Colin Michael – Portrait of Venice, from sketches to abstraction. (Ring to view)
28th June to 22nd July 2011
Open evening Tuesday 28th June 7-9pm
An exhibition of sketches, watercolours and abstract oil paintings based on two forays to Venice during winter and summer of 2010. These works consider the beauty of this decaying but majestic city. Look carefully at some of the works and you will find small fragments within, this truly is a reflection of the real Venice.
This exhibition showcases the art of Colin Michael BA (hons) student of Ravensboune and Slade School of Art and a full member of the famous “Art Club” in Dover Street, London. It gives us the opportunity and a true insight into seeing how this known artist tackles imagery of the real – from the inception to its final conclusion – leading to abstraction.
Venice, the subject, has for centuries drawn so many known and unknown artists to explore light, the reflective water and the magnificent playfulness of the architecture in decay. With the flooding that takes place during the full moon in winter to blistering heat of summer, Michael spent time exploring the back canals of this famous city, with every day bringing a new colour and new line to the subject.
Michael firstly produces immediate line drawn sketches of the images of the real that he finds interesting in their structure, texture and movement – these are done on sight be it on land or boat. Some are so quick that they have almost taken on a form of their own. There are 60 sketches in all, though not all is shown in this exhibition but can be viewed if requested at the Private View only.
Armed with these sketches and reference materials from these forays to Venice – one in January and the other in June 2010 – Michael returned to his studio in Beckenham. The second stage in this journey was to produce watercolours, this being rather appropriate as it is all about Venice. The watercolours are not truisms, they again are about a feeling for the place. The watercolour is produced with the image in mind but not the reality; it is the beginning of abstracts.
The final stage was to bring together all the sketches and watercolours and to produce abstract paintings. These reflect the beauty of the decaying sinking city. Look carefully at some of the works and you will find small fragments within, this truly is a reflection of the real Venice.