Saul Cathcart

"The humble sketch has more to offer me than the ‘finished’
painting.I want to celebrate spontaneity and for me, when a painting gets
overworked it loses something.I find by leaving parts of the canvas bare, it
actually creates something invisibly ‘extra’ and this fascinates me.

A sketchbook is so personal, it’s a visual diary and a place of
discovery. This is often where all the raw, beautiful creativity happens.By
getting rid of the sketch book and working directly onto the canvas, from life,
I’m giving every mark I make importance. The line has nothing to hide. There is
no rubbing out with an eraser, it’s either good or not. The line has to carry
with it conviction and confidence. I find it only works if there is a
commitment to the piece. A commitment to making decisive choices or trusting
that the painting will reveal itself given time. Knowing the right time to stop
and when to sacrifice a well worked section for the good of the painting, is
the challenge. I think this is helped by working out in the landscape. I’m
forced to rely more on instinct and ability.

The fact that there is always a time limit, that the sun will eventually
set, gives me a focus to react with integrity and emotion, with a devotion to
the here and now.Painting to me is a combination of having a vision of what I
want to express, convey or question and allowing a piece to flow and evolve in
its own unique way. Being open minded to experimenting and working by any means
possible to try and get to a place where I feel happy, moved, intrigued or
excited." Saul Cathcart 2017