Practice Unit | Michael Kidner

Colour studies | Sustainability

After the lecture with the Kidner family, the one thing which stayed with me the most was how important Kidner believed colour to be. 

'I wanted to approach colour rationally, give it a job to do and let the unconscious look after itself.' Kidner 

Michael Kidner was an oil painter. Having researched into this method of art, I discovered that oil paints are often metal-laden and deliver harsh toxins to both our body and our water supply. Whether Kidner was aware of these environmentally harmful elements or not, I felt it necessary to move his concepts into a more contemporary world. 

At the lecture, his family emphasised the importance of sharing his work with future generations and continuing his legacy. I plan to explore alternative ways of doing this; creating a sustainable collection will allow me to share his art but in a more environmentally friendly way. The final piece will maintain his integrity, yet be influenced and affected by the surroundings (eg. sunlight) and therefore may evolve and change over time. This will add an alternative quality and appeal to the collection. I plan to aim my designs at an interior market, particularly upholstery. 

3 sets of primaries - 1967

I also want to research further into colour theories and make this the emphasis within my work; for the final piece all my yarns will be naturally dyed. 

Colour theory is something I find incredibly interesting - particularly colour harmony; it engages the viewer, provides visual interest and a sense of order. I want to focus on complimentary colours within colour harmony, and experiment with how combinations of colours can create varying effects.