I watched episode 1 of the recent series by Brian Cox and was simultaneously enthralled, challenged and perplexed by his explanation of the origins of the universe. To be fair, having struggled to achieve grade 4 at 'O' level in Science, I didn't expect to be fully conversant with particle physics and quantum mechanics. I could more or less accommodate the critical role of gravitational force in the formation of galaxies and planetary systems; the notion of material colliding and collapsing in on itself seemed theoretically plausible, but I had difficulty in connecting this knowledge with the physical reality of Earth, forests, grasslands, sky and seas. The fundamental chemical structure of matter at the heart of everything we can apprehend with our senses reduces us to mere flotsam and jetsam in the flow of time.
Trees and forests have been the focus of my painting for a while now, and I think I'm beginning to understand why. Trees were the first plants to invade the land about 430 million years ago in the Silurian Period (so I am informed) before vertebrates invaded the land. The other day, taking a short break on a long bike ride, I sat on a bench opposite a beautiful horse chestnut tree in the village of Little Downham.
It wasn't special in any obvious sense of the word, it looked like all the other trees of its type, but momentarily I was transfixed. As I continued to look at this object, anchored in the ground, the twisting shapes of the trunk, the branches subdividing, and a myriad of leaves in Autumn free fall, I registered the idea of a tree as if for the first time. A beautiful elegant structure, yet simultaneously a collection of chemicals and atomic particles, arranged in a configuration we have labelled tree. I question the arrogance and myopia that allow us to imagine that we alone are sentient and the sole proprietors of conscious thought. Just like us, trees are trapped in a finite allocation of time; unlike many of our species, this particular tree was the embodiment of dignity, purpose and silent resolve.
This large-scale work based on Thetford Forest remains unfinished at the time of writing. It has already followed a meandering pathway through various 20th-century painting styles. You will see elements of Impression and maybe even a suggestion of Seurat's pointillism, but I feel that the work of Boccioni, a member of the Italian Futurist group is currently the strongest influence. Uppermost in my mind has been the creation of a sense of movement and flickering light, with forms dissolving and reforming. I have experimented with a range of techniques which include blurring, repetition, and the use of lines of force. The panoramic composition also encourages the eye to move across the picture plane from side to side.
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