Towards Dusk, Munkerup

This woodcut took a long time, nearly two years on and off.. And I was think in part of Munch’s woodcut figures looking out to sea all that time in connection to this picture. By having two figures in an image, there is always a push and pull…. She's too strong and overpowering…. he's too strong and overpowering… I needed to try to get the balance right between them and in order for them to be calm it helped that I agitate their surroundings. We did this  through quite complimentary colour layering of rocky ground,  sea and sky; and by carving into and exaggerating  the existing oak woodgrain, which was already pretty melodramatic in its swirls and whoops and zig zags-reminiscent of mini whirlpools and choppy seas and pulsating high energy rocks on the shoreline.  I hope this might create a counterpoint within the image to emphasise them taking in their beautiful, rich, magical and effervescent world, is in full-throttle blowy drama.

Perhaps if I myself can be calm, and focus on a more zen-like personal state in the moment,  then this is my best way of coping with each existential crisis we face as a species, either specific or universal, that seem to rear up on a daily basis these days - TH