Smaller than recent canvasses, only 33x55 cm. This is 10M. Now that will mean nothing to most of you, and didn't mean anything to me until I started painting in France. In France there is a specific scale of sizes along traditional lines - four different scales: Square (carré), Figure (F), Landscape (L) and Marine (M). So this is a 'Marine' size, number 10. Obviously I am breaking all the rules by firstly painting with an M on its side, and secondly having no marine connection in this painting at all. How outrageous. The French have an unexpected attitude towards art, particularly anything 'modern' (see my unpublished 3,000 word essay). At school, the French are taught 'art plastique' which turns out to have nothing to do with plastic (confusing language) but just means 'visual art', and have a very classical education. Mind you I did too - I spent many hours doing pencil drawings of life models. Which I guess explains why I like to do abstracts now. What does this painting mean? Just look at it and... lose yourself.
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