Jan O'Sullivan

For the last few weeks I have been concentrating on a series of small (A4) artworks. I generally prefer larger artworks, but have broken out of my comfort zone and have immersed myself into the smaller world. For the first few paintings I really did come close to madness - a small space requires a level of purposeful detail that is not easily achieved by my abstract style. I could make two large paintings in the time it takes me to do one small one. But, but in the end of the day, these smalller works have pushed me into exploring a style and direction that I can borrow from and inject into my larger works. 

This week I've been working on some large paintings, mostly in greens. I started my painting journey being unkind to the colour green - I avoided using it as it just turned everything BROWN. So I built up a big stock of unused green paint from multi-packs. When I finally thought about using them, I avoided using many other colours with them to avoid the BROWN issue. And I've come up with a very greeny style of painting that I enjoy and that I feel really will compliment many interior design styles. It is fresh and wild and natural looking.  Two samples included here, Mojito and Mint Julep, named after greeny cocktails. The originals are for sale on my Irish online galleries, the prints will be coming to Artmajeur soon. 

I enjoy working with extra long canvases, as I have a lot of suitable walls in my home to hang them on, so it works out well storage-wise. This piece is just under 120cm long and 50cm deep. Due to its size I will only be selling it for collection from my home. But I'll be launching the Print and Licence image soon. 

I'm working on some under paintings this week. My abstract process often involves doing a painting I'm ok with and it may sell, but it just doesn't do it for me. So then I splash it up and let loose, and perhaps destroy it.. but it mostly works out well. So this week, I'm working on the under paintings, that will never fully see the light of day, but will be a good bedrock for some more edgy siblings. Sometimes they beg to be left alone, ask me to forget the destroying stage.... but I just can't help it.