Evolution of a Painting #4
Head of a Priest (2025) I Oil and Mixed Media on Linen
A painting I began in 2023, intermittently working on in 24 then finishing and selling in 2025.
It was really my first decent attempt at conveying a sense of depth, memory and transience that would form my rationale behind ‘The Visitors’ series.
2023
I had a spare bit of linen kicking around and it was a good starting point to paint a head study. Linen is such a beautiful, smooth and taut surface to paint on, exquisite really.
I’ve always been fascinated by the Dutch masters particularly Franz Hals who I was privileged enough to see at the National Gallery in late 2023. Hals, like Rembrandt and others, has this great sense of the sitter emerging out of their background. Now, I’m no master but I thought it a worthwhile exercise in attempting my own version but with a DJ twist.
Having prepped the 76 x 86cm canvas in April 23, I started with some earth colours as a base layer before drawing the head. After a darker umber ‘scumble’ was applied, I worked a rag into the surface, removing areas of mid and light tones.
Throughout May to October 23, I’d do intermittent bursts of activity not entirely convinced by the colours I was applying or where I intended to go with it.
Painting portraiture doesn’t come naturally to me as it does with others and I’m always a little confused about which direction I should settle into - realistic flesh tones or alternative palettes of violet and blues? Anyway, I added in florals, my ubiquitous notations and attempted to add texture and depth into it.
2025
Into mid 2025 and I’d added in areas of baby blue spray paint and stencilled in graphical elements. It certainly felt more liberating. I also like a painting to have surface, areas of visual intrigue - this harks back to my textile days and the notion of texture and manipulation, hence the spray drips.
It’s important, especially on linen and its beautifully fine weft and warp, to leave some of the texture of the fabric exposed. Above, you can see that I haven’t went full pelt applying thick paint. On the contrary, I kept the paint layer thin (though this is more likely due to my inherent caution and embryonic skill).
I was still unconvinced of its direction though I did want it to feel spectral, otherworldly. The reference I was using had very little to go on around the eyes in particular so I’d have to be pretty judicious and keep it ambiguous.
Working and reworking tentatively - and with an impending deadline of mid August for its sale and pick-up - I tidied up areas, applied a little gold leaf, removed some chalk writing, then applied a layer of satin Ganvar varnish to the final, finished piece.
The buyer was very happy though I’m unconvinced by the length of time it took and a little annoyed at my timidity throughout the painting. Still, done and dusted and a nice learning exercise.
