These things are proving difficult to photograph. Can't quite capture the richness of the copper leaf. The technique has evolved a little over the course of these four paintings. This one has two cut out bits from the previously warped canvas stuck to it and I ran out of jesmonite so have been using filler, which is almost paintable with! Also, the colours are considerably darker tan the previous three. I've just started number five so lets see where that goes. I think I'll stop at six as I have some new ideas to incorporate rusty metal and possibly perspex into the next paintings.

After a few more experiments I'm finally putting paint, cardboard, jesmonite, nails and copper leaf to canvas. This is a work in progress but it's progressing as I intended, which is always good.

I had an 80cm x 60cm canvas with an oil painting on it that I didn't like so I attacked it with PVA glue and some of the abundance of lockdown delivery cardboard I have lying around. I've since added jesmonite, washers, a wooden letter and acrylic paint. I'm not finished yet [it's changed since I took this shot!]. It will never be saleable but if I don't ruin it I may make a print out of it.

Well, nothing is new is it? But after creating an artwork a day during the 1st lockdown I haven't managed to produce much at all towards the end of last year. But I have been mulling over ideas for 2021. Inspired by a phrase in Michael Hampton's Unshelfmarked [Uniform Press] I've been inclined to combine my photography, painting and interest in graphic design in some way for some time and I have included text in my paintings from time to tine anyway. It does mean that the finished pieces will ultimately be digital prints but I'm hoping [cue that phrase] Taxanomically Awkward. The image above is just something I knocked up to illustrate the idea for this post but I may stick to the double spread idea. Anyway, Happy New Year, if such a thing is possible!