Eric Cruikshank’s (b.1975, UK) colour gradient paintings take landscape, or its atmosphere, as a starting point of his practice. Using an objective palette tied to the Scottish landscape, colour acts as a vehicle to reveal the underlying points of reference. However, Cruikshanks’ works are not literal presentations, the focus is on the emotive qualities of a place. Careful and meticulous colour layering creates an ambience of calmness and serenity that demands quiet contemplation. The passage from one colour to the next is blurred and effusive without any visible recess just like an immaculate sunrise. This impression is not surprising as all of Cruikshank’s paintings relate to nature. His work oscillates between opacity and translucency, between representation and abstraction exploring notions of colour and light in a painterly space while investigating the process of painting itself.
Selected work
Untitled 1
Oil on Linen Panel
24cm x 18cm
2020
L-023
Oil on Linen over Board
51.5cm x 44.5cm
2023
Untitled 2
Oil on Linen Panel
24cm x 18cm
2020
L-024
Oil on Linen over Board
51.5 x 44.5 cm
2023