Industrial Revelation : Irons in the fire

Saturday, 26 February 2011

Irons in the fire - Part 2

Labels: Australian Technology Park, blacksmith, Eveleigh, Eveleigh Railway Workshops, foundry, industrial heritage, interior, Millers Point, Pyrmont, Rozelle, Wrought Artworks

Painting the Blacksmiths at Wrought Artworks,

Bay 1/2 Eveleigh Railway Workshops

Oil painting of blacksmiths at the forge inthe Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh Railway Workshops painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett

Starting the new canvas
'Chris at the Massey Air Hammer' 2011
unfinished oil painting on canvas 36 x 46 cm
Private Collection : Sydney

Art versus life!
'Chris at the Massey Air Hammer' 2011
unfinished oil painting on canvas 36 x 46 cm
Private Collection : Sydney

Starting another new canvas - and trying hard not to stand too close to a pair of blokes nonchalantly waving white-hot lumps of metal around. I still haven't painted at the blacksmith's often enough to be absolutely certain as to exactly where I should stand or sit so as not to get in the way!

Almost finished

'Chris at the Massey Air Hammer' 2011
unfinished oil painting on canvas 36 x 46 cm
Private Collection : Sydney

They only stand in these positions for a few moments at a time - but these movements are repeated sequentially over and over again throughout a couple of afternoons. I soon decide on a couple of poses that to me are the most characteristic and dramatic of the sequence.

In this canvas, the taut expression of Chris and the tension shown in the tightness of his forearms and the strained balance of his pose add to the feeling of potential danger, and are a tribute to the level of skill required by their craft.