landscape painting

Purple Haze

| Anna Cull
Anna Cull Purple Haze 2016
Purple Haze — acrylic on canvas, 255 x 760 mm, 2016. SOLD

“The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity.” Alberto Giacometti

‘Purple Haze’ is now finished and drying. There’s lots of texture on this one, yet again, but also the suggestion of a different way of working — or perhaps a different way of seeing. It’s almost as if this is two different paintings: the tactile, high-contrast foreground and the hazy, purple hills in the distance. The extra texture wasn’t planned but it happens sometimes when I get lost in the process. The two different styles do combine to give it a wonderful 3D quality though. But my favourite part… my favourite part is the clouds. I feel like I really ‘got’ the clouds.

Today is a good day

| Anna Cull
Above and Beyond, diptych, 2016 — acrylic on canvas, 760 x 505 mm (each canvas)
Above and Beyond, diptych, 2016 — acrylic on canvas, 760 x 505 mm (each canvas). SOLD

I had a lot of fun with these paintings. I hope it shows. I don’t often say whether I’m happy with my paintings or not, mainly because I don’t think it’s relevant; once they’re done, they’re done. Well, I’m really really happy with these two. Yes, today is a good day.

I’m reminded of Marcus Romer’s brilliant tweet which went viral several years ago and is still often quoted:

The Creative Process
1. This is awesome
2. This is tricky
3. This is shit
4. I am shit
5. This might be ok
6. This is awesome

How strange that so many (if not all) creative people experience this process. It may be something you experience during a single project, a challenge that tests you and takes you from one extreme to the other and back again, or it can take many months. I’ve just been through one that’s lasted almost four months, so I’m happy to be back on top of things — especially with the Christchurch Art Show only six weeks away. I’ve signed up for three panels this year (I had two last year) and I wanted these paintings finished for the opening night exhibition. It’s nice to be ahead of schedule for a change.

The Christchurch Art Show, 23rd–26th June at Wigram Air Force Museum.

What other people want

| Anna Cull

WIP underpainting — charcoal and paint
WIP underpainting — charcoal and paint

WIP — more paint
WIP — more paint

WIP — colour blocking
WIP — colour blocking

“Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.” Barbara Kingsolver

I love this quote. What is it that I have to say? I’d rather let the painting do the talking.

Framing the view

| Anna Cull

Anna-Cull-Framing-the-View-2015
Framing the view — acrylic on canvas, 190 x 480 mm, 2015. Private collection.

‘The View’ is a little something I made for this year’s Christmas market at Sumner.* The painting is of our beautiful Kaikoura coastline as seen from the Port Hills in Christchurch. I found a $5 frame at a recycling depot, removed the seriously ugly dried flower art that was in it, and painted a landscape on canvas to complement the mahogany-coloured wood (see photograph below). It was such a fun project, I may have to go in search of more frames that need rescuing.

*I’ll be selling my art cards and a few of my smaller paintings at the Sumner Market in Christchurch this coming Sunday 13th and also Sunday 20th December, 10 am – 2 pm.

Framing 'The View'
Framing ‘The View’

Sale week eight

| Anna Cull

This week’s featured artworks are my Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse mini canvas and the Moeraki Boulders paintings. Please click on the images below for more information.

Lighthouse — acrylic on canvas, 102 x 102 mm
Lighthouse — SOLD

Moeraki Boulders (One) — acrylic on canva,s 305 x 405 mm
Moeraki Boulders (One) — SOLD

Moeraki Boulders (Two) — acrylic on canva,s 305 x 405 mm
Moeraki Boulders (Two) — SOLD