Abstract art painting - The making of It's deeper than you think

Watch the video here

Come with me on a journey, behind the scenes, the making of my latest abstract painting It's deeper than you think.

Find out more about this artwork at: martinharmanart.com

Abstract art painting - The making of The philosophy of barcodes

Watch the video at: Martin Harman Art TV Youtube

Come with me on a journey, behind the scenes, the making of my latest abstract painting The philosophy of barcodes. Find more about this artwork at: martinharmanart.com

Abstract art painting - The making of O

Abstract art painting - The making of O. Watch the video here Come with me on a journey, behind the scenes, the making of my latest abstract painting O. Find more about this artwork at: martinharmanart.com Enjoy

How to hang a painting

Watch the video at: Martin Harman art Youtube 

In this video I would like to share with how I go about hanging my 2d artworks like my paintings. I hope this video can help you in some way.

Transcendence- abstract/surreal art drawing

Watch the video at: Martin Harman Art Youtube In this video I would like to share with you my latest original artwork drawing "Transcendence" Enjoy!

Abstract Art Painting - The Making of Signs of the Times. New Youtube Video

Watch the full video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nj9cctXQQE

Abstract Art Painting - The Making of Signs of the Times A memory captured in time "Signs of the times" in which I am living through. This collage painting was created in response to the coronavirus pandemic, civil unrest and political issues, this is all captured in the newspapers of that time 2020. I cut out these newspaper images and assembled them onto the canvas. For me newspapers present a memory of the times we live in but it also provokes images and words to grab the readers attention. In some ways it is chaotic and full of different kinds of human behaviour and emotions. I then created this circle with a black on the outside to pull the eye into the space. Its also a signal of belief, or way of crossing over into another space or time. I was thinking that perhaps I should add more layers of colour to the surface but I realised I liked the simplicity.

Abstract Art Painting The Making of Magical

Are you feeling funky! In this video I share the making of my large abstract painting "Magical". After watching acrylic pouring techniques it automatically got me on the hock and I could not resist but give it a go myself. Acrylic pouring is a technique of mixing paint with a medium and then pouring onto a surface. Each result takes on a life of its own. However I wanted to adapt this artistic style to my own language. I pured the paints ontop of newspaper-cutouts. I wanted this painting to represent the society around me and I felt newspaper-cutouts would be ideal for this. I wanted to make this painting in a way in a way I can describe as being a chemical cocktail of sorts with a space in the middle for the eye to enter. Perhaps the resulting artwork is meditative, contemplative and Magical. Medium: Collage of newspaper-cutouts, white gloss paint, acrylic paint and medium on canvas. Dimensions: H80 W80 D3.7cm

Find this artwork at: https://www.martinharmanart.com/store/p124/magical.html

Barcode collage paintings in the making. Teddybear and circle.

Before

After

Ontop of the barcode collage I decided to overlay it with the outline of a teddy bear. Teddy bears, the representation of childhood memories. The outline is used to evoke this memory. I did this as I want to carry on with the theme of childhood innocence and contrast this with barcodes. Barcodes for me can appear to be useful but in some ways can take on a sinister meaning depending how you look at it. It can represent our current society, commerce, storage of digital information such as products, services even people. Sometimes it appears people can get treated like numbers in a commerce machine called our current monetary system. I wonder, are we not humans with individual personalities, emotions, ideas, potential. I sometimes wonder were this fits in or placed within our current society. I think as a creator creating artworks I find it curious observing the world around me and observing or reinterpreting it. I think it is important for me to question the world in which we live in, it helps me to try and understand it and bring my own perspective to it.  

This is another smaller barcode painting that I am currently working on. This time I have used a circle to symbolise crossing into another space.

I have a curiosity of what happens when we die. My personal experiences has helped shape this curiosity. The memory is powerful, something that I can not shake, it occupies the back of my memories, I am constantly reminded. I feel at peace, I feel sad, I feel joy, I am reminded how little I know, I want to know, I want to believe!

Bar Codes. The fabric of society! A new painting in the making.

Sorry I painted over someones painting! Don't worry it's not an original, I think its one of those machine made paintings. I picked this one up from a local charity shop, its amazing what you can find in these places!

Cutting out paper bar codes and layering them together onto canvas. 

Now you see it and now you kind of don't. I then applied a glossy white paint over the top of the bar collage. 

I am continuing to work within the theme of barcodes, there is something that keeps pulling me back to them. I guess it's because of its ever functional presence in modern day society, its association to the exchange of products, storage of information. For me this represents the society we live in and it also gets me thinking about my place and value within society. There are a lot of associations.

The administration of belief

The administration of belief. 12/7/19. L:40.5 H:40.5 W:3cm. Collage of bar code paper cut-outs, acrylic paint and gloss paint on wood.

The inspiration behind this artwork comes from bar codes and spirituality. I wanted to combine both of these themes together to create a new interpretation. 

For me bar codes represent the administration of our society, from storing/categorising information about products we buy to the paper work we use to manage people. At times this can seem soulless/machine like although I guess it’s intention is to make things more manageable. Overlaying this I have created a space to enter, referencing religious imagery like entering into a spiritual space/ after life. For me how we shape and manage society is based on ideas and belief in them. 

However I would still like to leave room for interpretation, everyone has their own way of seeing and experiencing, and my view may not be other people’s view. I think it is good that everyone has their own view as we can all learn from each other.

For further information about this artwork or to see others like it please see: https://www.martinharmanart.com/drawings--paintings.html

Youthful Innocence

Youthful Innocence. 7/7/19. L:40.5 H:40.5 W:3cm. Collage of newspaper cut-outs, acrylic paint and pen on wood.

Through the eyes of a child, through the eyes of an adult. Our perspective of the world around us is vastly different. 

We are constantly satiated with news happening in the world if you chose to let it, often it is not the good kind of news. When were were very young our days were innocent, full of wonder and curiosity, we did not know of all the bad things happening in the world. However it was always there even if we did not know. For this reason I have decided to create an artwork responding to this. Newspaper cut-outs expressing the not so positive aspects of our society contrasted with the image of a toy duck, a toy always remembered, portraying the innocence of youth. 

For further information about this artwork or to see others like it please see: https://www.martinharmanart.com/drawings--paintings.html

Looking thoughtfully for a long time

I enjoyed working with charcoal, there is a subtle softness to it, a sensitivity between the charcoal and paper.

Looking thoughtfully for a long time. 24/7/19. L:60 H:43cm. Charcoal and pen on handmade paper.

This artwork draws upon my interest with the potential for an afterlife. This is in response to my experience of my mother passing away. I had what I could only describe as some kind of visual image occur whilst I was in bed trying to sleep. What I saw was a door or space filled with a white light and a ladder extending into it with what seemed like mist or something cloud like occupying the space close to the light. This visualisation must have lated for 2 or 3 minuets before disappearing.

It is interesting as I did some research on people having near death experiences and it seems as though some people have whitenesed a similar phenomena were they see a white light. I ask my self if this was a dream or something real, either way to this day I still do not know. Although I did not have a near death experience, it is curious to hear of similar experiences. I think there is a lot about this reality I am experiencing that is not fully understood. What really do we know about ourselves in terms of how for example our brain functions and how we decode reality. What do we know about this so called physical reality we exist in? Science may tell us otherwise based on proven facts but how do you measure personal experience as we all have a unique way of seeing the world around us.

For further information about this artwork or to see others like it please see: https://www.martinharmanart.com/drawings--paintings.html

Inspiration behind my new 2d artworks in the making, 29th June 2019

Bar codes, clouds and a duck. 2D artworks in the making

There is something about bar codes, they are everywhere in todays society to food packaging, product labels and in some ways even people. Bar codes can help to identify whatever it is attached to when scanned by an electronic device, however in a world of purchasing I often ask myself who makes the products that are produced and what is the story behind them. Are the people who make our products confined to a number, a bar code? Were is the human within the machine? Are our consumption of products the new religion? Or is there hope?

I have been continuing to work on this hand made paper drawing that references with clouds. I would like to introduce some kind of effect of light perhaps in some way to give the illusion of light emitting from the centre of the circle. This picture draws upon my interest with the potential for an afterlife. This is in response to my experience of my mother passing away. I had what I could only describe as some kind of visual image occur whilst I was in bed trying to sleep. What I saw was a door or space filled with a white light and a ladder extending into it with what seemed like mist or something cloud like occupying the space close to the light. It is interesting as I did some research on people having near death experiences and it seems as though some people have whitenesed a similar phenomena were they see a white light. I ask my self if this was a dream or something real, either way to this day I still do not know. Although I did not have a near death experience, it is curious to hear of similar experiences. I think there is a lot about this reality I am experiencing that is not fully understood. What really do we know about ourselves in terms of how for example our brain functions and how we decode reality. What do we know about this so called physical reality we exist in?

Before

After

We are constantly satiated with news happening in the world if you chose to let it, often it is not the good kind of news. When were were very young our days were innocent, full of wonder and curiosity, we did not know of all the bad things happening in the world. However it was always there even if we did not know. For this reason I have decided to create an artwork responding to this. Newspaper cut-outs expressing the not so positive aspects of our society contrasted with the image of a rubber duck, a toy always remembered, portraying the innocence of youth. 

Cloud drawing in the making

I took this photo while on a plane. 

What do clouds mean for you? For me it allows self reflection, the opportunity to escape to my imagination, but personally it also has a symbolic relationship to what happens when we die. There is something quite spiritual about looking at clouds. For this reason I have been very interested in conveying this inspiration in some way. I would like to create a space to enter into.

A while back I started making hand-made paper and I still have some left over. For this drawing I have used four sheets of a4 sized paper to create a single piece. Originally I was thinking to myself if this will work considering the individual pieces of paper being revealed. I am not too sure but I am curious to see what it might look like in the end. Handmade paper has a very textual quality, it is almost like the paper is a work of art in its self and it's interesting seeing how the drawing seems to become apart of the paper. I am hoping the quality of the paper will add to the intention of the drawing by alloying the mind to enter into that space.

Artworks in progress. How Are you? and Symbolic Expereince

I am wondering, what do we mean when we say "How are You?". Are we saying it because we care about other people? Are we looking to engage in a meaningful conversation about the person we are asking? Do we say it because it is a custom? Do we say it for small talk? Do we say it to be polite to one and other? In some way this is so widely used that it has become apart of the status-quo and part of our social behaviour coming from my own perspective of living in the UK.

After my Grandmother passed away I remember sitting on a park bench when suddenly a robin bird came and sat next to me. It looked like it had some food in its mouth which it then dropped onto the bench by my side. At first I did not know what to think about this situation. I thought it was strange a bird would get so close to a human especially considering its action. I have never experienced anything like this before. This could be described as a coincidence or perhaps this bird thought I had some food hoping for me to offer it some. Then I remembered that my Grandmother was very fond of birds. After this experience I considered its spiritual and symbolic connection.

The Ultimate Selfie

The Ultimate Selfie. 3/6/18. L:61 W:76cm. Paper collage, inks, Australian Clay and acrylic paint on canvas.

A recently completed painting. It has been interesting watching this painting unfold over time with each new layer. I have enjoyed using the Australian clay brought back to the UK from my artist residency at Bundanon Trust which has been combined with acrylic paints and collage. Using clay has resulted in some textual qualities and obviously gives the painting an earthy look and almost a historical feel.

As mentioned in the previous post detailing the painting's process I was trying to express different places, people and political, social structures and social norms that has been apart of my life experiences and in some way has helped shape my identity. I am not entirely shore if this is now apparent as it has been constructed to the point in which the painting has taken on a life of its own through the build up of more and more layers. 

New 2d artwork in the making

Recently I have been busy working on a new 2d artwork on canvas. The plan is to build up layers

starting with imagery that reflects my own personal experience with writing that also expresses similar things. On top of that I will be applying clay and paint. 

I guess what I am trying to express with this piece is the different places, people and political, social structures and social norms that have been apart of my life experiences and in some way has helped shape my identity. 

Here is a list of some words and sentences that came to mind when reflecting on my experience of living in the UK society. I then layered this writing on top of the imagery in a chaotic way.  

• How are you
• I am good thank you
• Alrite
• Slave
• Freedom is an illusion
• Worship the royal family 
• Be a machine
• Be mature
• Buy more things
• I'm rite your wrong
• Worship the self
• Don't care about other people
• Silence is power
• Monday to Friday be serious be a machine be stressed, Saturday to Sunday have fun let your hair down
• Ritual
• Repeat repeat repeat
• You are a tool to be used
• Money first, health happiness and wellbeing second
• you are just a number
• Do we shape society or does society shape us?
• Democracy is an illusion, choose A or B
• There is no tolerance for emotion in this society
• Be Strong, Be Confident, Be Independent, Be Excellent
• Do not speak the truth
• Do not Express your self
• Shut up do your job and don't ask questions

This is an example of a previous painting I created titled Blood & Earth. L:29.5 W:21cm. Pen, ink, clay, acrylic paint on canvas. I thought I would include it into this post as it is helping me to think about the outcome of this new piece I am working on. I realised by adding clay to the canvas it makes the image appear to be aged, in some way there seems to be a kind of history to it and the colour and quality is very raw.

Exploring new cloud ideas through drawing

Cloud series 1, 2008, Thrown, stoneware, slips, glaze, fired to 1260c 

Lately I have been trying to work on finishing some new sculpture in the making and so in between that I have used some of my available time to investigate some new ideas.

I have become interested again in looking at cloud formations as an inspiration and this goes back to some of my earlier work created in 2010. The interesting thing about clouds is that it can be interpreted in many ways, it can be spiritual, dream-like, it can can relate to my emotions through its diversity of formations ambiance and colour, and it can be a place of contemplation and imagination.

I then wounded what would happen if I combined this with architectural elements, nature and the human-made together as one. The cloud is not a solid object, but the human-made such as architecture is a physical object. When combined this creates questions relating to the real and unreal, a bridge between different dimensions or reality's.

Framing complete for painting Possibility

You may have seen this painting in the frame already from the exhibition Materiality but if not here it is.

Possibility. 22/6/14, acrylic paint & pastel on paper, wooden frame with card border and protective glass panel and ready to hang, Dimensions include frame: W49cm H61cm

Again I decided to keep with the blue frame as I think it creates a nice relationship to the colour on the form. This framed painting also works well when its placed next to the other blue framed paintings Bamboo Dreams and Idea=Reality Reality=Idea. 

Blue is the colour of the future.