RUSSELL GILDER PAINTINGS

I work primarily on large format paintings using oil on canvas and panel. My main interests are capturing form, light, and space within the landscape. The aim of the work is to evoke a feeling of enclosure – a landscape perceived from within. Glimpses of light seen in the distance reinforce the sense of permanence, which mirrors references to written narratives. Themes of association include Milton’s “Comus”.

These oil paintings are worked from an exhaustive series of large-scale charcoal and pencil drawings. The colours used suggest mystery, while the naturalism of place is still manifest. The scale of the work is important as the aim is to give the viewer an immersive experience, therefore I work as large as possible, periodically using diptych or triptych pieces to create one overall image.