I Put a Spell on You — The Story Behind the Painting

This painting started with a blank canvas, a student, and one simple suggestion — green!

I was demonstrating how I approach abstract acrylic painting. When I start a completely abstract artwork, I like to clear my mind. I don’t think about shapes, subjects or themes. I simply start applying paint and see what happens.

As the colours begin to mix, particularly when working wet-on-wet, interesting marks and shapes start to appear. I look for those unexpected discoveries and gradually develop them through additional layers of paint.

My student particularly liked painting faces, so as the composition developed, I began introducing figurative elements.

About halfway through the demonstration, I brought out some of my other painting tools — palette knives, sponges and PVC templates that I’d engraved myself. I wanted to demonstrate that when painting abstracts, almost anything goes!

During the lesson, I also spoke about my earlier ALWAYS NEVER collection, a series of paintings I’d created in response to repeated unsuccessful art prize entries.

That conversation gave the painting another direction.

I wanted the central figure to express something much more personal. I decided to paint shapes to represent tears beneath the eyes, the word NEVER repeated throughout the composition, and an outstretched arm that seemed to be clutching at thin air. Together, these elements are symbolic to the notion –  “you ALWAYS take my money, but you NEVER select my artwork”.

Then came VOODOO — the feeling that someone had put a curse on me — and finally, the crown. My own rather symbolic desire to receive recognition as an artist.

What began as a simple classroom demonstration had gradually become a painting about frustration, disappointment, hope and the desire to be seen.

And that’s how I Put a Spell on You came into existence.

Materials and Craftsmanship

• Artist: Stuart Ian Currie
• Medium: Professional artist-quality acrylic paints
• Canvas: Heavy-duty artist canvas, hand-stretched
• Stretcher Frame: Custom-built from kiln-dried pine timber
• Canvas Preparation: Primed with artist-quality gesso
• Construction: Hand-stretched and secured using heavy-duty canvas thread
• Painting Techniques: Wet-on-wet blending, layering, palette knives, sponges and handmade PVC stamping templates
• Materials: Selected for archival quality and long-term durability
• Originality: One-of-a-kind, 100% hand-created original artwork
• Studio: CVIISUAL ART STUDIO, Sydney, Australia