An exhibition of paintings by Colin McKenzie
Private View: Friday 5th December from 6 pm - 11 pm

“The sun was shining the atmosphere was electric, the sounds were smooth, the people mellow, the reality expanding, the mood inviting. This to me is how I think of Woodstock and how it must have been or hoped it was; with vibrant colours, merriment and music, the psychedelic matched with freedom of the mind and the abandonment of all that was restricted.” (McKenzie 2008)

Private View: Friday 5th December from 6 pm - 11 pm
Exhibition runs from: 5th December - 11th of December 2008
Gallery Opening Hours: Sat, Mon Tues Wed: 2.30 pm - 6.30 pm
Last day of exhibition Thursday 11th of December : Open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm

“The sun was shining the atmosphere was electric, the sounds were smooth, the people mellow, the reality expanding, the mood inviting. This to me is how I think of Woodstock and how it must have been or hoped it was; with vibrant colours, merriment and music, the psychedelic matched with freedom of the mind and the abandonment of all that was restricted.” (McKenzie 2008)

McKenzie has a deep sense that art ought to feel like a day at Woodstock: electric, dynamic, smooth and mind expanding. Paint should not flow just in one direction across the canvas, but take all manner of paths helping it glide with palette knives merging and smoothing the colours, like the multitude of people blending, mingling at a vast gathering. This highlights movement rather than constrictions of a brush. Flowing and manoeuvring without restriction; this reflects ideas of freedom and lyricism rather than order and sense.

Dynamic and idiosyncratic in style, McKenzie certainly shows his viewers that he is more than able to capture moods and situations in a poignant and self-explanatory way. His palette knifes strokes are in deed a feast for the eye and senses reflecting his craftmanship as a painter. As a main tool he uses palette knives as he feels the brush can become confining for his large scale canvases.

Why Woodstock: McKenzie’s central focus lies with the passage of time, history and questions of freedom and determination. Even if he has never been able to personally experience Woodstock, he strongly feels that one has to be able to create ones own Woodstock. For him the very idea of Woostock represents freedom and progress.

Maybe we should all retreat once in a while into our own imaginary Woodstock….

Colin Mckenzie graduated in fashion and worked in various fashion houses around the world. He trained as a chef and later abandoned fashion to concentrate soley on painting. Colin says of himself: “I enjoy creating lovely meals in a nice restaurant and painting the world, if I wanted to sum me up in one sentence it would be:

The world is complicated so am I……….”