The best description of my work would be an impressionist landscape with a strong leaning towards abstraction.
Unlike most impressionists, I am more interested in structural details, not vistas. I enjoy investigating the ‘bones’ of nature: dissecting and extracting strong linear forms.
The paint is applied loosely, layered and thatched away. I like to build it up, as well as wipe over and even paint out previously painted areas. This enhances the sense of depth and reflection, creating vague shadows and rhythms. Seasons are insinuated through dribbles of paint and relaxed brushwork on a range of surfaces.
Expansive spaces and opaque washes of earthy quiet colours are integral to the process.
The study of etching has allowed me to incorporate it into my artwork since 2007. This additional technique has enabled me to refine my work, adding new dimensions and therefore feelings.
My home and studio are located in bushland on a river. The only access is by boat, over an ever-changing body of water. This close connection with nature has had a profound influence on my work. My painting is now taking on a more rhythmical and sinuous quality, culminating in a stronger, more abstract format, which is a reflection of experience.
This is a result of the maturing of my visual language.
Chris Kenyon