Anthony Connolly
Adventures with Line Shape and Colour
Something seen, heard or imagined, influences me to respond. An idea prompts a visual interpretation which leads me to particularly focus on shapes, key outlines and associated properties of colour. My interest in colour focusses on the way its variations can harmonise, or contrast and can be active or withdrawn. I work without feeling a need to echo realism. As the idea develops, I begin an “adventure”.
There are many dynamic properties of colour and I centre my interest on the basic influences of purity, brightness, darkness, warmth and coolness. I agree with those who feel there is a presence of “music” within the heart of colour.
As the work progresses, I study all the contributing aspects and develop their functional role in combinations of straight and curved linear progressions which define the key abstract qualities.
Emphatic shapes are formed and adjusted to balance with the vital ground areas between them. Such simplified combinations visually develop the original idea and finally create the structural foundations of my abstract work.
The introduction of colour provides a forcefully expressive and constructive element. Qualities of hue, tone and intensity, effectively convey the mood of the developing idea. Contrasting colours emphasise the firm linear progressions that border each shape.
I agree with those who believe that “there is music within the heart of colour” I regularly become aware of musical and architectural relationships that can develop between the key elements of my work.
The impactive size and shape of the overall visual field to contain the work is a critical factor. For me, the simplicity of a rectangle provides a firm and stabilising framework.
I believe that the “print” is an important visual arts vehicle. Fine art printmaking is my main image presenting process. Through the direct large format scanning of my purely hand formed collage, I create limited edition fine art prints, following strictly accurate colour management calibration and profiling procedures.
I hope that those viewing my work will enjoy the visual interpretations.
EARLY INFLUENCES AND TRANSLATIONS
At school aged 15, I was fortunate to have Archie Walker RA as my art teacher. My school friend, Trevor Bell and I benefitted greatly from his qualified art and design advice.
Trevor and I were regularly invited to Archie Walker’s home at weekends, or during holidays, where he encouraged us to adopt a more innovative approach to our art and design work.
In 1947, Trevor and I were accepted as students at the Leeds Regional College of Art and Design, following which we developed our careers in different art and design directions.
Later institutionally based contacts with Trevor proved to be valuable in respect our discussions on Trevor’s acceptance as a leading UK abstract artist. Trevor’s forceful views on colour, form and sincere gestural abstraction, were one of the main prompts for me to also explore a more deliberate abstract approach. This was a most invigorating period in my career.
I also met Terry Frost on occasions in Leeds after his 1960’s Leeds University Gregory Fellowship when he was teaching at the Leeds Regional College of Art and Design. I was also a Lecturer there and enjoyed our discussions on intuitive “mark making”, spatial links and Terry’s own forceful abstract works.
It follows that I soon explored similar abstract approaches. This led me to appreciate a particular emphasis on the flatness of the picture plane. I was then able to pursue a more striking and non-figurative approach to form, colour and edge definition.
I recall the above as the key foundations of my abstract work.
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Magpie ‘Two for Joy’ - Skipton
Shop Location
Magpie
‘Two for Joy’
Albion Yard
Skipton
BD23 1ED
Opening Times
Monday: 11-4pm
Tuesday: 11-4pm
Wednesday: 11-4pm
Thursday: 11-4pm
Friday: 10-4pm
Saturday: 10-5pm
Sunday: 12-4pm
