Structure

Gwen Vaughan

“Gwen Vaughan works with mixed media to produce surfaces that are sometimes intricate, and sometimes supremely simplistic… surfaces mapped by diagrammatic patterns reminiscent of mind-maps, scientific diagrams or even the tree of life. Gwen is working with direct drawing, paint, print and layering of transparent acetates. Most of her works are finely balanced compositions made up of repeated gestures that cover the ‘canvas’ to achieve a quiet complexity. The patterns are not truly abstract, but are created using motifs found in nature, maths, and music. There are repeated geometric shapes relating to the molecular structures of minerals and crystals, some are derived from mathematic analysis of musical scores, algorithmic mark-making echoing the complex beauty of nature that arises from elegant simplicity.”

Gwen Vaughan on ‘Structure’

These are small abstract paintings on board (usually 21 x 21cm). They utilise layering with paper, acetate sheet and tape.

It’s a process of chance and repetition. Also looking for structures and methods to enable the painting to go forward in the studio.

I use patterns derived from different sources — music notation, geometry, repetitions, and sequences. Sometimes quite formal geometries, such as grids are used, but also more complicated forms such as tetrahedrons and using these to flip between 2D and 3D imagery.

The paintings also use chance processes — scratching, scraping, pitting, etc. which are combined with fairly precise geometric structures.

Gwen Vaughan