Dan Crawford Art

Blackfriars Bridge

Posted on January 3, 2019 by dan

The images of the bridge is an ongoing research project. I lived with my family in the Blackfriars/Petersville area as a child and played near or on the bridge with frequent crossings. The bridge has become a symbol representing indelible memories of a specific time, place and events. Drawings were made on site and also from memory while living in Lahore Pakistan and the impetus was to create a memorable image that came from a longing to connect with home.

The drawings are a history, a record of many ideas I was considering over many years while attempting to realize the one final concept that would be a summary of the various ideas. A decision on the final concept has been made.

The calligraphic drawings are precursors to the bridge and bird drawings. Interest in the relationship or contrast of figure and ground represented by the black marks on a white surface is a tradition that I was aware of in Japanese calligraphy and Chinese landscapes.

The crow or raven is an image that is a common site of the birds perched, in flight or on ground. Paired with the structure of the bridge an image is created that contrasts the animation of nature with the stasis of a functional structure.

Night scene – Blackfriars Bridge looking west, Aug 27,1982, ink on paper, 21.6 cm x 28 cm

Bridge and river, Dec 23,1986, pencil on paper, 21.6 cm x 28 cm

Bridge detail of railing, Dec 24, 1986 – April 23, 1988, pencil on paper, 21.6 cm x 28 cm

Bridge detail of supports, Dec 24, 1986, pencil on paper, 21.6 cmx 28 cm

Blackfriars bridge, July 11, 1987, pencil on paper, 29 cm x 21.3 cm

Bridge detail of railing, April 24, 1988, pencil on paper, 21.6 cm x 28 cm

Blackfriars bridge detail of railing, Aug 19, 2009, pencil on paper, 21.6 cm x 28 cm

Study for crows at Blackfriars Bridge, Dec 8, 2016, pencil on paper, 28 cm x 21.5 cm

Birds in a tree – winter, March 13, 1988, pencil on paper, 21.5 cm x 28 cm

Birds, Feb 20, 1988, pencil on paper, 21.6 cm x 28 cm

Diptych 1, Circle triangle square, March 10,1979, ink on paper, each sheet 25 cm x 35.2 cm

Diptych 2, March 10,1979, ink on paper, each sheet 25 cm x 35.2 cm

Dyptych 3, March 10,1979, ink on paper, each sheet 25 cm x 35.2 cm

Diptych 3, March 10,1979, ink on paper, each sheet 25 cm x 35.2 cm

Diptych 4, March 10,1979, ink on paper, each sheet 25 cm x 35.2 cm

Bridge study 1, computer altered image

Bridge study 2, computer altered image

Bridge study 3, computer altered image

Bridge study 4, computer altered image, Dec 11, 2018

Bridge study 5, computer altered image, Dec 30, 2018

Bridge study 6, computer altered image, Dec 30, 2018

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Studies for Winter

Posted on December 15, 2018 by dan

The following works are studies for paintings using oil pastel and graphite. The interest continues with the contrast and relationship of space seen in constructions like the Blackfriars bridge, train trestles and buildings. Also the quality of light and texture which is also seen with ancient structures in the Eastern world like the pyramids and mosques. The theme of the seasons continues and in this series Winter is the season.

Study for Winter Forest 1 , Jan 31, 2018, pastel on photo copy, 19 x 17 cm (image)

Study for Winter Forest , Jan 31, 2018, pastel on photo copy, 19 x 17 cm (image)

Winter Forest 2

Winter Egypt, Feb 4, 2018, pencil on paper, 25.2 x 14.6 cm (image)

Winter Egypt 2, Feb 6, 2018, pastel on paper, 49.3 x 12.5 cm (image)

Egypt 3, Feb 8, 2018, pastel on paper, 20.2 x 20.2 cm (image)

Winter Egypt 4, Feb 8, 2018, pastel on paper, 23.5 x 17.2 cm (image)

Winter Egypt, Feb 16, 2018, pencil on paper, 21.5 cm x 28 cm

Winter Egypt, Mar 5, 2018, pencil on paper, 21.5 cm x 28 cm

Winter Egypt, Jan 31, 2018, pastel on paper, 70 x 70 cm (image)

Winter Light, Jan 26, 2018, pastel on paper, 50.8 x 12.7 cm

Detail, Winter Light, left panels

Winter Egypt, Jan 31, 2018, pastel on paper, 35 x 140 cm (horizontal image)

Winter Egypt, Jan 31, 2018, pastel on paper, 35 x 140 cm (horizontal computer image)

Notes for previous works

Winter Grey – 99, 2018, Jan 9, 2018, pencil, graphite and pastel on paper, 40.6 x 50.8 cm

Detail Winter Grey

Enigma Series 2, Man and machine, Nov 5, 1971, pencil ink and collage on paper, 36.6 x 39.2 cm

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EXHIBITION HISTORY

Posted on December 15, 2018 by dan

EXHIBITION HISTORY

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THE FOUR SEASONS

Posted on December 1, 2017 by dan

These works continue the theme of the Four seasons.

Four Seasons – Summer Madrid 1978, June 12, 2017, pastel on board, 36 x 47.5 cm (image)

Detail Summer Madrid, 2017

Four seasons- Spring, Lunar month, Jun 18, 2017, pastel on board, 50.8 x 40.6 cm

Four seasons- Spring, Lunar month, Jun 18, 2017, pastel on board, 45.7 x 35.6 cm (image)

Detail, Four seasons- Spring, Lunar month, 2017

Four Seasons – Summer Lahore 1987, June 11, 2017, pastel on board, 38 x 48 cm (image)

Detail Summer Lahore, 2017

Four Seasons – Nizamuddin Fajr Sun 2015, June 16, 2017, pastel 35 x 45.7 cm (image)

Detail Nizamuddin Fajr Sun, 2017

Four seasons- mid spring, pastel, Jun 5, 2017

Four Seasons- mid spring, Jun 5, 2017, pastel and pencil on board, 33 x 48.2 cm (image)

Detail Four Seasons – mid spring, 2017

Four Seasons – Towards Summer, June 7, 2017, pastel and pencil on board, 33 x 48.2 cm (image)

Detail Four Seasons – Towards Summer, 2017

Morning prayers- Algonquin, Jun 29, 2017, pastel on board, 50.8 x 40.6 cm

Morning prayers- Algonquin, Jun 29, 2017, pastel on board, 45.7 x 35.6 cm

The Four Seasons, Jan 2018, pastel on paper, 50.6 x 50.8 cm (image)

The Four Seasons, Jan 20, 2018, pastel on paper, 50.6 x 50.8 cm (image)

Detail, The Four Seasons, 2018

The Four Seasons, Night and Day, Jan 24, 2018, pastel on paper, 58.4 x 29.2 cm

Detail, Day

Detail, Night

The Four Seasons, night and day, (horizontal image)

The Four Seasons, Night and Day, computer image (horizontal)

Srinagar Spring 1980, Feb 15, 2018, pastel on museum board, 46 x 31.4 cm

Detail Srinagar Spring 1980

Spring 2008, March 31, 2018, pencil crayon and oil pastel on museum board, 45 x 45 cm (image)

Spring 2018, March 31, 2018, pencil crayon and oil pastel on museum board, 45 x 45 cm (image)

The Seasons, March 31,2018, 22.5 x 90 cm, computer image

Spring 2018, March 31,2018, 22.5 x 90 cm, (horizontal computer image)

The Seasons April 2018, April 8, 2018, pastel and pencil on museum board, 32 cm x 125 cm

Winter time labour, April 2018, image 30 x 30 cm

Spring direction, April 2018, image 30 x 30 cm

Summer hopes, April 2018, image 30 x 30 cm

Autumn travel, April 2018, image 30 x 30 cm

Spring landscape with bottle and charts, April 18, 2018, pastel on museum board, 51 x 46 cm

Spring landscape detail

Summer showers with building jar and carpets, April 29, 2018, pastel on museum board, 51 x 46 cm

Summer showers detail upper left

Summer showers, jar detail

Harvest moon with stain glass windows, May 8, 2018, Pastel on museum board, 46 x 36 cm (image)

Harvest moon with stained glass windows, May 8, 2018, Pastel on museum board, 46 x 36 cm (image)

Harvest moon detail

Harvest moon landscape, bottom detail

Winter storm with studio windows, May 12, 2018, pencil, graphite and oil pastel on museum board, 46 x 36 cm

Winter storm detail of cottages

Winter storm detail of windows

Vision in the garden, June 22, 2018, pastel on paper, 57 x 76.5 cm

WSSF- Winter/Spring, Jan 6, 2017, pastel on paper, 66.3 x 102 cm

WSSF – Summer, Jan 4, 2017, pastel on paper, 66.3 x 102 cm

WSSF – Summer/Fall, Jan 5, 2017, pastel on paper, 66.3 x 102 cm

The Four Seasons – Winter, Jan 1979, acrylic on canvas, 152 cm x 152 cm

The Four Seasons – Spring, Jan 1979, acrylic on canvas, 152cm x 152 cm

The Four seasons – Summer, Jan 1979, acrylic on canvas, 152 cm x 152 cm

The Four Seasons – Autumn, Jan 1979, acrylic on canvas, 152 cm x 152 cm

The Four Seasons, Jan 1979, acrylic painting, 4 panels, each 152 cm x 152 cm

The Four Seasons, (horizontal), Jan 1979

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THE SEASONS-WSSF

Posted on October 25, 2016 by dan

This series of drawings and paintings continues investigations of the landscape. The works are based on the composition of a quadrant and the basic shapes of the circle, square and triangle with additional bisections, colour and texture.

WSSF, Jan 21, 2016, pencil on paper, 24.75 x 99 cm (image)

Detail Winter Quadrant

WSSF Feb 9, 2016, Pastel on paper, 45.7 x 45.7cm

Detail WSSF Feb 9, 2016

WSSF Feb 10, 2016, pastel on paper, 56 x 56 cm (image)

Detail Summer/Fall quadrant

WSSF Feb 11, 2016, pastel on paper, 56 x 56cm (image)

WSSF Spring Light, March 4,2016, Pastel on paper,50.8 x 68 cm (image)

WSSF Spring, March 11, 2016, Pastel on paper, 48.2 x 96.5 cm (image)

Detail, WSSF Spring

WSSF Early Spring, March 3, 2016, pastel and graphite on paper, 54.6 x 99.4 cm (image)

WSSF Winter Grey, June 8, 2016, pastel on paper, 38 x 72 cm (image)

Detail Winter Grey, 2016

WSSF Late spring, June 15, 2016, pastel on paper, 77.4 x 55.8 cm

Detail Late spring, 2016

Winter light, Dec 7, 2016, pastel on paper, 75.8 x 55.8 cm

Detail Winter light

WSSF June light, Dec 11, 2016, pastel on paper, 56.2 x 75.8 cm

Detail June light 2016

Four Seasons June light, June17, 2016, pastel on paper, 21.5 x 27.9 cm

WSSF Winter night, June 20, 2016, pastel on paper, 21.5 x 27.9 cm

WSSF Late summer, Aug 21, 2017, pastel on paper,38 x 53.4 cm

Detail Late summer 2017

The Four Seasons - Spring, Acrylic painting, Dec 25, 2012, 117 x 165 cm

The Four Seasons – Spring, Dec 25, 2012, acrylic painting on canvas, 117 x 165 cm

Detail. The Four Seasons

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STILL LIFE DRAWINGS, STUDIO LIGHT

Posted on October 23, 2016 by dan

This series of drawings continues the interest in the still life in the studio with the investigation of the various elements of design and quality of light. In the Jan 10 drawing the objects represent a archetypal family history, a chronological memory of time in a particular space.

As recurring objects they can represent persons or buildings and artifacts that have a particular historical archeology. The ubiquitous incandescent light bulb is replaced by newer technology, the LED and is a symbol of its origin in a particular time and place.

Similarly the newspaper and boom box transistor radio are now symbols of another time and they too have been replaced by the cell phone and other newer technology.

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Studio Light, April 12, 2016, graphite pencil on paper, 63.4 x 78.5 cm

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Studio, Light Dec 11, 2015, graphite pencil on museum board, 81.4 cm x 101.5 cm

Studio Light, Jan 10, 2016, graphite pencil on museum board, 101.5 x 152.4 cm

Detail of light bulb and socket

Detail, Studio light

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Painting In Studio , Feb 25, 2016, graphite pencil on museum board, 81.4 cm x 101.5 cm

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Detail of water bottle and glass

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Studio Light Bulb, Tin and Jar, Jan 12, 2016, graphite pencil on paper, 63.4 cm x 78.5 cm

Detail light bulb 2016

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Summer Winter Spring Autumn

Posted on October 13, 2012 by dan

This is another four panel painting in the Four Seasons series. The image is a large square and circle divided into four quadrants representing the four seasons. A smaller version is in the centre of the four panels.

The drawings show the development of the composition and colour relationships of the four panels. Each panel is a smaller version of the larger image and displayed horizontally the viewer must imagine how the 4 panels fit together to form the complete circle. Also a different kind of movement occurs in the background and within each panel when they are seen horizontally (click on images to enlarge).

Summer Winter Spring Autumn, Oct 4, 2012, acrylic on 4 canvas panels, each panel 61 x 61 cm

Summer Winter Spring Autumn, April 26, 2012, coloured pencil on paper, 6.3 x 25.4 cm

The Seasons, April 12, 2012, coloured pencil on paper,17.8 x 22 cm

The Seasons, April 10, 2012, coloured pencil on paper,17.8 x 22 cm

SpringWinterSummerAutumn, April 8, 2012, coloured pencil on paper,17.8 x 22 cm

Summer Winter, left panels

Spring Autumn, right panels

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Toward Unity- Palestine

Posted on April 6, 2012 by dan

Acrylic paint on canvas, 91.4 x 91.4 cm

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Still life survey

Posted on March 4, 2012 by dan

Self portrait with medicine cabinet, Nov 7, 1987, pencil on paper, 24.3 x 44 cm

Detail, Self portrait with medicine cabinet, 1984, drawing

Detail, Self portrait with medicine cabinet, 1987, pencil on paper

Zahida reading, Oct 22, 1988, pencil on paper, 21.6 cm x 28 cm

Zahida studying, Oct 23, 1988, pencil on paper, 22.8 cm x30.5 cm

Tea time, Oct 23, 1988, pencil on paper, 22.8 cm x30.5 cm

Basement light, 1981, pencil and graphite on paper

Admiral and achar in studio, March 25, 1990,pencil on paper, 21.6 x 30 cm

Salt Jar (detail), April 24, 1988, pastel on paper, 28 cm x 38.7 cm

This page is a survey of a few of the still life works completed in different media and approaches to the subject.

Vase with bowl of grapes and apples (detail), July 1989, oil painting on wood, 76.2 x 101.5 cm

Window Still Life (detail),1989, oil painting on wood, 76 cm x 101.7 cm

Detail, Grapes and plums, 1985, pencil on paper

Wedding Roses, Oct 10,1983, pencil on paper, 25 cm x 50.6 cm.

Study for before the bath, Nov 11, 1983, pencil on paper, 58.5cm x 83.5 cm

The York Hotel Still Life (detail), mixed media sculpture, Nov 3, 1982, 60.7 x 51.5 x 28 cm

Detail, Tins and bottle, 1981, pencil on paper

Detail, Breakfast still life, 1985, drawing

Detail, Breakfast still life, 1985, pencil on paper

Detail, Salt and Pepper, 1990, oil painting on canvas

Still life with salt shaker 2, April 8, 1988, lino print, 45.5 x 56 cm

The Frugal Repast 2, Oct 5, 1988, lino print, 49.5 x 64 cm

Salt jar , Nov 13,1987, reduction lino print

Salt jar, Nov 20,1987, reduction lino print

Salt jar 2, Nov 20,1987, reduction lino print

Jar C, Oct 23, 1987, reduction lino print

Ivy, Oct 4, 1986, pencil on paper, 27.9 cm x 21.2 cm

Canna lily, July 8, 1987, pencil on paper, 21.4 cm x 34 cm

Canna lily Pakistan garden, July 8, 1987, pencil on paper, 27.9 cm x 35.5 cm

Canna lily Pakistan garden 2, July 8, 1987, pencil on paper, 27.8 cm x 35.5 cm

Lahore garden, July 12, 1987, pencil on paper, 28 cm x 35.5 cm

Lahore garden detail, July 12, 1987, pencil on paper, 35.5 cm x 28 cm

Stone thrower and jar, Jan 17, 1988, 27.9 cm x 21.6 cm

Bowl of soup and salt shaker, Jan 21, 1988, pencil on paper, 21.5 x 27.9 cm

The Frugal Repast, Sept 18 – 20, 1988, pencil on paper, 21.5 x 27.9 cm

Detail, Homemade Lunch, 1990, oil painting on canvas

Detail, Studio light, 2011, pencil on paper

Still life, 3 jars, bowl, tin and vase, Jan 28, 2011, pencil on paper, 21.5 x 27.9 cm

Large jar with hammer and nails, Feb 19, 2015, graphite on paper, 21.5 x 27.9 cm

Salt jar with pear, Aug 15, 2015, pencil on paper, 21.5 x 27.9 cm

Chinese lanterns, Feb 18, 2013, pencil on paper, 17.7 x 24.4 cm (image)

Jars on window sill – Summer, June 28, 2016, graphite on paper, 21.5 x 27.9 cm

Oranges and tangerines, Dec 20, 1986, pencil on paper, 21.6 cm x 27.9 cm

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Studio light, Jan 10, 2016, pencil on museum board,101.5 cm x 152.4 cm

Fig plant drawing 1, Jan 24, 1990, pencil on paper, 21.5 cm x 28 cm

Fig plant drawing 1, Jan 29, 1990, pencil on paper, 21.5 cm x 28 cm

Fig plant drawing 2, Jan 24, 1990, pencil on paper, 21.5 cm x 28 cm

Fig plant drawing 3, Jan 28, 1990, pencil on paper, 21.5 cm x 28 cm

Venetian plant life – fig, Feb 1, 1990, pencil on paper, 21.5 x 27.9 cm

Surat at-Tin ( The Fig ), Dec 5, 2018, acrylic and watercolour on paper mounted on museum board, 76.8 cm x 56.8 cm

Detail of curtain

Detail of figs and olives

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Toward Unity 3

Posted on March 2, 2012 by dan

Toward Unity 3, May 31, 2012, acrylic painting, 76cm x 76cm

Unity, May 31, 2009, acrylic on board, 76 cm x 76 cm

Toward Unity 1, June 24, 2009, acrylic painting, 76 cm x 76 cm

Toward Unity 2, Jan 16, 2009, acrylic painting, 76.2 x 76.2 cm

The Unity and Toward Unity paintings and drawings are a series begun in the Spring of 2009. These works contain the symbols, a hexagram or the six pointed star, the cross and the crescent and polygram or five pointed star. The three symbols represent the three monotheistic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. While these symbols have a traditional reference to a particular faith they also are seen and used in other contexts from antiquity to modern times.

Use of the symbols originate from an interest in geometry and in particular the designs seen in ancient mosques in Egypt,Pakistan, India and Kashmir. A keen interest occurred viewing the domes inside mosques in Kashmir which have a type of muqarnas constructed of carved and decorated wood beams that overlap and progress upwards producing a powerfull sense of depth and movement. Other times light can create an effect on the surface that alternates between defining form and dissolving it. The idea of uniting the three symbols is to convey the message of a common origin and universality of message.

Universal Unity, August 30, 2009 drawing, 76.8 x 76.8 cm,

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Blackfriars Bridge

Studies for Winter

EXHIBITION HISTORY

THE FOUR SEASONS

THE SEASONS-WSSF

STILL LIFE DRAWINGS, STUDIO LIGHT

Summer Winter Spring Autumn

Toward Unity- Palestine

Still life survey

Toward Unity 3

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