Paul Williams - Hawkesbury by Day & Night
HAWKESBURY BY DAY & NIGHT
For me art making is great fun. It is also an imperative force and unavoidable, and I feel thankful I may never be bored for the rest of my life. On a journey into the obscure reaches of human experience, artmaking provides an opportunity to explore the boundless possibilities that Nature or the human figure can offer.
I work from my attic studio in Mosman, Sydney, a haven of peace from the follies of modern life. Nearby are the beaches, bays and bushlands of Middle Harbour and Balmoral, a magnet for artists.
Hawkesbury by Day and Night is a personal document expressing my feelings for the great river and its majestic bridges. My first impression was formed as a five year in a steam train looking down on a green world with tiny boats far below.
I believe that the expression of powerful feelings which defy words is the challenge for the artist.
I use mainly acrylics and mixed media on canvas, building up textures with layers and glazes in the search for an elusive truth. In the process I am alert to accidental marks and passages which may play an important role on the way to a resolution. There comes a point where the painting “speaks back to me” and I am thrilled at the prospect of something unexpected and beautiful happening.
In my painting practice, key factors are a sense of spontaneity, urgency and the unpredictable. And it helps to cultivate a careless and adventurous attitude particularly as the painting progresses. There is a constant need to make decisions on how to instil more excitement in a work. When my work is going well, I feel a sense of joyful anticipation at the prospect of its resolution.
When people see my creations, I hope they gain novel insights into the subject and perhaps get a sense of the intense happiness and struggle I felt while painting them.