Stephen Charlton
Vibrant, colour saturated landscapes and botanicals have become synonymous with my bright work. They are cheerful depictions of my everyday surroundings that bring me joy to study and paint.
The bold colour being representative of how I observe the world around me. The longer I look the brighter colours become. However, there is a change afoot as I feel my work has more to offer.
An untapped richness of layering and texture has been waiting in the wings and it’s time to let it shine.
The ABC’s of a Playful Practice
A is for Acrylic
Acrylic paint is at the cornerstone of my practice. When used generously, it’s malleable qualities lend themselves beautifully to creating rich paintings. Each layer of paint helps build a history of information. It’s within these layers and how to reveal them that my current curiosity lies.
B is for Bright
Exploring the notion of bright, beyond its association with colour. With a shift toward richer colour pallets, how does the concept of bright now touch other aspects of my practice? I’m currently investigating bright as both a state of mind and a tool for creating value contrast in a painting.
C is for Conversation
Between the paint layers and value contrasts in a painting there is the question of conversation. Where is the right place to shout about an idea and once you’ve got your viewers attention how do you tell them where to look? The answer lies in how the story is told. The relative strengths and subtleties of these painted conversations are proving fascinating to me and I’m taking a deeper dive into how they work.