Terry Raven

It's hard to describe why one paints...or how one paints.  The clearest explanation, for me anyway, is I have 'visual reactions'.  I like to work on large canvases, standing up as it frees my arms and my thoughts.  Sometimes I have a very small starting point...object, idea, colour...something I've seen that I want to experiement with.  I put something on the canvas and what follows is reaction after reaction to what goes on it next.  So when the piece of artwork is done it is as big a surprise to me as it is to anyone who sees it.  Some people ask me what I was thinking and my response is 'what was I thinking?'  Balance, mood, line...lots of line, colour and texture...story.