Ahead of his group show with Joel Sorensen and Zoe Amor, we sat down with Australian landscape painter Greg Wood to discuss his new body of work for 'Between the Pages of the Earth and Sky'.
OTOMYS: How do you understand your work in relation to the earth and the sky?
Greg Wood: Atmospheric qualities of the air, its manner, density and effect on light, has always interested me. Natural environments where the air smothers the land, immersing everything in its orbit is when the earth and sky become entwined and this resonates with me deeply. Capturing the subtlety of this atmosphere which traverses over land forms, obscuring information, is integral to my work.
OTOMYS: You live and work in the Castlemaine region of Victoria. How does your relationship to this beautiful part of the world inform your artistic practice?
Greg Wood: My home and studio is situated alongside Forest Creek in Chewton, amongst the recovering eucalyptus forests of the former Victorian goldfields. Prior to moving here, I tended to be drawn to more dramatic, mountainous landscapes usually experienced when I travelled for my source material. I’ve come to realise that actually living within the landscape that I paint, constantly absorbing it, consciously and subconsciously, has had a revelatory impact upon my artistic practice. The drama here is of a different kind; this area holds mystery and a sense of wonder with its mining history.
The surrounding dry hills, gullies and creek beds require close observation and long stretches of time before their hidden qualities begin to reveal themselves.
As my connection and understanding of the Castlemaine region deepens, so too does its impact on my artistic practice.
OTOMYS: There is a strong thread in each of your works between the natural environment, memory and consciousness. What is it that draws you to examine nature in relation to one's psyche?
Greg Wood: The observation of the movement of light, clouds, atmospheric shifts of seasons and weather, and the interplay between these elements and the landscape, is pure emotion and painting is how I express this. The act of absorbing and observing nature outdoors takes hold like a seed in my consciousness, this then germinates when I work on the canvas in my studio.
The source material for my painting is gathered outdoors; feelings and emotions during this time become sensory memories which the act of painting allows me to express, free from control and compromise.
OTOMYS: Can you speak to your selected medium as your chosen artistic expression. What is it that draws you to this medium, and through this medium what have you discovered about yourself?
Greg Wood: The process of painting with oils requires a kind of rigour; a commitment from start to finish. This language of oil painting allows expression of the subtle shifts in colours, oil paint hovers over the surface of linen and the pigments, fibres and minerals are the breathing. This medium has no boundaries – with the smallest amount of pigment suspended in oil all you need is a gentle layer of another colour to reveal everything. I love starting from a blank canvas and every gesture layers over the top of each other and suddenly I’m participating in a form of illusion that dances with memory.
