Beth Thomson
BA (Hons) Fine Art and Art History
My practice consists of issues concerning identity and dissociation. These themes are expressed through small scale oil paintings (8x12") within which the subject is used as merely an expressive form. It is with this portrayal that my practice depicts the subject in both an experiential and emotive way, as well as a creative process that favours intuition. This is achieved through a lack of referencing, an emphasis upon the aesthetic, and a reluctance to plan each piece. In establishing this creative process and producing work that combines both realistic and expressive tendencies, I hope to achieve an element of momentum and atmosphere in each painting.
Relying on expressive tones and mark making, my paintings can be considered sketches within which many properties of oil paint are celebrated. Most important of these is the ability to achieve richness and depth in minimal colour schemes. My desire to push the atmospheric elements of oil paint to the forefront arises from my interest in paintings that are both experientially and aesthetically dark in nature. My paintings are produced alongside each other and are often displayed as a series; this results in them interacting with one another and allows an element of intimacy. Due to this, it is important within the creative process that my paintings are regularly positioned beside each other. This allows me to understand the effectiveness of the pieces both individually and together. I believe that the creative processes and tendencies established in my recent work leave room for further exploration of portraiture and this is an incredibly valuable and equally exciting aspect of my practice.
