About .hartland.

Have you ever lied to yourself?

If you do it for long enough, like I did, you may end up with a disorientated internal navigational system – that perhaps, may be likened to a ‘Compass With No Needle’.

From the age of 16, I became obsessed with finding the ‘truth’ within me. – the result? I began to place my thoughts, truths and opinions into as few words as possible, so I could recall them easily and re-evaluate them…often. Yes, obsessed. I kept this process and my writings a secret for more than 20 years. However, a few years ago I took my writings to a trusted and loved friend (who is a brilliant writer; R. I. Sutton – check out her website) who informed me that I am a writer of  ‘Aphorisms’.

So there you have it. My distortion is now my art form. Hmmm… could we assume the same with most artists I wonder?

Having summed up my writing for you, I’ll now tell you about my painting; painting was a fear I confronted in 2001. At the time, not much scared me more than the idea of painting.
I began by receiving tutoring from Jan Pagram in Pastels where I learned to achieve an effect close to photo realism.
I then went on to study, in theory only, Oil Painting under Lance McNeil. The McNeil Academy follows the purest method passed down from the Old Masters – Lance would cringe if he were to see my works! ‘Abstraction is pure folly!’ – I can just hear him now. Of course, I didn’t disclose to my teacher how I intended to use the tools he was teaching me.
I chose this method of study because I wanted to purely learn the tools with which to create – nothing more.  This style of study suited me, as it allowed me the ‘untouched head space’ to create from – sounds terribly arrogant doesn’t it? But, to be honest, I never excelled within the class room, so I chose not to subject myself to more of that kind of failing.

My aphorisms are the inspiration behind my paintings. I use charcoal and water on canvas – if you are a visual artist, you will know that charcoal and water don’t mix. I love the conundrum in this fact.
I really love to lose lines – dark into dark, light into light.

I tend to have a slight obsession with my painting process too  – the canvas must be beaten and scratched before I will create on it. My core belief here is – unless the canvas has gone through some sh*t, then it is unworthy to hold an opinion – and that’s what I do; I paint my opinion.

For whatever reason, I used to create only one work every three years; without even a sketch in between – what a naughty artist!
The first charcoal on canvas I created was ‘Compass With No Needle‘, followed by ‘Repulsion In Red‘, and finally ‘Right Breast Assault‘ – completing the series on abuse – finally. You can view them from the ‘Paintings‘ category.

I have just begun my new series about Consumerism. I am pleased to announce that it has only been seven months since my last work – rather than three years. I may become prolific yet… I hope.
I have placed one of my reference photo’s from a recent photo-shoot, as my header picture – you will spy me reclining inside a Shopping Trolley.
I would like to take this moment to give my photographer a plug – Geoffrey O’Donnell. You can view his many complex works, for he is practically a scientist – collodion wet plate and more, on his blog: thesilversunbeam.wordpress.com

Cheers,
Kelly.