Old theme, new paintings

Until recently I was living in Wales, in a place called Rhandirmwyn, which translated means ‘district of minerals’. It’s an area with a long history of mining, and the hill directly behind my house is known locally as crystal mountain on account of all the quartz that came out when the mines were being dug. I started sketching the crystals I collected and getting fascinated by how nature can create such perfect geometry. This is an interest with a ‘long tail’. When I was little I was fascinated by geology, gemstones and crystals. (I might have pursued my interest in geology academically were it not for my inability to grapple with physics and chemistry!)

For a few months now this theme has been finding its way into my drawings and paintings, sketching and experimenting with colours, shapes and marks; exploring ideas about facets, triangles, transparency and three-dimensionality. I’ve also been reading the fascinating book ‘Jewels’ by Victoria Finlay.

Here’s one of my studies. This one plays with the idea of the tiny rainbows that dance about when a crystal is held to the light. I’ve been musing that art sometimes is a bit like a crystal growing, since this is a theme that has been forming in me for some 50 years!