Statement Sept 2009

Statement - Sept 2009

I thought that I'd write this statement to give anyone looking at this blog a better idea of who I am and what my thoughts are behind the work I make.

Since about January 2009 my work ethos has changed fairly dramatically and I've focussed much more on developing my practical abilities. In the past, where it's been ok for me to credit a healthy drawing practice and various trendy philosophical ideas, more recently I've felt a need to substantiate those ideas with a level of craft that best articulates such ideas. (I know there's still work to do!)

So, in some of my earlier work on this blog, you'll see me developing some of the stylistic habits I've grown with and in some of the more recent work, I hope you'll notice a marked shift in my work if only technically.

I've enjoyed working on paper as it's easier to develop a painting naturally, out of a drawing for me. In a way there's a certain existential part of me that respects whatever automatic marks come from a drawing process, but there's also a boring postmodern part that cynicises that process and wants to clarify and adjust those marks (articulated through painting in this case I guess). I think of my work as being (probably like myself ideologically) caught somewhere in the middle.

I make paintings because I enjoy it. I do study art theory/history etc... but I think that to worry about it as an artist is to miss the point. There's too much work made that satisfies an academic line of enquiry, or addresses a point that's easy for funding bodies to see the sense in. Not enough personality in work. My works are mine and quite fairly represent who I am and why I make work.

Because honesty is paramount in making artwork work. Even if I'm a complete prat, you've got to know that to really get my work.

Thanks for reading anyway, I appreciate your time in checking out my work. If you want to get in touch, pop me an email at harry.watton @ hotmail.co.uk

Cheers!

Harry