22 Gaol Bolt
Although black appears to be the dominant colour in this painting, closer inspection reveals a myriad of colours. Greens, pinks and blues and the odd strip of yellow ochre.
The bolt is central and looks rusty and well worn. The paint is peeling from the metal and the door itself in places. There's a dull shine on the knob used to slide the bolt open or closed. How many times has that action been performed? The building was over 260 years old in 2018. Although I doubt the bolt is that age. Still the bolt (or its predecessors) would have been fastened at night and drawn every morning, or perhaps just long enough to permit visitors access.
The composition is very simple and much of the interest in the painting comes from the texture - worn woodwork and energetic black, ink creating zig zag trails. The dark wooden surface punctuated with screws, some now rusty. Others on which the paint doggedly adheres. There's a small green sign which says “PULL” in vertical white letters against a patchy green background.
The Twenty second of a series of 50 paintings all 7" x 7" detailing architecture features from buildings in the Buckinghamshire area. Part of a challenge to create 50 paintings in 2018.
22 Bolt is on the main door of the Old Gaol in Buckingham
- Subject Matter: Architectural Abstract
- Inventory Number: 822
- Collections: 4950 Architectural Aspects, Buckingham