My work is a collection of oil paintings focusing on middle age to elderly male portraits. The portraits are painted from life, aiming to catch a moment in time. This will show the character behind the painting, enhance the personality and be able to catch what mood they are in. All my sitters are connected to me in some way, whether that be my neighbour, my relative or locals at the places I go to. They are relatable, usual people who each live separate lives and deal with struggles and happiness just like the rest of us. I have chosen to focus on elderly men as I believe they have the strongest features, the bigger noses, more facial hair and the define under eyes. The older the age the more wrinkles, dents and scars that will be on the persons face. Aspects like these really tell a story for themselves, showing that they have lived a life worth a thousand stories, stories that viewers would like to know. My paintings are here to tell the viewers these stories.
I have used oil paint to take advantage of the thickness of my brushstrokes. The brushstrokes are important within my work as I feel they can tell a different story to the one you first see. Looking closely at these harsh lines it’s like the viewers can see my process of painting from start to finish just by following these brushstrokes. This, in my opinion, creates an extraordinary experience for a viewer.
Mae fy ngwaith yn gasgliad o bortreadau olew sy’n canolbwyntio ar ddynion canol oed a hŷn. Mae’r portreadau wedi’u peintio o fywyd, gyda’r nod o ddal ennyd mewn amser. Bydd hyn yn dangos y cymeriad y tu ôl i’r paentiad, yn amlygu’r bersonoliaeth ac yn dal eu hwyliau ar y pryd. Mae gan bob gwrthrych rhyw gysylltiad â mi, boed yn gymdogion, perthnasau neu drigolion lleol i leoedd rwy’n mynd iddyn nhw. Maen nhw’n bobl y gallwch ymdeimlo â nhw, pobl gyffredin sy’n byw bywydau unigol ac, fel pob un ohonom, yn delio â brwydrau a hapusrwydd. Dewisais ganolbwyntio ar ddynion hŷn gan mai ganddyn nhw mae’r priodweddau cryfaf, yn fy nhyb i – trwynau mwy, mwy o flewiach ar yr wyneb a chrychau dan eu llygaid. Po hynaf yr unigolyn, y mwyaf o grychau, pantiau a chreithiau a fydd ar ei wyneb. Mae agweddau fel y rhain wir yn adrodd eu stori eu hunain, yn dangos eu bod wedi byw bywyd gwerth mil o straeon, straeon yr hoffai gwylwyr ddod yn gyfarwydd â nhw. Mae fy mhaentiadau i yma i adrodd y straeon hynny.
Defnyddiais baent olew i fanteisio ar drwch trawiadau’r brwsh, ac mae’r trawiadau hyn yn bwysig yn fy ngwaith gan fy mod i’n teimlo eu bod yn gallu adrodd stori wahanol i’r un a welwch ar yr olwg gyntaf. O edrych yn agos ar y llinellau garw hyn, mae bron fel pe bai’r gwylwyr yn gallu gweld fy mhroses o beintio o’r dechrau i’r diwedd dim ond drwy eu dilyn. Mae hyn, yn fy marn i, yn creu profiad rhyfeddol i’r gwyliwr.
