“Picture Narratives and Figure-scapes.”

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Shoulder Perch (80cm x 130)

Shoulder Perch (80cm x 130)

My works involve scrutinising and digging through surfaces, delving through my thoughts and their roots and thus stirring up images. What I depict is highly personal and my imagery is accessed from many sources, both from within and around me. I work towards creating an overall harmony within my paintings, collages and mixed media and do not have any entirely preconceived ideas for my pieces, but allow them to evolve. An example of this evolution is illustrated in a series of found object (objet trouvé) face and figure assemblages I created. Images of these constructions, plus narratives, appear on my Mixed Media 3 page and in my Speak Eezy blog, titled “Marching To The Beat Of Your Own Drum” and “I Like Me … I Like You.” I have also created mirror frames, using recycled materials.

Much of my work is representative of human communication and my depictions largely incorporate the female form. My stimulus mostly comprises various aspects of womanhood, represented singly and interacting with others. I portray maternity and motherhood in terms of universal nurturing. My work frequently depicts bounteously pregnant women, as an expression of life energy. My images of women symbolise a connectedness, incorporating inclusiveness and tenderness. The subject of womankind flows from me and has become a recurring theme for my work.

I am inspired by generous womanly contours and tend to simplify the curved female shape into softly-rounded forms, seeking rhythmic lines within these female figure-scapes. My imagery frequently includes angels and various animals, reptiles and birds, as symbols of nature and freedom. I instinctively work towards connecting and linking elements of colour and line into an overall unity, the varied and distinct parts comprising a whole.

Incorporating and embracing elements that evolve, yields spontaneity. I might salvage an entirely unplanned area, or fragments of colour which emerge whilst over-painting. Embracing these unexpected elements may heighten an image, adding subtlety, or depth. Certain limitations may aid and sharpen my creativity in seeking alternatives, experimenting with limited palettes and searching out alternate routes. I might alter an image in order to “tighten” it up, perhaps rendering it bolder, shaping a piece into a more concentrated form, conjuring up chance-elements within the changing picture surface e.g. an area of paint left glimmering through, or an interesting texture which may then consciously become incorporated into a work in progress. Utilising these unexpected gifts and collaborating with chance, is stimulating … weaving the planned together with the unplanned.

I am inspired by collage, combining a myriad of juxtaposed facets, building up the imagery, areas of darks, lights, Shirley Mc Danieltextures, colour and/or patterned surfaces. I overlap elements, creating a cohesive whole from many-layered, or superimposed fragments. My work is largely a blending of various distinct parts, combining and arranging elements into an integrated whole.

Thank you for visiting my website.

Shirley Mc Daniel