Artist
Statement - Linda Martinello
My paintings are medium to large-scale works
that range in subject matter but deal primarily
with examinations of my everyday life. The themes
consist of sentimental elements re-enacting mental
diary entries. Each painting represents distinct
periods of time and transition in my life; like
a calendar of events. There are several reappearing
subjects in these paintings. Some are clear and
distinct while others are more obscure. A consistent
and visible subject, for example, is fruit.  I
collect supermarket produce catalogues in search
of fruit that best demonstrates the particular
period of time of focus. I strongly associate
fruit with the events that are being depicted
in my paintings; acting as bookmarks of time.
The surface, for me, conveys an allusive dream
scape. My working process involves gathering discarded
wooden panels, and working on stretched canvas.
With the wooden panels, I apply acrylic and oil
paint along with other mixed media; such as mylar
paper, xerox paper, tape, dry wall compound, oil
pastel, chalk, pencil, oil sticks, varnish, etc.
These materials are applied by hand, with brushes,
palette knives and rags. Working this way, the
blended tones become suspended and caught within
the increasing layers of varnish, enhancing translucent,
dimensional and textural qualities. I don’t
make sketches of my painting beforehand. Each
painting is created spontaneously but its contents
are well thought out. My preliminary sketches
are envisioned and developed through daydreaming.
The stretched canvas paintings also involve the
combinations of oil and acrylic paint. Inspired
by small areas of the wooden panel paintings;
I blow up certain areas, making them the basis
of the canvas paintings. Layer of paint are applied
and then scraped away. This method is repeated
until the desired texture and colours are achieved.
The result is a non-representational abstract
painting.
The outcome in these processes is often unpredictable
especially with the wooden panels, as the revisiting
of the original site of my mental imagery, from
which these thoughts were first developed, creates
a whole new context for meaning.
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