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John Hicks ArtistLecturer

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Christmas Card Oil on unstretched canvas	N''s Diet Chart (2) Oil and Graphite on Canvas	Birthday Card Oil on unstretched canvas

This series led to my current work. To return, click here.

My last painting, The Flagstone Path (3)  just didn't work; the simple, direct upper section too strong for the contrived patterns of the rest. Tried to repaint it, finally cut it away to leave Sunlit Garden Wall. This marked a break my practice that has lasted three months. Quite enjoyed all the research that didn't lead to painting, like Celtic stones and Ogham script in the British Museum to an exhibition of cat paintings by Louis Wain at Wandsworth Library.

It was only a week or so ago that the penny dropped. Working on my Christmas card, a still life in oil on canvas featuring a cheap, nasty card. As it took shape (click on Christmas Card, above), realised this was was more than  a bit of fun - the traditional medium of oil paint on canvas was transforming this ordinary subject into something sinister (thanks to Louis Wain). It's now obvious to me that my study of  text and language at Goldsmiths' College in 1997 is now resurfacing. I'd been ignoring the one subject that really interested me because it wasn't what I "should" paint.

These paintings are all from existing graphic subjects - N's Diet Chart(2) from her hand-drawn calorie calendar on that strangely luminous copy paper that seems to flash with violet. The neater the subject the more it seems to demand freely cut canvas, finger painting and visible drawing. As they are painted right up to the fraying edge, they are too frail to hang unglazed, will have to be displayed in a shallow glass-fronted box like a museum textile. Presentation of my curent work is still critical, the structure of the canvas predominates everything, any attempt to conceal its edges weakens it.
 
 

Comments or questions regarding this site? johnd.hicks@virgin.net

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