Painting 1962

Curator: This piece, simply titled "Painting", is an intriguing creation by John Wells. Note its dimensions: a narrow vertical format, 762 by 152 mm. Editor: It feels almost like a landscape turned on its side, quite meditative, with that soft lavender at the top giving way to more earthy tones. There's something about the stark geometry that is both calming and unsettling. Curator: Wells was deeply connected to the St. Ives School, and their emphasis on the artistic process, using found materials from their environment. I wonder what surfaces or pigments influenced the texture here. Editor: It’s evocative of land art, but the scale lends itself more to intimate contemplation, even with its abstract shapes. It makes me think about issues of scale, and how we perceive the natural world. Curator: Exactly. Wells worked as a doctor for years before committing to art full-time. Perhaps his scientific and material understanding of the human form influenced his abstractions of landscape. Editor: Perhaps, and I’m drawn to how such a simple piece can open up such vast narratives about our relationship to nature and art making. Curator: It’s fascinating to consider the physical and intellectual labor involved. Editor: Indeed, a work that truly makes you pause and consider.