Rituals...

I’ve been painting most of the day. I don’t really regard myself as superstitious (I’ll happily walk under ladders and open umbrellas indoors), yet I do find myself following the same sort of rituals each time I attempt a painting. I place my tubes of oil paint out in a certain order; clean my brushes carefully and lay them on the bench in order of size; cut up five pieces (always five) of material to use as rags; squeeze out my oils onto the palette in a particular way from warm to cool colours. I then carefully fill up my jars of oil and turps, after usually an hour mixing all the colours I’m going to use before I start. I then line up the music which I like to work to (this has also in the last few months become ritualistically Bon Iver’s ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’ as the first album I’ll play. I just love it. It seems to fit the mood perfectly). It does indeed all feel like some sort of ritual or small ceremony.

It all seems a bit sad seeing it written down, but I think it’s a lot to do with the way I paint. I don’t work on paintings generally for more than a day. I like to try to nail it in one sitting. I therefore like to keep a whole day clear to attempt a piece. It often feels like I’m about to step into the ring for nine rounds with Mike Tyson as I walk to the studio on a painting day. I feel these rituals are just a way to help me ‘psych up’, clear my head, stick to tried and tested routines of preparation so when I am ready to start putting those first strokes of paint on the canvas, which is so thrilling and nerve-wracking, nothing gets in the way.

Thinking about it, when it comes to painting, maybe I am a bit superstitious…