James Dignan - Art 2005

Last updated April 20th 2009

Desolation Row
Acrylic/canvas. 60 x 50 cm (23 1/2 x 19 1/2 in).
January 2005.
An old group of dilapidated warehouses in South Dunedin form the subject of this picture.

This is not your dream
Acrylic/canvas. 50 x 60 cm (19 1/2 x 23 1/2 in).
February 2005.
Another 'drift-netted' picture, reduced to its barest elements and painted in two shades of blue, with texture diagonally in opposing directions for each shade.

Faith-on-Taieri (for Charles C.)
Acrylic/canvas. 33 x 24 cm (13 x 9 1/2 in).
March 2005.
Sold.
Painted from a photograph of Mosgiel Presbyterian Church, entirely in fleshtones.

Another girl, another planet
Acrylic/canvas. 51 x 76 cm (20 x 30 in).
April 2005.
From a photograph of a friend taken at a science fiction convention several years ago. Gaynor in full "hunting regalia" is a sight to behold.

Fear is a man's best friend
Acrylic/canvas. 50 x 60 cm (19 1/2 x 23 1/2 in).
April 2005.
Sold.
A very low-key driftnetted portrait.

St. Clair from the hill
Acrylic/canvas. 9 x 6 cm (3 1/2 x 2 1/2 in).
April 2005.
Sold.
Another miniature, of the view from the hill above where I live, looking out over the Pacific Ocean.

Nocturne (Prelude)
Acrylic/canvas. 56 x 46 cm (22 x 18 in).
May 2005.
Sold.
I often go for long walks at night - it's good exercise, and the town looks completely different, strange, alien. This building is two blocks from where I live, in the suburb of St. Kilda, and by day it doesn't look much. By night, though, it looks considerably more imposing.

Head hang low
Acrylic/canvas. 50 x 60 cm (19 1/2 x 23 1/2 in).
July 2005.
Another driftnetted goth, this time a male - and this time abstracted by making it a line-only work, rather than blocks of colour. As such, it’s probably nearer to An exact science than any of my other paintings.

The golden path
Acrylic/canvas. 45 x 45 cm (18 x 18 in).
August 2005.
A small footbridge leads across the Oamaru Creek in Oamaru. The part of town this is in is fairly dingy, but - with the same Turneresque “swirling” as used on Through the trees, this became quite an attractive scene. This painting won my first award for five years - third place in the D.I.A. art awards.

Walk to the square
Acrylic/canvas. 38 x 76 cm (15 x 30 in).
August 2005.
Sold.
A quick photo of a young Asian woman walks across Christchurch’s Cathedral Square. The distinctive buildings in the background are on Worcester Street. The addition of a third colour for the sky greatly enhanced the work.

Dunedin skyline - Queen's Gardens
Acrylic/canvas. 25 x 25 cm (10 x 10 in).
September 2005.
Yet another view from one of my favourite parts of town. This tone-separation work shows two buildings from the Queen Victoria statue in Dunedin, and is based on a photo taken within feet of the ones which led to Awaiting eternity, Dunedin skyline - The Exchange, and Landscape wih Palms.

Chairman of the board
Acrylic/canvas. 76 x 38 cm (30 x 15 in).
October 2005.
A surfer at St. Clair Beach. Photographed and painted in 36 hours.

Hillside dawn
Acrylic/canvas. 38 x 25 cm (15 x 10 in).
October 2005.
Sold.
The view driving down Hillside Road, South Dunedin, past the railway workshops, on the way in to another shift on student radio early on a Sunday morning.

Highway 88 revisited (triptych)
Acrylic/canvas. 52 x 26 cm (20 1/2 x 10 in) x 3 canvases.
November 2005.
Sold.
My first attempt at a multi-canvas work since And did those feet, several years ago. This panoramic view, seemingly of the Otago Harbour at dawn, is actually from photos taken on a very cold grey day. The view is from just beyond Maia, looking towards the mouth of the Harbour.

Another day on Earth
Acrylic/canvas. 101 x 84 cm (40 x 33 in).
December 2005.
My largest painting yet. A young woman stands outside a gymnasium in Dowling Street, Dunedin. While painting this, I was continuously playing Brian Eno’s latest album, Another day on Earth, hence the title. Sinisterly, the last track, Bone bomb, stuck in my consciousness, a song from the point of view of a young woman preparing to become a suicide bomber. Who is this young woman outside the building, and what is she waiting for?

	Desolation Row Acrylic/canvas. 60 x 50 cm (23 1/2 x 19 1/2 in). January 2005. An old group of dilapidated warehouses in South Dunedin form the subject of this picture.
	This is not your dream Acrylic/canvas. 50 x 60 cm (19 1/2 x 23 1/2 in). February 2005. Another 'drift-netted' picture, reduced to its barest elements and painted in two shades of blue, with texture diagonally in opposing directions for each shade.
	Faith-on-Taieri (for Charles C.) Acrylic/canvas. 33 x 24 cm (13 x 9 1/2 in). March 2005. Sold. Painted from a photograph of Mosgiel Presbyterian Church, entirely in fleshtones.
	Another girl, another planet Acrylic/canvas. 51 x 76 cm (20 x 30 in). April 2005. From a photograph of a friend taken at a science fiction convention several years ago. Gaynor in full "hunting regalia" is a sight to behold.
	Fear is a man's best friend Acrylic/canvas. 50 x 60 cm (19 1/2 x 23 1/2 in). April 2005. Sold. A very low-key driftnetted portrait.
	St. Clair from the hill Acrylic/canvas. 9 x 6 cm (3 1/2 x 2 1/2 in). April 2005. Sold. Another miniature, of the view from the hill above where I live, looking out over the Pacific Ocean.
	Nocturne (Prelude) Acrylic/canvas. 56 x 46 cm (22 x 18 in). May 2005. Sold. I often go for long walks at night - it's good exercise, and the town looks completely different, strange, alien. This building is two blocks from where I live, in the suburb of St. Kilda, and by day it doesn't look much. By night, though, it looks considerably more imposing.
	Head hang low Acrylic/canvas. 50 x 60 cm (19 1/2 x 23 1/2 in). July 2005. Another driftnetted goth, this time a male - and this time abstracted by making it a line-only work, rather than blocks of colour. As such, it’s probably nearer to An exact science than any of my other paintings.
	The golden path Acrylic/canvas. 45 x 45 cm (18 x 18 in). August 2005. A small footbridge leads across the Oamaru Creek in Oamaru. The part of town this is in is fairly dingy, but - with the same Turneresque “swirling” as used on Through the trees, this became quite an attractive scene. This painting won my first award for five years - third place in the D.I.A. art awards.
	Walk to the square Acrylic/canvas. 38 x 76 cm (15 x 30 in). August 2005. Sold. A quick photo of a young Asian woman walks across Christchurch’s Cathedral Square. The distinctive buildings in the background are on Worcester Street. The addition of a third colour for the sky greatly enhanced the work.
	Dunedin skyline - Queen's Gardens Acrylic/canvas. 25 x 25 cm (10 x 10 in). September 2005. Yet another view from one of my favourite parts of town. This tone-separation work shows two buildings from the Queen Victoria statue in Dunedin, and is based on a photo taken within feet of the ones which led to Awaiting eternity, Dunedin skyline - The Exchange, and Landscape wih Palms.
	Chairman of the board Acrylic/canvas. 76 x 38 cm (30 x 15 in). October 2005. A surfer at St. Clair Beach. Photographed and painted in 36 hours.
	Hillside dawn Acrylic/canvas. 38 x 25 cm (15 x 10 in). October 2005. Sold. The view driving down Hillside Road, South Dunedin, past the railway workshops, on the way in to another shift on student radio early on a Sunday morning.

Highway 88 revisited (triptych) Acrylic/canvas. 52 x 26 cm (20 1/2 x 10 in) x 3 canvases. November 2005. Sold. My first attempt at a multi-canvas work since And did those feet, several years ago. This panoramic view, seemingly of the Otago Harbour at dawn, is actually from photos taken on a very cold grey day. The view is from just beyond Maia, looking towards the mouth of the Harbour.
	Another day on Earth Acrylic/canvas. 101 x 84 cm (40 x 33 in). December 2005. My largest painting yet. A young woman stands outside a gymnasium in Dowling Street, Dunedin. While painting this, I was continuously playing Brian Eno’s latest album, Another day on Earth, hence the title. Sinisterly, the last track, Bone bomb, stuck in my consciousness, a song from the point of view of a young woman preparing to become a suicide bomber. Who is this young woman outside the building, and what is she waiting for?