http://www.meltemiart.com en-gb meltemiart.com 2011-11-22T00:00:00Z meltemiart.com http://www.meltemiart.com/page10.htm#101393 The clich233 answer is I make images of things that have caught my imagination amp I enjoy making those images filling in time now that Im in retirement. Its a quiet almost meditative experience me the brush the paint the canvas amp the evolving image. Beyond this there has to be more surely And those questions have taken a long while to answer amp even now after ten years Im still not sure that I have answered the question completely What is your art amp why do you paintThe emotional answer is My controlled brush strokes and my exuberant colours build a visual delight expressing the imagery of my mind and soul on canvas. Im inviting the viewer to take part in a subtle abstraction of a reality by looking at the world through my eyes. As the artist Im striving to evoke those same emotions within the viewer as I had right from that first brush stroke. While Im painting I am capturing my emotional response to that chosen version of the subject. As I immerse myself in my ... 2011-8-29 14:30:14 http://www.meltemiart.com/page10.htm#90065 The four main artists brush shapes are rounds shortflats brights longflats and filberts. Like every artist starting out back in 1996 I bought a wide selection of brushes some with shot handles some with long handles some with every suitable bristle mix for use with acrylics some of every shape etc. Many of them are still as new with their protective covers still in place just gathering cobwebs amp dust through not being used. So all of these brush shapes can all be found in my brush pot. The select few are well used favourites. The decision for me the artist working in acrylics is which one brush shape is capable of producing the brush marks that I want to show on a finished artwork There is also the for me a less important factor of just how much paint will that brush hold For me the shortflat or bright is the brush of choice. After several years of painting I have devolved to the shortflat or bright brush as being my best and favourite tool. Some... 2011-3-24 11:55:33 http://www.meltemiart.com/page10.htm#70826 The name Meltemi sounds romantic and oddly soothing. It is derived from the old name of Meltemia or the Etesian Winds. From classic Greek mythology its controlled by Boreas the god of the North Winds. The reality is a dry wind blowing down from the north sweeping across Greece and heads south across her Islands roughing up the otherwise tranquil seas swamping small craft challenging ferries and shutting down the hydrofoils. It also can churn the waters making them dangerous for swimmers and blows sand at sunbathers on northfacing beaches. These winds come from out of the Balkans and last for days. The wind howls for hours on end doors slam windows rattle people get edgy amp dogs bark. The Meltemi usually cools down temperatures and can be a welcome relief in the hot days of July and August. The winds are a problem for firefighters as they can drive forestfires very quickly over a long distance. Meltemi more accurately The Meltemis many years ago ... 2010-7-20 11:37:53 http://www.meltemiart.com/page10.htm#67991 My technique Is direct painting also known as alla prima or premier coup painting a brushstroke of paint is applied to the canvas with the intention of it becoming part of the finished artwork without planning to paint over it again when it is dry to make it darker or lighter or warmer or cooler. Retouching or overpainting after that layer of paint has dried seldom happens. There is nothing new or revolutionary here the ancient cave painters started this method. The flat wellloaded paintbrush is always dragged downacross the canvas squeezing a thick brushtrail at the border of the stroke. I try to complete the artwork in just one attempt. So much thought amp planning is put into the preparation stage. Each brushstroke of colour must be put on the canvas so that it states simultaneously the location size and shape of the area. As the artwork progresses each brushstroke must relate accurately to every other colour that has already been put on to the artwork. Ideally whe... 2010-6-15 11:58:50 http://www.meltemiart.com/page10.htm#67518 My Niche Physically I live on the edge of a City amp The Fens. So should I paint Landscapes Floral Artworks Portraits Animal Portraits Still Lifes All of these are done by other artists in a way that I never will be able to do in the time that I may have still available. There are masters in each field of artistic endeavour I would never be in that category in the time available the downside of returning to art late in life. I travel a lot. I take lots of photographs mainly of cityscenes amp buildings Im city to the core I paint some of them in acrylics on canvas. This is my niche. Finding it took some time but with every painting I made it became clearer to me what being an artist is about its making artworks that I enjoy. Its about the memories captured in my photos being converted to works of art. My Style Finding my style was not hard. I have a simple direct approach. It has clear colourful shapes. This shape fits alongside that shape there is a sharp bound... 2010-6-9 15:29:27 http://www.meltemiart.com/page10.htm#67334 Art is about making the viewer pause take a closer look amp become immersed in the visual excitement of the artists interpretation of their subject matter to make them think and interpret what they are viewing. Usually its the creative use of colour that arrests them first . I am very aware that the colours I use are bright. Im drawn to bold colours to describe the elements in my compositions. I try to make use of a unique nontraditional approach to colour. My colour choices are intuitive amp my idea is always to push the boundary to see what might happen. The most important thing is not to fear any colour but to experiment and learn from it. keeping the brush clean helps avoid painters mud. My brush is cleansed at the end of every stroke and then reloaded with colour again it ensures that my colours are always crisp clear and clear. I paint almost exclusively with a shortflat bright brush previously dipped in flowimprover solution then blotted. The snobbery of only us... 2010-6-8 10:37:20