Studio III 1989

Gary Wragg’s ‘Studio III’ is an exuberant painting made with generous helpings of oil paint on canvas. The material itself is critical here. Oil paint, with its capacity for layering, blending, and textural variation, lends itself perfectly to Wragg’s exploration of space and form. Wragg uses traditional techniques, building up the surface with layer upon layer of pigmented oil, sometimes allowing the underlayers to peek through. The visible brushstrokes and textured impasto reveal the artist's hand, making the physical act of painting a key part of the artwork's meaning. Through this skilled handling, the artwork becomes a record of its own making, imbued with the artist’s labor, energy, and creative vision. The thick, buttery application, combined with a vibrant color palette, gives 'Studio III' a tangible, almost sculptural presence. It invites us to consider the material qualities of paint itself and, perhaps, to rethink any rigid distinction between 'fine art' and 'craft.'