Penny Grennan
Exhibiting from Saturday, 9th July 2011
Family Portraits.
Like many homes Wallington Hall presents its story through its objects. Each object represents some aspect of the life and history of the Hall and to that extent is as important as the people who have lived there. Portrait painting has a long tradition and is usually concerned with dignitaries and family members. My work is a response to this. I will make portraits of objects, in different ways, and will place them in the house, thereby exploring the value that we place on things.
Portraits of Things in the making.
The process of making the portraits is shown below. I take photographs and then use them as reference for painting or they become the work. I work in oil paint on canvas or linen, as well as with photographs on canvas.
Like many homes Wallington Hall presents its story through its objects. Each object represents some aspect of the life and history of the Hall and to that extent is as important as the people who have lived there. Portrait painting has a long tradition and is usually concerned with dignitaries and family members. My work is a response to this. I will make portraits of objects, in different ways, and will place them in the house, thereby exploring the value that we place on things.
Portraits of Things in the making.
The process of making the portraits is shown below. I take photographs and then use them as reference for painting or they become the work. I work in oil paint on canvas or linen, as well as with photographs on canvas.
A kendo drinking cup
I photographed this object which is a C16 kendo drinking vessel.
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stage 1
I then over painted an existing canvas of a figure looking at the Anthony Gormley figures at Crosby, near Liverpool. I like the idea of the shadow of people looking at the object when there will be shadows of people at Wallington looking at the object and the painting, especially as they are behind glass..
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stage 2
It is all a question of balance and I wanted more object, less background
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stage 3
Resulting in the right balance.
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A Nun
I took blurred photograph of a nun
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stage 1
Which resulted in me getting the shape wrong
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stage 2
So, I changed the shape and background
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stage 3
and painted more flowers at her feet.
This painting is installed behind the figure in the porcelain cabinet and the result looks like a giant theatre set in minature. |
Its all a matter of scale
Caught napping by the camera, having 40 winks after a heavy nursery tea in the Doll's House room. This photograph is to be found in a decaying papery state in one of the Doll's houses.
Things on the piano
These feet are to be found in the cabinet of curiosities. I have framed them and put them among the family photos on the piano in the drawing room.
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In the doll's House
A view through a window taken in the Doll's House room which is now hanging in the place of a window on the outside of one of the Doll's houses.
Things from the attic
These ladies were found in the attic, bound together by a luggage label, they too are now framed and are part of the family photos on the piano in the drawing room.
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