This summer I downscaled and made a collection of small abstract paintings which has prooved to be a great painting experience!

These works on paper have a real lightness to them that I enjoyed playing with because finding ‘lightness’ in painting is an element I’ve been working on for the past year. Lightness and balance lends an ethereal sofness to paintings and I may just have acheived the type of paintings I wanted to make this year through this body of work.

Each painting is framed to a high standard using museum quality glass (to protect the painting) white mount and sprayed white wooden frames. There are two size options for these paintings 44x44cm, £400 or 43x33cm, £350.

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Languid, 2021, oil paint, oil bar & charcoal on paper, (framed) 43x33cm £350

About these paintings:

These small abstract paintings follow on from my last series of works but as they’re on paper they read a little differently. I had actually planned on upscaling this summer but due to Covid and Brexit painting materials (like many other materials!) are in short supply. So as an alternative I went back to working on paper. Changing paint surfaces is actually a good habit as it makes me think about the painting differently- how I approach it and apply paint. I find this is a good exercise in keeping things fresh in my studio practice.

small abstract paintings
Ethereal, 2021, oil paint, oil bar & charcoal on paper (framed), 44x44cm £400

Painting materials and techniques:

I made these paintings using oil paint, oil bar and charcoal. I’m a little obsessed with these materials and have been working with them as a combined trio for the last 4 years. If you follow my Instagram account you will know how I love to manipulate and push these materials. 

small abstract paintings, framed abstract painting
Shimmy, 2021, oil paint, oil bar & charcoal on paper (framed), 44x44cm £400

For example, something I find really pleasurable when painting is to mix oil paint with charcoal- this is a really delicious painting process to get stuck into because mixing the dryness of charcoal with the wetness of oil paint gives a wonderful depth and texture.

Because these small abstract paintings are made on oil paper I wasn’t able to work into the surface as much as I would when working on a panelboard or canvas. However, I still employed the same painting techniques such as scraping in through the layers of paint, scratching off paint to reapply it for effect and applying/ removing areas with masking tape to build a hard-edged paint line. All this done with a little less pressure so the paper would not rip or curl.

small abstract paintings
Vernacular, 2021, oil paint, oil bar & charcoal on paper, (framed) 43x33cm £350

Please let me know if you have any questions about these new small abstract paintings, always happy to chat! If you are not in the London area I can send you detail images and videos so you will know exactly what you are getting. For larger works on panel board & canvas please view here.

Thanks for checking out my paintings, Aisling x