I was selected as one of 15 artists internationally for a Mark Rothko Plein Air residency at the MARK ROTHKO CENTRE in Daugavpils, Latvia, in September 2012. Our initial submission was by Powerpoint and CD. The painting remains part of the permanent collection at the Mark Rothko Centre which also houses original Rothko paintings.
The residency was for 2 weeks and during this time I worked in a large studio and made 4 paintings which were exhibited as part of residents' work in an exhibition (please see Mark Rothko residency album for photos and descriptions).
'FLYING IN TO RIGA AIRPORT,' my largest on the residency at 100 by 140 cm, was inspired by the memory of flying in to Riga airport in the afternoon and seeing the wide curve of the river Daugava below, with flat areas of coast and dark patches of trees, and some colourful houses. During my time in Latvia I noticed a particular green on houses and this influenced the green curve of my river in this painting. Each element had particular significance for me and my 4 paintings were all influenced by aspects of Daugavpils and the surrounding landscape.
As with most of my work, the painting evolved from the process of applying paint.
Oil on canvas.
Photographer: Fiona Stanbury
