The origins of the oil/digial works stems from a belief in a basic visual vocabulary and conception of art as a practice that extends beyond the aesthetic sphere. Ideology is a form of symbolic and symbiotic action. Forms which could be perceived as objective and precise, are it seems the most appropriate basis for visual statements. New forms can be created through the analysis and combination of visual elements such as colours, lines and planes. These compositional combinations offer endless options,opportunities and meaning which transcends the object or objects, and can be identified as a marker of understanding or thought. These markers move the iconic visual elements towards the organization of more abstract forms in space. While random starting points allows the combinations to remain new.

 

Every element which is manipulated or added alters and takes away from the original or present condition. These alterations add or subtract from the new compositional balance of direction or volume. It is as if combining more repetition, patterns, or visual elements sets the whole out of balance, which requires a struggle to bring together the harmony lost within the transformational overall new. This compositional new must be once again satisfied and balanced to restore a complete compositional whole. This series of balance and out of balance melee, is performed over and over until a resolution is completed. Sometimes hundreds of manipulation have occured before resolved.

With out the computer it would have been impossible in a life time, to explore so many variations to this extent and be satisfied with their conclusions.

 

In the practice of making art, there are also stages of compositional development within the artwork, where opportunities offer different directions or avenues that the art can pursue. This is the beginnings for the series “Transformation- An investigation into self appropriation”

I start with digital images of my oil paintings. I ,then Photoshop the images using a series of programs.I have manually altered and reprogrammed some of their perimeters in DOS to create random manipulations within the digital photos. These images are then printed onto a canvas with archival ink. Some of these images are addressed and repainted with oil paint which brings the work  back to an oil, ink hybrid, while reinstating a hand touched uniqueness from the printing process. I enjoy the fact that it plays off of manipulative aspects within the silk screening which was done in the Pop Art era. Yet it also allows me to go down other avenue with an image, or play out ideas with clues, I first observed, when I was originally painting the oil painting.Before I was always trapped by the path I had chosen, which took me in a different direction. I guess what I am trying to say is, it offers more opportunities for options.

 

 

I also enjoy the notion of appropriating myself,........ as if my work was worthy of being appropriated.

                                                                                    

 

 

                                                                                                                                                         P.Thomas Wood

 

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