A Couple of New Paintings

Continuing the idea of folded/folding paintings, here are two new works inspired by concertina doors, the type of which you see on lifts or building service entrances such as this lovely rusty example on the AWRE site at Orford Ness.

AWRE - Lab 4 - Orford Ness - Door

Nic Pehkonen - AWRE - Lab 4 - Orford Ness (1), 2016

Detail

Nic Pehkonen - AWRE - Lab 4 - Orford Ness (2), 2016

New Paintings

Here are various views of some completed paintings that I have been working on this year. As my studio comes up short in terms of ceiling height, photos had to be taken with the works flat on the floor although this is also less than ideal as in most cases I couldn't achieve the necessary elevation to photograph them square on. Never mind.

As points of reference, I have included additional images which may go some way to explaining where the idea for each painting has come from...

Nic Pehkonen, Double Opening, 40cm x 180cm 

Nic Pehkonen, Double Opening  (other way up!)

Nic Pehkonen, Double Opening (detail).

Inside one of the test laboratories on the AWRE site at Orfordness 

Nic Pehkonen, Beam, 30cm x 227cm

Nic Pehkonen, Beam (other way up)

Nic Pehkonen, Beam (detail)

Supporting steelwork for duct pipes at Orfordness

Nic Pehkonen, Orange and Turquoise, 49cm x 230cm (max dimensions)

Nic Pehkonen, Orange and Turquoise (other way up)

Nic Pehkonen, Orange and Turquoise (detail)

Nic Pehkonen, Red and White, 49cm x 230cm (max dimensions)

Nic Pehkonen, Red and White, (Other way up)

Nic Pehkonen, Red and White (detail)

Orfordness, an endless source of inspiration...

Nic Pehkonen, Yellow and Turquoise, 25cm x 230cm

Nic Pehkonen, Yellow and Turquoise (other way up)

Nic Pehkonen, Yellow and Turquoise (detail)

Not a building but a close-up of a bulldozer radiator grill

Nic Pehkonen, Grey Panel, 86cm x 90cm

Sizewell A Power Station, main reactor building exterior

Nic Pehkonen, Grey Panel (detail)

Nic Pehkonen, Grey Panel (detail)

Jazzarte

The Cheltenham Group of Artists spring exhibition coincides this year with the Jazz Festival - hence the "Jazzarte" theme…

Nic Pehkonen, Piano Keys

The exhibition runs from 29 April until 05 May at the Gardens Gallery.

New Work

Here is something I have been working on for a while. Its a bit of an experiment really that combines two ideas, the first of which came about in the summer when I was photographing some of my paintings and had a pile of them laid out on the floor. The top one happened to be full of holes which meant the colours of the painting underneath were revealed through the openings. It looked great so I thought why not make a painting deliberately this way?

The other idea is something I have had in the back of my mind for ages which is to make a work painted on both sides, designed to be hung facing either way.

Combining both these ideas has resulted in a piece that can actually be displayed in four different ways - here are all the permutations;

Yellow over Green

white(ish) over green

Yellow over turquoise

White(ish) over turquoise

Four paintings for the price of one!!!

Solo exhibition - Centrespace Gallery, Bristol.

I will be having a solo exhibition at the Centrespace gallery in Bristol from 10 - 15 October.

Nic Pehkonen at Centrespace, Bristol. October 10 - 15, 2014

There will be around a dozen both new and older large-scale pieces on show, all reflecting the various architectural influences which continue to dominate my work.

Corinium Museum, Cirencester

I am currently exhibiting with the Cheltenham Group of Artists at the Corinium Museum in Cirencester.  The exhibition runs until 25th June and museum is open daily. Entrance to the gallery is free and it is a nice, compact space so well worth a look if you are heading to, or just passing through Cirencester.

I remember going to the museum quite frequently as a child and always loved seeing the Roman House room reconstructions (complete with underfloor heating), the life-size Roman soldier and the Roman? skeleton kept laid out alongside a darkened walkway for spooky effect…

There are also some amazing mosaics too!

Nic Pehkonen, Test Specimen, 2014, Emulsion on unstretched canvas, 86cm x 90cm 

No Parking!

Here is one of the North Place car parks in Cheltenham now closed since the council sold it off. It actually shut a while ago pending re-development as affordable housing although I believe the deal may have fallen through so I'm not sure what the future now holds for this site.

North Place Car Park, Cheltenham

From an aesthetic point of view though, I am enjoying the sight of an empty car park currently only accessible to pedestrians and cyclists en route to and from the town centre.

North Place Car Park, Cheltenham

Of course, I don't imagine this can last and my guess is that it will probably re-open as private car park until another developer comes along…

North Place Car Park, Cheltenham (looking South)

But in the meantime I can enjoy the satisfying and panoramic expanse of grey and white.

North Place Car Park, Cheltenham (looking North!)

My Cannondale SM2000 - again!

It seems that my bike certainly gets around. Stolen and recovered in the UK last year but now apparently being offered for sale on ebay in the USA…

My bike, apparently now in two places at once - my house and Denver, Colorado.

According to the ebay seller, "artbroker4u", the bike was recently purchased at an estate sale.

It is a nice bike which is why I still have it, happily taking up space at my house!

New work in progress

Here are a couple of new paintings I have been working on over the last few months and which are now finally approaching completion. The first painting is in two sections which are designed to be hung right up against each other. In the image below one section is hanging over the top of the other but you can hopefully imagine how they would look side by side from the shape of the piece in front (see the drawing below to get the idea). I need to find a suitably large free space in order to be able to hang and photograph the painting as I want it.

Nic Pehkonen, Yellow painting, (in progress), household emulsion paint on unstretched canvas, each section approx 6' x 6'

Nic Pehkonen, drawing design for yellow painting

As with most of my work, the ideas behind this painting have evolved over time from a variety of sources and subject matter so the reason it looks the way it does is mostly due to a visual coming together of this…

Orfordness, Lab 2 Blast-doors

and this…

Sizewell A, Perimeter wall section.

and this…

Uranium Oxide (Yellowcake)

The second work currently in the pipeline is:

Nic Pehkonen, Double Duct Pipe, 2013, 8' x 2' (approx), Household emulsion Paint on unstretched canvas

The idea for this painting comes from the pipes in the building below, the ends of which can be seen protruding at ground-level. I need to try and find out the exact function of these pipes within this test laboratory. Perhaps they were part of some sort of ventilation system? Either way, they look intriguing as they disappear into the wall. The tall cross-shaped openings set into the walls are going to feature in a new painting, which I have just begun.

Orfordness, View inside Lab 4

Cheltenham Group of Artists - exhibitions in September

This month there will be two exhibitions of work by the Cheltenham Group of Artists.

Nic Pehkonen, Orfordness, 2013

Both exhibitions are in Cheltenham, the first of which is from 07 to 15 September in the Hub Gallery at Christchurch followed more or less immediately by the 2013 Autumn exhibition at the Parabola Arts Centre which runs from 19 to 27 September.

Also, the annual National Heritage Open Days event is running from 12 to 15 September which provides a good opportunity to visit buildings and places, some of which are not usually open to the public.

Minibrix

Does anybody remember owning or playing with Minibrix?

Minibrix

For those who don't know, Minibrix is a now defunct but fabulously satisfying construction toy made from rubber. It came in a regular brick format and also in Tudor black and white.

Minibrix - Catalogue/Instructions

 According to Minibrix.com, it first entered production in the 1930s before it's final demise in the late1970s when the last remaining factory stock was dumped in a skip - like miniature builder's rubble! There were probably a number of reasons for its downfall although I expect the ascendancy of other construction toys (Lego in particular) would have been a significant factor. This is a shame as it was a well designed product. The bricks fit together strongly and are also very tactile. Furthermore, they make a hugely satisfying pop when you press them together or pull them apart. Another great feature is that unlike Lego they seem to get better with age. The bricks in the set I grew up with have acquired a white chalky looking patina where the rubber has started to slowly break down. 

Anyway, enough words - here are some things I built recently, clearly demonstrating my formidable construction skills and architectural vision.

Lets start with a bunker...

Nic Pehkonen, Bunker

Nic Pehkonen, Bunker (another view)

Continuing the military theme with a pillbox.

Nic Pehkonen, Pillbox

And then an observation tower.

Nic Pehkonen, Observation Tower

Another tower - this time it could be a water tower...

Nic Pehkonen - Water Tower

A factory

Nic Pehkonen, Factory

A chapel maybe...

Nic Pehkonen, Chapel

And then a ruined building.

Nic Pehkonen, Ruined building

Looking inside

...from another angle

...and another

One final interior shot

Lastly, here are a couple of buildings you can make from actual instructions, assuming you have the correct set/s. I think there were seven Minibrix and three Tudor sets in all.

Minibrix - Modern Flats

Minibrix - The Moot Hall, Aldeburgh