Paul Bennett
LandE scape
CONTEMPORARY ART REVIEW however , don ’ t come into it unless it ’ s arrived with the viewer . Unless the viewer is moved by the narrative that they have created . That , to me , is when the painting has been successful .
The effective combination between both delicate and thoughtful nuances of tones sums up the mixture of thoughts and emotions . How much does your own psychological make-up determine the nuances of tones you decide to use in a piece and in particular , how do you develop a painting ’ s texture ? Moreover , any comments on your choice of " palette " and how it has changed over time ?
Personally , I ’ m not sure that the mood I ’ m in dictates the palette I would use on a certain day . People around might argue this . There are only five colours that I use and three or four other colours that I use occasionally . It ’ s the mixing of these colours that can lead you down many different paths and in some respects , dictate the mood and general ... of the painting .
Over these years you have exhibited your works in several occasions and one of the hallmarks of your work is the capability to create a direct involvement with the viewers , who are urged to evolve from a condition of mere spectatorship . So before leaving this conversation we would like to pose a question about the nature of the relationship of your art with your audience . Do you consider the issue of audience reception as being a crucial component of your decisionmaking process , in terms of what type of language is used in a particular context ?
As I said throughout , the viewer is the the one that completes the work . However , what they think has no role in what will be made in the future . Unless someone commissions a painting , so then my starting position changes , but that ’ s fine . It brings an extra challenge and maybe takes you down a road that you may not of travelled down if left to my own .
Thanks a lot for your time and for sharing your thoughts , Paul . Finally , would you like to tell us readers something about your future projects ? How do you see your work evolving ?
Thank you for having me featured in LandEscape . I have a series of eight portraits that I will be creating for the Cloud Gallery . It ’ s been nearly a year since I worked on portraits , so I ’ m looking forward to the change . It ’ s great to be able to work on a completely different theme and style . Time away from creating landscape / seascapes means I will come back to it with fresh ideas and new directions . Until then , I have no idea how they will evolve .
An interview by Katherine Williams , curator and Josh Ryder , curator landescape @ europe . com
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