Neve Gresswell

Giving a second life to what has been previously lost

I use oil painting to access and represent memories, giving life to what has been previously forgotten.
Throughout my practice, I explore leaving parts of the paintings bare to help emphasise memory loss. More recently, I further developed this idea by painting abstractly through big gestural marks, blending gradients of colour and swiping away paint. This creates more depth within the paintings and introduces ‘blank space’ in a more abstract and visually appealing way. I’ve delved into using thicker paint to create textural surfaces of cavities and crevices. I've also played around with thinner paint applications such as glazing and how colour can seep into these spaces. I enjoy subtracting and adding elements from the canvas. I did this by sanding down the paint, scraping away with palette knives, and using a squeegee to swipe and spread the paint.
Leaving and returning to my paintings gives me time to reflect on the memories I'm depicting. This introduces aspects of time into my work, allowing my memories to evolve and change as I continue to paint.
Creating these childhood memories has allowed me to keep a painted archive of the memories that I care so much about.