artist spotlight: martin blundell
"The interest in the landscape is a chance to share the dramatic beauty of the land and sky, and to remember the feelings and emotion that accompany our interaction with it.” MARTIN BLUNDELL, LANDSCAPE ARTIST
but finishes with a palette knife––a process he implores to eliminate detail. “The paintings have a graphic quality that I think is a tendency held over from my early printmaking work,” Martin said. “I was making images that involved autobiographical information and references––random images collaged from memory and life. The work was personal and invited open-ended interpretations.” Of course, Martin also considers the formal qualities of each piece–– composition, complementary color relationships and classical aesthetics. But the ultimate goal is to portray the expansive and powerful presence of the landscape and its inspiring impact. Often, he accomplishes this through scale. Other times it means setting a piece aside for several months then revisiting it––scraping, sanding and overpainting––to reveal something truly transformational. “It seems incongruous that paintings don’t effortlessly become admired works,” Martin said. “I have pondered the value of failure in success, and subsequently don’t give up on paintings. Many times those that are lost are found and transform into my most meaningful paintings.”
Having traveled throughout the western United States and Canada many times over, Martin Blundell was captivated by the quiet power and stillness of sunrises and sunsets, atmospheric changes during storms, and unique landforms of the high desert, mountain valleys and rural regions. His admiration of these picturesque scenes eventually beckoned him to recount them in paintings.
But Martin didn’t want to simply portray landscapes through traditional representations. He wanted to connect people with familiar memories, experiences and emotions, while also revealing something new in a contemporary way. “I describe my work as the intersection of reality and memory, a depiction of reality, affected by memories, feelings and emotions,” he said.
He achieves this by retracing his travels many times over––both in memory and first-hand experiences. This helps
him form a deeper connection to the
landscape and create strong images that can only develop through the passage of time. Though Martin often uses references––photos and field drawings––to start a piece or adjust compositions, he typically finishes pieces based on memory and emotion. Similarly, he may start with a brush,
Watch Martin's interview here.
Artwork: October Fields By Martin Blundell.
Issue 2 | Fall 2022
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