円相

I am working on a large canvas for my own home. I have large white walls, which I like very much but a space looking through an archway begs out for a painting.

I want to keep the canvas light with just shades of grey and some metallic. I had initially thought about a mandala or Buddha's head but decided they may be too fussy for the space. In the end a zen enso seemed to fit the bill. Something medatative, 

When I have worked on this kind of thing before I have used either a Chinese calligraphy brush or one I have made from horse hair. Neither of which are available on Gozo . A pigeon sat on my studio window sill preening itself and throwing feathers all over the floor. Aha , just what I needed.

 ... not quite as flexible as horse hair but gives a nice stroke.

As in other mixed media works I have glued layers onto the canvas to give texture over a gesso base. 

However my circle was not a single brush stroke, like a true enso but many, applied over and over again. Dipping the feather in paint and making the sweeping stroke and repeat..... I worked like this for about an hour and a half without stopping. I could have gone on longer as I was 'in the zone' with my strokes but a couple came into the studio and wanted to chat ! The distraction was not a problem just part of the day. I'll work on it again another time.

After the storms last week I found some nice bits of drift wood. I spent a morning sawing to size and glueing together pieces to make something large enough to work on. Using ideas and sketches from my note book I I got cracking this morning laying foundations.

An interesting bit of drift wood with a padlock still hanging on lends itself to something decorative.

Some gessoed fish waiting for the colour to be applied.