My folded valley pieces
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You may have noticed that among my recent pieces are some that use piano hinges to join two canvases together. These valley pictures are literally folded landscapes, the latest in a genre that I developed around 2003 when I was working towards a show called Valleys and Horizons at the Mariners Gallery in St Ives. Why folded? Two reasons really – it all began with quite a large screen made up of several canvases that I intended to be free standing (I’ve long been an admirer of the so called “Golden screens” of Japan). Then I discovered that the shallow space created by the angle between the canvases somehow gave a boost to the painted space of the picture and that this worked best when the image was one of enclosed landscape space as in a valley. This valley image then became the raison d’etre for using this genre and I started making smaller ones that were designed to either hang on a wall or be free standing on a table or shelf. The new ones that use piano hinges are just the latest generation of such works. An example of these earlier two part images is Cot valley folded diptych.
August 27th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Hi!
have seen your Penzance carnival one on uk Forum. I used to work in Smith & girdlestone a Chartered Accountants just up from where the view of your painting was, did not last there long. This was way back in1979.
I am fascinated by your piano hinges. I am thinking something similar in the way of screens for my B.A course in Fine Art at Portsmouth so for research purposes could I have more info about your painting process?
Also I am not sure if I could use piano hinges as it is your idea if you see what I mean
chris
p.s Do you know Bernard Evans?
http://www.artythings.blogspot.com
August 27th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
Hi Chris, thanks for your response to my work.
I’m interested to hear of your Penzance connection and in particular your familiarity with Market Jew Street, the place in my Mazey Day painting. Have you been to a Mazey Day or indeed any of our Cornish carnival type events?
Yes I do know Bernard Evans and his work both as a painter and as a musician with his folk band though it’s a while since I saw him around.
If screens interest you I’m happy to share something of my process in creating screen like pieces.
I started out making screens about four years ago and at that time they were quite big as I mentioned in my post on this theme (there’s quite a lot there about how my ideas have developed in this area too). As regards painting processes I certainly don’t mind you using piano hinges too. Most builders merchants seem to supply them but make sure you degrease them if you’re going to paint over them in Acrylic or it will peeel off where it covers them. I’ve used other kinds of hinges too (often hinging thin frames rather that the canvases themselves) but certainly favour the look of piano hinges at the moment.Good luck with your project. Let me know how it goes.
December 15th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce
December 15th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Hello Idetrorce. Thanks for your comment. Can you clarify please? What is it that you find interesting and what is it that you don’t agree with?