etched by the wind

The face of the ocean, etched by the wind, it's patterns and muted tones carved into wood. An organic, swirling dramatic ocean that binds us to the land. These intimate sized wall pieces, in subtle and naturalistic colors, you have the sense of a piece of the ocean stopped in a moment of time. Evoking memories of the seaside and the colossal unharnessed power of nature. A new technology has been developed in collaboration with my husband to bring these amazing works.

First created in 2014, the ocean wave series, etched by the wind has evolved from an idea to a reality. Just look at that incredible detail. Ready for the NZ Art Show.

A little insight into the process involved in creating a piece like ‘etched by the wind’

My final year of study thesis looked at the way art could embrace both traditional and modern mediums. A highly unique methodology has been researched and developed to create this engaging art piece. A hybrid of traditional and contemporary art practices, this piece culminates both eras of art making.

In collaboration with my vfx husband Ronnie, the software utilised to create the waves structures, allows for complex patterns, not easily formed by hand given natures intricacies, but possible with the advent of the computer married with mathematics. Driven by complex mathematical algorithms which are based in statistical models of deep ocean waves.

Then a time consuming process of cutting the pine wood begins, driven by the computers geometric modelling, the machine forms the sculptures waves. This piece is unique in that it also crosses both disciplines of art, sculpture and oil painting. The wood is then painted in the time honored medium of oils. 
Etched by the wind’
600mm diameter
 

like thoughts inside a dream

There is something very finite about placing a frame around an artwork. The frame gives a border to an artwork, a space between what is real and what is not real. A window to the soul, the setting of a jewel. Up until the Abstract Expressionists did away with them, possibly due to it's old world thinking and the need for a new vernacular. Artworks became a frame-less portal on the wall.

Finding a little treasure like this brass frame in a second hand store is nothing short of a magical adventure, a step back in time. A collector has asked me to create a frame for her painting, wether to create a digital piece which reflects our time, or to create a traditional one by hand because in an age of 3d maybe it is creating a statement to rebel and make somehing

It gives the painting a different context, as did placing a cloud within a box as with my previous series Keepsake of a Cloud.

'Like thoughts inside of a dream'
(Softly into the twilight of night)
Oil on wood in vintage frame.
30x15cm
$225

along the road of dreams

Commission in progress, 'along the road of dreams'. The inspiration for this piece is again capturing a painting that feels like a recollection or memory. Giving dream like qualities to the paint texture and sunrise colours.

Morning light is unlike any other light during the day, both symbolically and literally. The prospects of a new day, a new dawn, a chance to try again. This painting, like a lot of others, chooses when it wants to show up. Some days that energy of the muse is there and others she's away on holidays. Those days are great for reading and sketching ideas. This one sort of appeared on her own, at times it really does feel like you are a vessel for something other than yourself, and you are the transcriber. A client had asked for a particular painting that has already sold, while recreating it and struggling to render the same painting, this one decided to show up. Also on my mind and of great influence is the recent film Blade Runner 2049.  As a huge fan of the original movie, Blade Runner by Ridley Scott, is now part of an epic saga with Blade Runner 2049, a masterpiece after its predecessor. Upon a second viewing it was a visually stunning sequel that adds amazing depth and questions to the original story line. The original film score by Vangelis, which is totally incredible and sets the tone for the whole world, is somehow still retained. The cinematography brings a contemporary but similar visual brilliance as seen in the first film. Staying true to the book and the thread of truth that a life is still a life, replicant or human. It is our humanity and empathy that is in question. Memories and recollections, a theme that recurs in my work.

Oil on canvas. 1000x400 mm

golden reverie

Latest painting, fresh off the easel. A 'golden reverie' on the face of the water. Water is a wonderful metaphor for emotions. The play of light, on the edge of realism and abstraction, this series seeks to evoke the movement of light, fractured light. Taking off from impressionism and Monets Water Lilly series, this series seeks to capture a slight digital artifact, the fracture painting technique I'm developing with the oil paint, captures a memory of golden sunlight reflected on the waters surface, a gentle breeze, sparkling light.
Impressionistic pixelism.

Solo Exhibition

Such a fabulous Solo Exhibition Opening  Thank you to all you peeps that made it out to celebrate, support and share this special evening of art and delicious food and drinks at Cafe Polo Gallery. Curated by the incredible artist Lynne Sandri Photos thanks to Maria Shadbolt
Shows on until the 14th of May, pop in and have a visual and culinary treat.

canvas200 NZAFA

The New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts Wellington has its annual Canvas200. Come and see works contributed by established New Zealand Artists to add to your collection.

5:30 Thursday the 21st of March, tickets can be purchased at office@nzafa.com.
Randomly numbered artworks will be gifted according to the number on your ticket.
http://www.nzafa.com/web/canvas200

"The refusal of nature". Oil on wood.

http://www.nzafa.com/web/canvas200-0

virtual reality

New beginnings, new ideas, new content and themes. The start of an idea that has whirled around in my head for a good few years. My new series is focusing on the figure. In particular motion of the figure

through photographic image capture.  Nothing new to the world of fine arts, but definitely well worth exploring as it relates to our times, a snapshot of our time. We live in an age of digital manipulation, virtual reality, 3d immersive content, a world that is always in flux, transient, in motion. This series is seeking to explore that. Watching my children enter this

age brings about many experiences for them and myself as an observer, that are very different to my own childhood. So here begins "illustion of time". This series will be part of my Solo show

in May, along with a collection of transient Cloud paintings from the past year.

Belinda Griffiths : Solo Exhibition

1st of May, Cafe Polo, 6:30pm

NZ Academy of Fine Arts Spring Exhibition

Belinda Griffiths latest exhibition news. Wall sculpture ready for the NZ Academy of Fine Arts Spring Exhibition.

The face of the ocean, etched by the wind, it's patterns and muted tones carved into wood.An organic, swirling dramatic ocean that binds us to the land. These intimate sized wall pieces, in subtle and naturalistic colors, you have the sense of a piece of the ocean stopped in a moment of time. Evoking memories of the seaside and the colossal unharnessed power of nature. A new technology has been developed in collaboration with my husband to bring these amazing works.

New Series Fractured Light

"Abstract art has shown that the qualities of line and shape, proportion and colour convey meaning directly without the use of words or pictorial representation. Drawn lines and marks can be expressive without any association with a representational image."

Abstract Impressionism, these words, for all they can represent, feel like a good description for  where my practice is currently heading. This current body of work, Fractured Light, is exploring light and reflection, billowing clouds, a fleeting glimpse of dappled light, a dissolving reflection of the sea, memories of the elementary with a hint of the digital. A visual language, deriving from Cy Twombly and his predecessor Claude Monet, his love of light and motion. A new technique has been developed over the last two years, that represents a memory, as opposed to a literal interpretation of reality. It is definitely in keeping with my practice, of crossing the bridge of both traditional and contemporary. Here are a few pieces, which is a culmination of the last three years, developing a style, a language to communicate color, motion and content.