A Bit Soggy Underfoot by Andy Sumner

Artist Statement

The winter of 2022 was a miserable, wet and cold one, plus I caught covid along with pretty much half the city, as a result of which I spent several months confined indoors, going stir-crazy.

After a particularly heavy spell of rain that lasted several hours, I decided to paint what I imagined it’d be like out in the great outdoors, which I was obviously unable to visit.

I wanted the kangaroo to be something the viewer noticed, not at first, but after looking at the other scenery for a few moments. It’s just what happens when you come across them in the wild – rarely are they the first thing you see.

This painting was created with many layers of diluted, translucent paint, each allowed to dry before the next was applied. The early layers used very large brushes, working down to a fine brush only for the final details. My goal was to create a semi-abstract painting that expressed my imagination and rather washed-out emotions – the scene not based on any particular location though it’s reminiscent of the countryside around Canberra.

About the Artist

Andy is a self-taught modern impressionist artist based in Canberra, Australia. Most of his works are landscapes inspired by the hills and wild places surrounding the city and the local region, though occasionally he paints scenes from memories or imagination.

He paints to intuitively express thoughts and emotions through his works, so his landscapes are notable for dramatic skies and intense use of colour. They often convey a conservationist theme, illustrating the damage done to nature yet seeking beauty and hope in what remains.

Andy also looks to explore light in all its nuances; his paintings are typically filled with brilliant ambient light and deep rich shadows. The scenes he creates are what he imagines them to be – landscapes as viewed through the prism of his soul.

His works are created with acrylic paints and inks, as his paintings are built up quickly through countless layers which necessitates a fast drying time, and acrylics allow the freedom to apply washes and tinted glazes over thicker impasto paint.

This exhibition, The Colours I Feel, is mostly inspired by Andy’s ventures into the wilds of Canberra during the autumn and winter of 2022 and 2023. He wanted to paint, not the scenes that the city is famous for, but rather the out of the way places where he found peace and inspiration.