Art in Scotland- Michael Heseltine
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The reason I paint is to explore the qualities of a subject. The medium of oil painting helps me to annalyse and discover. By constantly questioning why am I painting a subject, I determine the essence and express it. The process of oil painting, with its strengths and weakness's directs the course and nature of the discoveries. It makes it a unique journey, different from photography or other mediums, but the oil paint must be given the freedom to 'talk back'. Too much contol will just mirror already preconcieved observations. The exciting part is the unknown or accident which I try and run with if it happens.
This painting is part of my map series. It is a subject I know well, being the loch at the end of my garden. I try to paint from memory, hence the view from above. It is filled with old experiences, expressed as colour, within the map like definition of the place. The fish symbols denote places I have caught fish, while the overall blues suggest the tranquility. I like the idea of the painting having a very practical purpose... a map, while also working as a piece of self-indulgent nostalga.
Art in Scotland has always been heavily influenced by the landscape. It is bold and confident, with strong colours generated by the climate. Scottish artists such as the Glasgow boys and colourists have produced work that captures this energy and strength. I have moved on from more delicate work done in England to a bolder approach. This may be partly due to maturity as an artist, but I think the landscape has encouraged this move. My scottish paintings are a world away from the Oil paintings from 1990 to 2000 painted in England.
Recently I have been trying to limit my colours to help define an overall emotion. My art in Scotland has produced a clarity of thought which is less cluttered. I love Monet's paintings which have an overall emotion created by the predominence of a colour. I try to identify the colour which best describes my feelings and use that as much as possible.
Fine art in Scotland is dominated by Scottish artists who tend to work in isolation. I know many Scottish artists who have chosen to avoid the publicity sort by so many. It is a combination of the life style and country which attracts a more intaverted approach and I have been influenced as well. Scottish artists seem to have a culture of experimentation which the demands of frequent exhibitions can suffocate.
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Please visit other areas of Michael's work:
Marc Rothko influence
Scottish colourists influence
Links
Modern abstract influenced by Expressionists