Heavy Rainbows
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Oil paintings available for sale at: Artgallery.co.uk / MarkCawood
Golden Fleece. 70cm x 50cm, 2020
£1,100
Golden Fleece was inspired from a photograph I'd taken during a wonderful day out at a Petting Farm, a place where people can interact with the resident animals usually consisting of sheep, pigs, cows and chickens, animals with a similar intelligence to that of cats and dogs.
Petting Farms serve as an affordable day out for people of all ages. They are a place where you can recharge your batteries whilst the kids burn off their excess energy, and are proven to relieve mental health issues.
Iconoclastic Tears. 80cm x 60cm, 2025
£1,300
Positioned just off-centre, the candles look strong and dominate the composition. However a closer look reveals their perpetual vulnerability as they constantly rely upon the supporting hand in order to remain upright and functional. Similar to our global civilisation that also relies on mutual support and tolerance in order to function, and indeed survive.
The Heavy Sound of Light. 50cm x 60cm, 2023
£1,300
The composition consists of personal influences involving culture, inclusion, music and the environment. And a living plant that, apart from possessing aesthetic beauty, plays a fundamental role in the sustainability of life such as cleansing the air of carbon emissions and other greenhouse gasses. Nature's spectrum of colour is created through a prism of light that contrasts with the backdrop of a lighless sky.
Sound is an invisible form of art that can paint a picture, and I believe it's equally important to listen to what a painting has to say.
Sea of Souls. 80cm x 60cm, 2024.
£1,300
The painting focuses on the dramatic increase in carbon emissions that aren't actually visible to the naked eye but nevertheless they're there. Consequently I've symbolised the contaminated air with heavy looking clouds. The sailing boat serves as a focal point however in terms of narrative, it is merely incidental.
Meteorological Meltdown. 80cm x 60cm, 2022.
£1,300
The figure could be in paradise, however a closer look reveals rapids rising from snow-capped mountains, and the lack of foliage on the branches suggest a winter heatwave.
I'm pleased with the depth captured in the composition, though a little surprised several online galleries have declined to showcase the piece, apparently because the main focal point is a naked figure. Not for sale on the Artgallery.co.uk website.
Relic. 80cm x 60cm, 2025.
£1,500
Developed from a photograph I'd taken during a holiday in Spain with the family. I enjoy developing a balance between realism and abstraction that, if successful, can open doors to new ways of seeing (and understanding). 'Relic' took a lot longer than initially anticipated due to repeatedly reworking the image until I was satisfied such a balance had been achieved.
Lost at Sea. 80cm x 60cm, 2012.
£900
The painting conveys a sense of danger with the skipper struggling to prevent the small, fragile looking boat from capsizing. The vibrant orange sky suggests an impending heatwave. Lost at Sea has contributed to many exhibitions highlighting the environmental dangers of excessive carbon emissions largely caused by fossil energy.
Perilous Journey. 80cm x 60cm, 2013.
£1,100
The initial inspiration for the painting came during a day out with the family somewhere on the beautiful south coast of Spain. I came across a similar looking boat, semi sunken in the river's estuary. She looked old, neglected and forgotten, and I began wondering about her previous ventures, perhaps involving excitement, battling the elements and finally, a perilous journey. Oh how I wished she could tell her life story.
Stone Illusion. 80cm x 60cm, 2023.
£1,100
Stone Circles were created around the bronze age (between 2000-3000 bc), and are frequently associated with mystical beliefs involving healing and ritual ceremonies. The positioning of the stones often line up perfectly with the sun rising or setting, suggesting their creators held a high degree of astronomical understanding relevant to nature, time, and possibly worship. I've visited several stone circle sites where I've always felt a unique and calming presence that is probably best explained by recommending a personal visit.
After I'd completed the painting my first impression was the conspicuous nature of the stones and how they appeared to represent silhouetted figures. The water in the painting is another illusion as it's not actually present . . . yet.
Twisted Nature. 80cm x 60cm, 2022.
£1,100
Global climate change has caused ever increasing severe weather patterns, with reports of tornadoes occurring larger and more frequently around the globe. Once an incoming tornado is identified, citizens are advised to board up all windows and doors before moving to a safer area. However Shannon, a self-proclaimed storm-chaser, perceives tornadoes as a thing of beauty: "I love witnessing the savage beauty of a tornado in its natural environment".
Heavy Rainbows
Heavy Rainbows consists of ten chapters told in chronological order, supported with coloured photographs involving personal experiences from childhood to recent times, many of which influenced the development of my art. I discuss Western Art from the mid-nineteenth century to the present, and how the art establishment responded to the invention of the camera. For example the Impressionists renounced traditional art by embracing everyday compositions with heavy brush strokes.
Several chapters discuss artists who've influenced my work including Rene Magritte, Pablo Picasso, and Banksy. One chapter covers my time teaching, an occupation that gave me the opportunity to escape from the isolation of the studio and connect with the community. I delivered government funded courses within the Lifelong Learning sector where I met some incredibly interesting people from diverse backgrounds. I taught students in secure hospitals where it was an honour and privilege to be involved with their academic development, particularly watching them receive a nationally accredited qualification that often served as their first step to independent living.
