white, ultramarine, cyan and cobalt blue on a red oxide ground. A narrow band of starkly contrasting black/ brown landscape, a dominant, hard edged horizon, paint mixed with authentic black Fen soil.
Recording the Fens magnificence through photographic images, pleine air sketches and personal memories, I developed my ideas, painting acrylic onto MDF and produced a small series of paintings, testing composition, before approaching my canvas (self constructed,a first and very satisfying). Researching local contemporary Fen artist Fred Ingrams, I was inspired by his bright blocks of colour as landscape and bleak skies. Following a visit to see Anselm Keiffers work at the Royal Academy, London, his use of wood and ash on his paintings gave me the idea to use black, Fen soil on my final piece, something I had never done before. Building on feedback from tutorials and fellow students critical discussions, I was able to look at how I could add to the impact and understand the audiences viewpoint. Recommendations and guidance to investigate artists such as Friedrich and Virtue among others was invaluable, certainly broadening my understanding and expansion of ideas and what is possible. Had I had more time I would have experimented with cloud formations and skies, I did however read about them and used this knowledge in my final piece. 
Im very happy with 'The Fens', the horizon line is very blunt and harsh, it reflects how I was feeling at the time of painting it, my father was dying.The proportion of land to sky worked well, it is all about the expansive sky, space and infinity. I particularly like the textural impact made by the Fen soil, the black, flat landscape contrasting starkly with the movement created by the painterly sky. This experience has opened the door for me to further develop my ideas to work on the large expansive skies of Norfolk.  I am going to develop my ideas further by using the coastline of North Norfolk, massive sandy beaches and expansive skies.

Project 2 - Floating Horizon

Floating Horizon
200x50cm
Acylic

200 x 50cm canvas. Acrylic on canvas. This project immediately followed my fathers death, I returned to the studio feeling very calm and serene. Floating Horizon, I feel reflects the emotional state I found myself in, I stripped out my usual painterly approach, this painting needed to be calm and still. I was striving for impactful and emotive.
Having researched the abstract expressionists from the 1950's, I like Rothkos ability to create atmosphere, movement and depth to his paintings, evoking emotional responses. This I witnessed first hand, when I visited the Seagram Murals at the Tate Modern, London. Barnett Newmans simplicity of his 'zip' paintings and the impact of painting a single line. James Turrell and Andy McCall, although light artists, sculpted lines of light and created illusions of infinity and space, collectively all these artists captured elements of what I was looking for in my Horizon. Primary research with sketches on MDF, experimenting with paint application (drips, layering & bleeding) for my Horizon lines. Drawing an 8m Horizon the length of the corridor enabled me to play with the illusionary elements of the width of lines. 
Building on feedback from tutorials and fellow students critical discussions, I played with colour and learnt about floating my turquoise mark of the horizon, not taking it to the edges of the canvas allowing it to float and not be framed or contained.I experimented for the first time with applying the paint with a roller to avoid brush stokes, but found I had to work very quickly to get the layering effect I was after.Working with my canvas on the floor, much like Pollock and Motherwell did, I was aware of the health and safety aspect of being a major tripping hazard in the already crowded studio, so I chose to paint when the studio was empty, it was also peaceful. Had I had more time, I would have experimented with the layering of the paint, thinning it with glaze to develop etherial movement in addition to greater experimentation with the horizon lines to see what other illusionary impacts I could achieve with width and colour. I'm happy with the final result. I think the proportion of the painting works, the 200 x 50cm shape of the canvas supports the visual impact of infinity and space. The dark colour combination gives the tonal values I was looking for and the horizon lines with their chosen colours and changing depths of line create perspective. I definitely want to develop this approach further, I want to thin the paint (like Rothko) and apply multiple layers to develop a greater depth and movement. Working with different colour combinations and fine tuning application of paint for the Horizon line which I believe will enhance the final impact - exciting!


Project 3 - Horizon in Suspension

Horizon in suspension
55 x 10cm
Ceramic

My father was a studio potter and famous for his 'cracked pot' technique, I wanted to bring this into Project 3. Having very minimal exposure to working with clay this was going to be a steep learning curve but I needed to do this out of respect. His work was inspired by nature and the earth, much like my own, so I incorporated the first 2 projects concepts of landscape, earth, space and horizon into my final ceramic piece.
A 55 x 10cm slab of clay, the surface of which was cracked,representing dry soil and earth, the edges torn to give an organic natural edge with the signature turquoise horizon line running through the centre. An invisible wood mounting designed to fix to the wall, allowing the ceramic piece to appear suspended and float. To expand my thinking and visualisation of installation, I photographed the ceramic piece and superimposed this onto photographs of the Fens, this triggered ideas to visit the Fens with the ceramic piece and actually photograph it in situ.
In addition to the knowledge imparted to me from my father I researched potters that focussed on nature and organic approaches to their work. I really liked the natural, earthy physicality that Annie Turner, a river potter from Suffolk produced and Tjerk van der Veens expressive earth like sculptures displaying geological imagery, echoing the dynamics of the earth… this is what Im striving for.
Primary research involved learning multiple new techniques, I have a huge, new found respect for ceramicists,  a science which has an unimaginable number of complex process', you truly never know what the final piece is going to look like until it comes out of the final glaze firing - a minefield for the unwitting.
Multiple test crank slabs were crafted, rollers, blow torches, batons, crafting tools and slips followed by bisque firing. Choosing the right glazes, MS glaze to represent the cracked earth and a turquoise glaze for the horizon line, then refire in the electric kiln. Care from a health and safety aspect with the toxic oxide glazes was taken, wearing gloves, not splashing the immediate environment and washing hands carefully.Guidance and tutoring from staff was invaluable, types of glazes, how to apply them effectively and firing techniques,there were so many elements to learn and remember. It was also interesting to talk to other students about their experiences as well as frustrations and learn! I found the glazing most challenging, applying the right layering, avoiding bubbles and marks.
Had I had more time I would have repeated the process of glazing again to achieve a more vibrant turquoise and the MS glaze needed to be thinner to show greater tonal qualities with gold dripped into the cracks. I think the proportions of the final piece works well, I was restricted on size by the size of the kiln for firing so I couldn't make anything larger.The surface worked well with the textured cracking and the uneven edge, I would like to develop this further but need to allow a lot more time for each step of the process. I put myself under a lot of pressure to create this piece, it was my first time working and learning all the processes, a lot to absorb plus I had in my mind exactly what it needed to look like, unrealistic expectations for a beginner! I want to develop what I have learnt and use the ceramic medium to explore installation ideas next year.

I have started thinking about the future, the 'what, how and why' of translating my learnings and practice into a career. I have mapped out a 5 year 'vision' for myself, identifying what I want to see myself doing in 5 years time and then backcasting a high level plan to help me achieve it. I have spent time visiting Gallery owners, discussing what they look for in a new artist, how to approach them with a view to getting on their books, and how the industry works in general, all important research and food for thought. I have also met with some professional artists to get the 'reality' of an artists life which has been useful. Wanting to learn more skills, I have been successful in receiving  a bursary from the Bristol Decorative & Fine Arts Society, which enables me to spend 3 days stone carving with Kate Semple, west country sculptor over the summer. 

Want to create a Jackson Pollock, look this way…

Telecomunications
Sally Coulden

I absolutely love Jackson Pollocks work, the free 'active painting', splurges, splatters and randomness. Well now is your chance to have a go yourself, follow this link and make your own drawing !!! Just start moving your mouse on the screen.
jacksonpollock.org

Neurones I
Sally Coylden

Flight path of a fly
Sally Coulden

Evaluation - Horizon in Suspension

Horizon in Suspension

This project can only be described for me as a roller coaster of emotion and energy, a massive step in my learning. I had been naive about the sheer work involved in working with ceramic. For the uninitiated, it is a complex web of process and a minefield of challenges. I certainly under estimated the time and energy this would take out of me. In hindsight I made far too many testers, approximately 25 of them. I wanted to research all possibilities with shape and glaze combinations. A great learning is don't try that many!!! Keep it simple and focus early in the process keep the process tight. I hadn't appreciated how temperamental glazes would be, a critical success factor for me was to emulate dads turquoise glaze as the horizon and get the cracking technique right. Im happy with the cracking, my masterclass with dad before xmas reaped its rewards. Referencing his secret recipe book of glazes we matched the components. Application is not easy, getting a smooth, even coating, not too thick, not too thin, no drips, no bubbles … I could go on I think you get the picture!

Tjerk van der Veens

Annie Turner

I researched other potters that focussed on organic approaches to their work, I really liked the natural, earthy physicality that Annie Turner, a river potter from Suffolk produces and Tjerk van der Veens expressive earth like sculptures displaying geological imagery, echoing the dynamics of the earth, this is what Im striving for.

Tjerk van der Veens 

When disappointment hits, (the glaze didn't work as I had it in my head) you think the world is about to end.. Im not normally dramatic but thats how it felt. It took me a few minutes to get my head around this perceived failure to realise it was presenting me with a gateway to take this work in a completely different direction - into the world of graphic art. I came to the realisation that just because its a project that needs a conclusion the final piece on this journey doesn't have to be perfect and infact its still work in progress, thats OK! I had to say it feels a bit of a relief.
A different direction into graphic imagery was where I went, photographing my ceramic and overlaying it onto photos I had taken in the Fens, My project had closed the 
loop on all three projects, I would like to say that was planned but it was serendipity.

This process of drawing the Fens pushed me through and  inspired me to work out how I was going to mount my ceramic horizon and suspend it. Originally I was going to hang it from the ceiling but I felt the string (organic in nature) was going to be a distraction from the piece itself, the Horizon needed to float and not be contaminated by other visuals. After discussion with a fellow artist I have constructed a wooden baton to fix to the wall (invisible for the viewer), Horizon in Suspension floats in the air just as I had imaged in the master plan.

 A personal journey that has taught me a huge amount about myself, I set out to create an installation that holds the viewer, simple, organic, infinite yet beautiful, I believe I have achieved it.

Check out Richard Long's muddy painting !

Bristol born sculptor and well known British Land Artist. A winner of the Turner prize,his focus primarily engages with landscape, investigating and experience within nature. As still at student at St Martins he famously created a single track in a field by walking the same route over and over. This piece in the video clip below - called The Avon -  Richard can be followed painting - applying Avon mud in a very liquid state by hand to create a spectacular installation at the M Shed, Bristol - check out this clip which takes you through the process of how he created it.

The River Avon mud circle. Arnolfini, Bristol (2011)

What I love about Richards work is the perceived simplicity of his work, it draws on nature and what is around us naturally and makes very simple but poignant statements. His work tends to be expansive -he looks for impact. I relate to the energy he uses and his mark making is something I plan to explore more widely next term. He for me is more painterly than Andy Goldsworthy which appeals to me.

Time and Space is a new exhibition planned for July 2015 at the Arnolfini in Bristol. Here Long will look at the environment where he grew up, his walks and sketchbooks, his personal relationship to this place and its materials. 


Source:
https://www.youtube.com3
http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/richard-long-time-and-space
http://www.richardlong.org/
http://www.richardlong.org/Exhibitions/exhibition11.html

Annie Turner - River Potter (born 1952)

Annie Turner

Martello Tower

Annie Turner is a British ceramic artist from Suffolk, whose art is very closely linked with the River Deben and it's surrounding environment where she grew up. Her sculptures are delicate and fragile and have taken years to develop the techniques required to deliver this organic finish. The pieces have a quality of strength that suggests movement of currents and the tides of the sea. She works with the cycles of nature and describes them as objects that trigger the memory. She currently teaches at Wimbledon School of Art.

Sea Breeze

Inspiration:
I feel we have things in common regarding wanting to reflect the environment where we grew up. Annie has focussed on the River Deben where I look to the Fens and the North Norfolk magnificent skies and sense of space. We both have drawn on nature and its surroundings to recreate our translation for the viewer. Her use of organic earth colours - I get her work.

Reference:
1. Ceramic review 272. March/ April 2015
2. http://www.vanguardcourt.org/community/artists/ceramics/annie-turner/

Dennis Coulden - Potter & Sculptor (1932 - 2015)

Dennis Coulden

An English studio potter who discovered ceramics later in life. Having spent his career in the Brewing industry he resigned and went to study ceramics in Norfolk. Inspired by nature he developed the 'cracked pot' technique and hand built bowls and vessels. After much experimentation with glazes he was known for his turquoise glaze. Many people have collected his work over the years and he exhibited across Europe with great success.

Norfolk studio

'Inspiration for my work comes from the natural beauty of the West Norfolk countryside'

                                                                   Dennis Coulden

A selection of his work

Pieces are fired to stoneware and are a mixture of slab built, press moulded and thrown forms. He worked from his studio in Norfolk where he held masterclasses with students wanting to learn his techniques.

Norfolk studio

Inspiration:

Dad has been extremely influential in supporting my ambition to become an artist. He taught me his cracked pot technique and Im very slowly trying to master it. I most admire him for his patience and attention to detail, which is something I have to admit doesn't come naturally to me :O) I have dedicated my projects this term to him, using his turquoise as the key element in my Horizon paintings and for project III I have made an attempt at the ceramic cracked approach with a poignant turquoise horizon running through it. More work required but I have made a start!

Reference:
http://issuu.com/anglianpotters/docs/2011springweb
http://www.heathergrahampotter.com/diversity.htm

Floating Ceramic Horizon

Ceramic overlay
Two works better than one

Two ceramic pieces overlaid to construct the horizon. The ceramic was photographed and cut with photoshop to accentuate the cracked edges then overlaid onto photographs taken in the field whilst researching the Fens.

I have to say once I recovered from my initial disappointment of the glaze I really enjoyed the challenge of learning Photoshop and taking this project in a completely different direction. I really like the graphic imagery, although this has had to be executed pretty quickly because of time constraints its definitely something Im going to explore further an play with. Thanks Abby to pointing me in this direction :O)

Blue

Drainage

The Phoenix …. the final stages of Project III

Cracked clay with horizon
55cm x 10cm

Im almost too exhausted to even type….. Im now in the final stages of project III. I have to say this is the most exhausting art creation I have EVER done! I had no idea how much emotional and physical energy was going to be required to create a 55cm x 10cm ceramic installation.Floating Horizons (x 4) in the kiln having been glazed and now fired. 



The doors of the kiln open and revealed…. a rather disappointing floating horizon, the glaze hadn't worked as well as the small testers. 



The all important turquoise glaze was dull, no vibrancy and the MS glaze which showed signs of being earth like and rustic came out dark and yes, dull. I was thrown into silent contemplation, I can't describe the disappointment I felt, yes I know firing is like russian roulette but this was important for me to get right, this was for dad, but its still OK, I can work with it.
Having laid out the final pieces on the table, I was comforted by lots of suggestions on how I could move this forward, I have to say there was just a lot of noise around me for several minutes but out of the fog came a complete change of direction - a genius suggestion from Abby Nichols, tutor and photographer extraordinaire - why not photograph the piece, maybe 2 and overlay the image onto a photo - a sort of virtual installation. Genius idea, just one problem I had no idea how to do it! Photoshop!! Ive never done it but how hard can it be …..

Mark Rothko - Abstract Expressionist (1903 - 1970)

Mark Rothko

An american painter of Russian, Jewish decent, he moved to the US aged 10 years with his family to escape the jewish persecution, the memories of which he harboured for the rest of his life and influenced his later works. After studying music, drama,literature, philosophy and mathematics at Yale he was also known for his radical political ideals. He took course at the Art Students League where he learned about cubism, modern classicism and the colour harmonies of Cezanne which was to have an influence on his future work. 

Descending the stairs (1938)

In the 1930's  his work was figurative 'The Subway Scene' (1938). He met Willem de Kooning, Adolf Gotlieb and Barnett Newman around this time and this is when he started to develop his style into the one we know today as abstract expressionism.The war gave Rothko's social and political agenda an urgency, with his contemporaries they worked to make conventional fine art painting seem irrelevant and consequently immoral.

Rothko turned to classical myths to find themes of sufficient magnitude and universality. He worked with Gottlieb to explore Greek tragedy but also the writings of Nietzsche and Jung, and the mechanisms of the unconscious mind. They also wrote a now famous letter to the New York Times : 'It is a widely accepted notion amount painters that it does not matter what one paints as long as it is well painted. This is the essence of academic art. There is no such thing as a good painting about nothing.'

No. 14 Emotion & Myth (1960)

Rothko also experimented with surrealism and its mechanisms of the unconscious mind.Clifford Still was a huge influence, rejecting all conventions of painting he taught Rothko at the Californian School of Arts in San Francisco. Rothkos work moved into colour abstraction and larger shapes and horizontal layering of forms by the late 1940's.
He was influenced by Matisse's 'Red Studio' with its large, flat, evenly washed expanse of red canvas.

No. 61 Rust & Blue (1953)

' I am not an abstractionist, I am not interested in the relationship of colour or form or anything else… Im interested only in expressing basic human emotions - tragedy, ecstasy, doom and so on…'

Rothko

Rothko began to distill his ideas, stripping his work down to naked statements of form and colour. At this time he stopped giving statements on his work and said simply "silence is so accurate". 

Seagram Murals

The Seagram Murals remain a controversial talking point when Rothko painted a set of murals for the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York and then withdrew them at the last minute and donated them to the tate Modern, London where they still remain as a permanent exhibition to this day. 

Rothko Chapel

The Chapel Murals was painted for a custom build chapel in Houston, Texas,  this was dark and deeply religious work. "The people who weep before my pictures are having the same religious experience I had when I painted them".Rothko.

His work became darker in his later years its suggested it was reflecting his inner depressive state, he committed suicide in 1970.

Influence on my work:
I have leant a lot from Rothko's work, having researched his life and works I have been able to gain a greater understanding of what lies behind these emotive paintings. He manages to translate his inner most emotions onto canvas, he doesn't really need words. Im striving in my Horizon series to capture this emotion following my fathers death and I feel that using Rothkos technique of applying colour in layers allows the painting to move and draw the viewer in. I was striving for a contemplative image which draws the viewer in to evoke emotion, I think I have succeeded but theres a lot more work to do to finesse my work. 

References:
Elkins, J. (2004) Pictures and Tears: A History of People Who Have Cried in Front of Paintings. 1st edn. United Kingdom: Routledge.
Fer, B., Rothko, M., Modern, T. and Borchardt-hume, A. (2008) Rothko: the late series. London: Tate Publishing.
Rothko: the late series. London: Tate Publishing.
Schama, S. (2006) Simon Schama’s Power of Art. London: BBC Books.
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/mark-rothko-1875
http://www.theartstory.org/artist-rothko-mark.htm
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2009/dec/12/mark-rothko-red-william-boyd

Barnett Newman - Abstract Expressionist (1905 - 1970)

Barnett Newman

American artist born in New York to Jewish, Polish immigrants. He studied philosophy in New York and in his early career he was a teacher, writer and critic. He used his writing skills to help promote his art work writing reviews of exhibitions and letters to the New York Times. His earlier work was surrealist in nature (1940's) but as he moved into the 1950's he stated to develop a more abstract approach with blocks of colour separated by thin vertical lines, Newmann called them his 'zips'. The 'zip' theme remained constant throughout his career and his canvas' grew in size (twenty eight feet by nine feet). He was part of the Abstract expressionist group in the 1950's, working with Rothko, Motherwell,Pollock, Still and Agnes Martin et al.

His later work became more vibrant, tending to use pure colours and he worked in acrylic in contrast to his earlier work in oils. The art critic Clement Greenberg was a great supporter of his work and wrote about him favourably in the journals. Newmann was overlooked as an artist during his life, the more vivacious and colourful Pollock tended to take the limelight, it was not until the end of his life that he began to be taken more seriously. 

Influence on my work:
I discovered Newmann whilst researching my Horizon work, I was looking to strip back my painting to flat colour and the image needed to speak for itself. His 'zip' paintings gave me the idea of how to do this, although I wanted more than one strip of colour as my horizon. His work, with its simplicity made me realise what I was after was possible. I built on his idea and developed my series of work. 

Reference:
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/barnett-newman-1699
http://www.theartstory.org/artist-newman-barnett.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GacKM9yxiw4
http://www.barnettnewman.org/chronology.php

James Turrell - Installation Artist - (born 1943)

' I make spaces that apprehend light for our perception, and in some ways gather it, or seem to hold it… my work is more about your seeing than it is about my seeing, although it is a product of my seeing.'

James Turrell

Turrell is an avid aviator and considers the sky as his studio, material and canvas. He trained as a perceptual psychologist which undoubtedly has informed his work. Interestingly I have noted that many of the contemporary light artists have also trained in mathematics, this must be related to the technicality of the work. In the late 60's he created his first light projections and then went onto participate in an Art and Technology program at the Los Angeles County Museum with artist Robert Irwin and psychologist Edward Wortz which investigated perceptual phenomena. Following his experimentation at the Mendota Hotel in Santa Monica where he sealed off windows to allow natural and artificial light to enter the darkened spaces in specific ways led to his series of work 'The Medoda Stoppages'. Most famous for his purchase and subsequent renovations of the Roden Crator, an extinct volcano in the Arizona Desert he's turning the crater into a massive naked eye observatory, designed specifically for the viewing of celestial phenomena, all his other work encloses the viewer in order to control their perception of light.

Skyspace

His work on 'Skyspaces' started in the 1970's and they involve an enclosed space open to the sky through a hole in the roof. The viewer sits inside to view the sky through the opening in the roof.There are now over 60 of these Skyspaces installed across the globe.

 His work with human perception is toyed with with his light tunnels and light projections which create shapes that appear to have mass and weight but they are purely created by light, his exhibitions play with the human senses.

Influence on my work:

Turrell I find incredible, I have been wrestling with this question about how to portray infinity and space in an image. He has been the first artist I discovered that for me captured the essence of what Im after. Although he is a light artist, I shall never be one of those, he has helped me think about how I can create illusion through my work, specifically currently through paint. How do I capture infinity on a canvas? My plan is to work and blend Turrells perceptual magic with that of the abstract expressionists, I need to experiment but he has certainly given me the ideas and creativity I need to take my work to the next step.

References:
http://jamesturrell.com
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/dec/15/james-turrell-retrospective-review-light-and-colour-reach-for-the-sublime
http://rodencrater.com/james
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Turrell
http://www.sculpture.org/documents/scmag02/nov02/turrell/turrell.shtml