Poetic painting in new exhibition
Artist Ross Whitlock likes to paint small, describing his paintings as haiku, rather than an epic poem.
His new exhibition at Taylorjensen Fine Arts in Palmerston North is a collection of paintings done in his signature plein air style.
Whitlock explains his process: ‘‘I take my brushes outdoors and work on the spot. I have to work fast, keeping up with the sun and weather.’’
Whitlock has shown at the Taylor-jensen gallery since its inception almost 20 years ago and this exhibition comes 10 years after he retired from fulltime teaching as the head of the art department at Nga Tawa School.
Whitlock said that in his retirement he had spread his artistic wings even further and developed a more vivid and impressionistic art style.
‘‘As a teacher I tended to work in a very traditional manner beginning with either a line and mass block-in or a transparent monochrome imprimatura. These days I am a direct painter. I work much faster using a few bright primary colours and a very big brush. Exciting.’’
Whitlock said the viewer would be able to see his love for the sea and that painting outdoors was what he really loved to do.
‘‘It has become quite the thing to paint out-of-doors. These days I have up to 20 people joining me on Sunday afternoons at different locations.’’
Whitlock has exhibited frequently in recent years, both in solo and group exhibitions and reviews, winning prizes and awards including the ‘‘Popular Prize’’ in the Whanganui Art Awards.
The Primacy of Gesture: New paintings by Ross Whitlock runs until June 14.