C . J . P h u
“Plantext”
Mixed media paintings
“Many viewers have observed that my painting
style seems influenced by printmaking and monotype. That’s partly because the
fluidity and the transparency of the acrylic paint offer me a degree of control
that reinforces my particular technique. In my painting, I enjoy using tools
similar to those used in printmaking, and especially enjoy the heft and shape of
the tools in my hand. I’ve seldom used brushes to paint, and for nearly ten
years had given them up altogether.
I discovered that for me it was much more
enjoyable to scratch and sculpt the surfaces of the paintings. Similar to
printmaking, I also work flat on a table or on a supporting surface. “Thanks
to the flexibility of acrylics, over the years I’ve adapted my use of them to
create the layered, monotype-looking effects in my paintings. The medium’s
fast-drying properties enable me to work in layer after layer to achieve the
degree of complexity I envisioned for a given painting. I also use the force of
water, sprinkled or sprayed from a bottle, to manipulate and control the
surfaces of the paint. Using splashes of water to create textures and effects
can be as unpredictable as the fluidity of water itself, and the result is
always surprising. To some extent, the water lets me cede control over a
painting’s final state, thus introducing to the creative process an element
of surprise that I find personally very
rewarding.”
| Exhibition |