Drew Darcy
Music, fashion, modern design, film, photography, advertising, and my
ever-changing moods are some of the many subjects that can spark off my creative
process. I admire many artists like Gerhard Richter, Francis Bacon, and Edward
Hopper to name but a few. I like to take in artistic flavours from my favourite
artists, absorb them and throw them all back in to the mix to make my own
distinctive style.
Many hours are spent gathering photographs and other sources of reference. My work is mainly figurative and I like to capture moments in time, whilst still trying to keep a sense of movement and realism. Once I have enough to work with I can manipulate images using my computer and can quickly realise my initial ideas on screen. I can then get a feel of what the final piece will look like, change colours, cut and paste. I embrace technology and love the fact that I can marry traditional methods with the modern and new. However, nothing compares with the magic that can be created with a brush stroke. No digital imagery or computer power can get even close to that invaluable human touch. I eagerly anticipate transposing the developed ideas onto canvas.
The first touch of paint on a primed canvas is always the most rewarding. I try to keep as much of those first layers as possible, why fix something that isn’t broken. I think this is my secret to keeping a fresh look to my work. The paint is applied with brushes only and I use little or no paint thinners. The consistency of the oil paint straight from the tube works perfectly for me. I’m not afraid of using space within my paintings; less can mean more, allowing the painting to invite the mind to imagine. The contrast with colours, textures, light and shade are some of the many elements that continually fascinate me.
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