Over the last year, I’ve become aware that my practice has relied heavily on the use of photography. When I have not been able to paint from life, photography has aided me in the creation of work. It has also enabled me to share it with others online, throughout the pandemic.
My inspiration for painting derives from direct experience of the landscape, which I am able to record through photography. My camera is a tool which enables me to determine a successful composition, for a potential painting. The viewfinder presents a clear vision of the components within a scene. With an ability to zoom in and out, the camera allows me to focus upon a scene’s prominent features. By zooming in with my camera, I am able to get a clear image of a view, which wouldn’t necessarily have been seen otherwise. This image can then be used as a reference for working in the studio. Once finished, the painting will then be documented in the form of a photograph and shared online.
Photography is used as a visual aid for painting, however, I do not wish to create a photo-realistic depiction. Through paint, I wish to present an atmosphere which is influenced by my own experience of a place and to highlight aspects of the scene which have determined the composition.
Here are a selection of photographs which have previously been used as a reference for work, presented next to their corresponding paintings.
Adalia Mynett 