Here’s a painting I’m currently working on. Plaster and watercolour on panel; a kind of bastardised fresco. No great theme, no attempt to proselytise, no comment on society…
space, line, colour and composition… pictorial problem solving in the form of a self portrait.
Pint of Guinness at The Fiddler’s Elbow, Santa Maria Novella in the background, Watercolour on Paper (2023)
During my MA studies at Gray’s school of art (2019-21) I was fortunate to be awarded a John Kinross scholarship by the Royal Scottish Academy, enabling me to study in Florence. I undertook the scholarship in October 2022, and have added a selection of works relating to the scholaship to the website at this page: https://mattwells.art.blog/florence/
30 x 25cm, acrylic on canvas
My small canvas studies base on the monochrome illustrations in Cesar Ripa’s iconologia continue. These are learning aids in a way, embedding postures, fabric folds and symbolic elements in my muscle memory to enhance my improvised drawings.
Allegory of Fidelity, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 25cm.
the main composition is borrowed from the moral emblem in Ripa’s Iconologia.
Allegory of The Beginning, acrylic on canvas 30 x 25cm
main pose of the figure and symbolic element of the letter and small man in the creators hand borrowed from the Iconologia.
Occasionally I make collagey mixed-media works for fun. A way to explore interesting compositions and distortions outside of real world restrictions of perspective and proportion.
They also frequently allow a free exploration of a sort of grotesque as a result of the jarring combination of different scaled elements.
I have added some of these collages to my eBay shop: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394355872772
During my MA studies (Grays School of Art, 2019-2021) I was fortunate to receive a an award from the Royal Scottish Academy to spend time studying in Florence.
I took the opportunity to visit this autumn, and was in my element visiting chapels particularly to investigate the fresco’s of Giotto, Daddi, Gaddi, Masaccio and their workshops. Opened up a way forward to develop my methods of narrative drawing.
A highlight for me was the Palazzo Vecchio, which I visited a couple of times to admire the murals.
I will of course add some photos of my time there, and the outcomes, but for now here are so images of my journey from Elgin to Florence: Train from Elgin to Aberdeen- Bus from Aberdeen to Edinburgh bus station- arrive around 1am- start walking from Edinburgh bus station towards the airport- walk past Haymarket and Murrayfield- walk a few miles and give to wait for a bus, sweating through my hoodie and jacket- bus to airport, try to doze sitting against wall- early flight, self conscious about sweaty ness from big walk, fly to London, couple hours wait, eat a burger- fly to Florence, even more self conscious of sweaty stinkiness and regretting not just getting a bus to Edinburgh airport in the first place- arrive in Florence, tired but happy.
For years I have periodically painted still life paintings of skulls. Sometimes these have taken a vanitas approach incorporating incorporating other symbolic elements (flowers/coins/ objects) to suggest a narrative or deeper meaning to the viewer.
More frequently they are something of a portrait of the skull where it is the sole or primary aspect of the composition .
In addition to attempting to develop a striking image, these paintings function as a form of painting practice, where I try to develop aspects of my skill and techniques.
Below are some recent examples:
An ongoing work in oil and collage on panel
I’m pleased to announce that I am one of the recipients of this years Royal Scottish Academy ‘John Kinross Scholarship’.
This enables me a grant to study in Florence for a period up to 12 weeks. I intend to visit next summer, primarily to study frescoes, any Caravaggio I can lay my beady eye on and, hopefully, old master drawings- drawing being very much at the root of my practice.
November also saw the presentation of the Gray’s Postgraduate showcase “Onwards” at the Look Again project space in Aberdeen.
For this curated presentation of the MA course, the work of mine selected was the triptych. “An Amicable Separation”, gouache, watercolour, acrylic .
Matt Wells Art 