I think it’s fair to say that canvas and paint markers have been kind to me and I am for the most part happy with the materials I have been experimenting with. My two main quibbles are: 1. Markers tend to start off well but not soon after you will find that the nibs deteriorate and your vision of fine lines through the whole canvas starts to fade; and 2. Stretched canvas is convenient, however, it can be a bit frustrating to work with if you want to use larger pieces and need to apply pressure which could lead to bleeding and warping.

That said, after a couple of months of testing and starting over, I believe I have arrived at what can be called the first instalment of ‘Imperfect Balance’. It’s a triptych as previously mentioned using 10 x 10 inch medium grain stretched canvases and oil based paint markers.

The triptych (First Encounter) begs the observer to accept that not everything we see in the first instance is what it seems. It then goes on to challenge that if we can accept the trivial imperfections around us, we get a glimpse of how things might look like when all is in balance and in symmetry.