Creating Absolute: Centered
by Daric Gill
Today I debut my latest painting, Absolute: Centered. Two concentric circles, aged and worn looking, hide behind a piece of masking tape and locust tree leaves. The frame, like most all my frames, is handmade. Quarter sawn oak has a unique figure that I felt matched the aesthetic undulations in the work itself.
Nail holes, gouged scarring, and rough mill marks add character to the background wood. The cool blue base color offers a rare opportunity to use orange paint (which tends to blend in if the natural wood color is present).
I can already tell that this piece is an exciting transitional piece. Enthusiasm builds as I anticipate what direction this will take me.
[More Images Below]
In another life, the wood base was a piece of barn siding. It has been tucked away in my studio for about 2 years. Much of the board’s original length has been used for other purposes, but I knew for certain that the last remnant should be an Absolute painting.
I’ve grown to really respect the aged patina and general history in old materials. This piece was no different. The aged look, rough grain, and the extreme distressed texture really caught my eye.
I chose to leave many of the scarring left in the wood from years of neglect. It seemed appropriate from the get-go and as the painting progressed, it has felt like the right move. If you look closely at the images in the gallery you can see that there’s a giant gash that goes right through the leaves. Instead of filling in the void where the paint was to be applied, I decided it fit the theme much better just to paint over the scar.
Daric Gill 