by caroline millar
Acrylic, newsprint, pencil, oil pastel on plywood board
h: 30 w: 30 d: 5 (cms).
'Vessels 1' is part of a series of paintings made during lockdown when focus turned inwards to the emotional world and to home. In the home a simple vessel may hold sustenance, a posy of flowers, objects we wish to keep safe, or be a thing of value in its own right, for its beauty or the associations it holds.
This painting was inspired by a newspaper article about the moral dilemma of buying a coffee during lockdown. Do we queue up for a throwaway paper cup of something we can easily get in the safety of our own home to support a local business and have a quick slug of 'normal' life? Or stay home, stay safe, protect the NHS and enjoy a cup of Java out of a favourite old mug?
by caroline millar
Acrylic on plywood board
h: 30 w: 30 d: 5 (cms).
In this painting the 'landscape' is presented, as if viewed from above, as a series of intersecting shapes, textures and colours - similar to the 'landscapes' found in the patterns and textures of the built environment when seen close-up.
'Containment 1' was inspired by the conflicting feelings of security and restriction experienced during lockdown, when emotions and perceptions were turned on their head. Graphic shapes combine with organic forms to represent the dichotomy of the experiece of being contained - weaving into the 'landscape' the emotions and felt-sense of the artist.
by caroline millar
Acrylic, oil pastel and pencil, on plywood board
h: 30 w: 30 d: 5 (cms).
'Containment 3' is part of a series inspired by the changes to life during lockdown. Perceptions have shifted. Priorities have changed. The standpoint of the viewer has altered. The traditional landscape, something normally travelled to, to experience, is no longer available.
This piece relates to the memories (some real, some optimistically imagined) of ancient and distant cities that hold many layers of human experience within their structure and materials.
by caroline millar
Acrylic, newsprint, oil pastel and pencil, on plywood board
h: 30 w: 30 d: 5 (cms).
'Containment 2' is part of a series inspired by the changes experienced during lockdown when the idea of 'landscape' shifted from the traditional and expansive views of ancient Scottish hills and glens to the patterns and details found in the surfaces around the west end of Glasgow - patches of moss on old masonary, flaky paintwork on lamp posts, cracks in pavements, remnants of posters peeled from hoardings, old papered walls hanging in limbo on a demolition site when work has abruptly come to a halt - all imperfect yet beautiful in their own way.
This piece explores the ways in which 'home' may or may not be a safe place for many during this crisis.