Order & Chaos - Ellsworth Kelly ft Jackson Pollock

This piece presents work in the style of two of America's greatest abstract expressionists Ellsworth Kelly and Jackson Pollock - I have named it 'Order & Chaos'. The 'Kelly' sided is alternate raised board finished in the same colours used in the.....well chaotic 'Pollock' side!!!

Set in a real wood box frame behind glass and measures 33" x 25" x 2"

Pollock - drip painting

I have attempted a few of these in the past and it is fair to say that time erases the memory of just how much mess it creates!! However now finished this weekend I shall be spending much of my time repainting the walls and ceiling !!

Set behind glass in a real wood frame which is finished in black with gold detail.

31" x 26" x 2"

Watching paint dry!!

In between working on a commission and creating some new work for my 'Breaking the Edge' series I decided to let fly with the paint in the manner of Jackson Pollock! The images are excerpts of two sides of the piece which will be set in the frame shown - until the paint dries I am unable to stand it vertically or set it in the frame!! 

Now the clean up begins!!

'Breaking the Edge'

I have started a new series of work under the heading of 'Breaking the Edge' - this is a 20" x 16" working sketch to create ideas for the first piece which will be a large canvas.

Kline Shapes II

Welcome to 2018 - I start with a piece started in 2017 Kline Shapes II is various texture medium and paints on stretched canvas. 

Set in a real wood floating frame - 44" x 33" x 2.5"

The frame can be painted to a customer preference colour.

'Two Pears and a Bowl' Still Life

This piece is various paints on canvas board and is set behind glass in a real wood shallow box frame finished in chalky white paint.

Framed dimensions - 21" x 17" x 2"

William Scott - Still Life pieces - SOLD

As time is at a premium between now and Xmas due to my other commitments I have delved into our personal collection of 'Witham' artwork.

These pieces emulated the work of William Scott and his wonderful minimal still life compositions.

Scott Still Life I - SOLD

This piece is various paints on stretched canvas and is set in a solid ash floating frame finished in chalky white paint.

Framed dimensions - 42" x 34" x 2"

Scott Still Life II

This piece is various paints on textured board and is set in a real wood swept frame behind glass.

Framed dimensions 25" x 30" x 2"

Still Life III - SOLD

Various paints on board set behind glass in a shallow box frame.

Framed dimensions 23" x 23" x 2"

Kline Shapes I and II

It has been some time since I worked on and presented a large canvas - these pieces are a nod to the American abstract expressionist artist Franz Kline and his black and white work.

The canvasses I have used here have been collecting surface texture over the past few years and I decided to use two of Kline's more simple shapes and then set them in a satin wood floating frame.

The problems of photographing what are larger pieces aside I am happy with the outcome.

Kline Shapes I
SOLD

Kline Shapes II

Pictured unframed - offered framed as Kline Shapes I

The framed pieces measures 44" x 33" x 2.5"

Beach Road IV

In this piece I have combined various techniques - the piece starts as hand cut board laminated in relief style - the board is then undercoated with texture medium - various paints and charcoal pencil are then used with sanding and scraping to finish.

The artwork is set on backboard within a sanded satinwood frame behind glass and the overall measurements are 29" x 23" x 2"

In the manner of - Richard Diebenkorn

Beach Road II and III

These are my first in this style for over 6 years and has been prompted by a commission from a customer in Sarasota, USA for whom I will be producing a single 6' x 5' canvas.

For these working sketches I have used various paints on stretched canvas then used a combination of sanding and scraping to take the paint back. Although significantly inspired by the work of Richard Diebenkorn and his Ocean Park series it is a style I enjoy using.

It is my intention once the commission is completed to work on some similar smaller size works as below then move to the larger canvas format basing them on the colours and shapes I see as I visit our local beaches at Branksome and Sandbanks.

Beach Road II - SOLD

Beach Road III

The canvasses are both set on a back board and set in recess within a natural satinwood frames 

The artworks measure 24" x 18" - framed 29" x 23"

Richard Diebenkorn

A long time ago in another lifetime whilst I was in the USA I was fortunate enough to attend an exhibition of the work of Richard Diebenkorn.

I remember it vividly as like most British youngsters of that time I had been brought up on a diet of more traditional representational art and the pure size of the work and the workmanship which had gone into the paint and surfaces was altogether a very different art to the normal diet available to view in rural England at the time.

In 2015 some thirty five years later I was able to view his work again thanks to The Royal Academy Exhibition - it did not disappoint. For those who would like to find out more please click below - this will take you to the Richard Diebenkorn Foundation website.

 Richard Diebenkorn - The artist

Richard Witham - The Diebenkorn Years!

For those who know me and my artwork then you will know that being self-taught I have unashamedly over past 8 years copied the work of my favourite artists as a way of learning and developing my ability.

Circa 2009 and 20+ years after having last seen a Diebenkorn in the flesh I decided to attempt his style using large canvas and a mixture of painting - sanding back and painting. I was pleased that all but one of the 10 works found a home [we kept one for ourselves!] and that 6 of them found homes in the USA!!

Here is a short archive of the work.

Coco Beach Series No's 1 - 2 - 3

Coco Beach Series No 5 - set in floating frame

Coco Beach Series No 6 - detail below

Coco Beach Series 7

Coco Beach Series 9

Coco Beach Series 10 - with detail below currently in the care of the artist's Wife!!

For more information please feel free to contact me 

Still Life Shapes

Still Life Shapes 

Set in a real wood box frame behind glass - the frame is finished with Farrow & Ball 'Worsted' grey paint measuring 29" x 23" x 2"