ORBITAL
1967

Acrylic on unstretched canvas, primed with casein.

 

Description:
Large areas of monochromatic colours brushed on; use made of building up glowing colours by over painting with thin washes of acrylic. Masking tape initially used, but the casein priming resulted in some of the paint layer lifting off with the tape.

 

 

 

Exhibited:
Cite International des Arts, Paris, 1968
Qantas, Paris, 1968
Canberra Gallery opening exhibition 1968
reviewed by Robin Wallace Crabbe, Canberra Times 8 of October 1968.

 

Dates:
commenced October 1967; completed August 1968

 

Size:
71" x 51"

 

Sale:
Purchased by the Friends of the Gallery for the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, 2024

 

Notes:
First venture into large-scale paintings, following lengthy period in which I was producing only prints. Use of casein is a priming eight was found to be a mistake, as on returning to Australia the paint layer began cracking badly; this was corrected by repainting parts and treating the surface with Larapol varnish dissolved in mineral turps.
The inspiration to the painting came from orbital one and the treatment and colourful very similar. At the same time can the realisation that the experience from the prints study in purple and full speed could be continued on a much larger scale to advantage, and the approach offered by the prints was not as intrinsically sterile and other emotional as I feared. If

 

Slides sent to Lily Hitch at design art centre Brisbane $200 25th of February 1969.