When I Was Here You Were There Painting by Tim Fawcett
Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Size: 100 W x 100 H x 3.5 D cm
Tim Fawcett’s When I was here you were there Painting encapsulates a dynamic, almost conversational exchange between contrasting elements on a 100 x 100 cm canvas. This work stands at the intersection of abstract expressionism and minimalism, clearly influenced by masters of spontaneity like Cy Twombly and Robert Ryman. Fawcett’s process, unplanned and instinctive, imbues the piece with an authentic vitality, where impulsive strokes coexist with deliberate interruptions.
Painted in 2020 while Fawcett listened to Magazine’s “Back to Nature,” this work seems to embody a back-and-forth dialogue of balance and imbalance. The stark yellow X set against a deep black field punctuates the canvas, asserting itself against softer, more organic drips and marks. This sharp contrast not only arrests the viewer but creates a subtle tension that invites contemplation. The linear interruptions act almost like a pulse, restraining the composition’s chaos with a clean, regimented energy.
At its core, the painting evokes the artist’s own exploration of visual dichotomies—freedom versus discipline, spontaneity versus structure, and familiarity versus alienation. This tension feels deeply personal, perhaps reflecting the influence of his experience teaching adults with learning disabilities, where he discovered a joyous, uninhibited approach to creativity. Fawcett’s work here communicates without strict representational language, engaging viewers in a new visual dialect.
This abstract piece resists immediate interpretation, presenting instead a layered tapestry of instinct, experience, and philosophical reflection. The textural quality achieved through acrylic, spray paint, and conte adds depth to the raw, expressive gestures on the canvas. In this way, Fawcett’s work is as much about process as it is about product, offering a visceral and immediate experience that echoes both the precision and freedom inherent in his evolving style.
The painting is available to buy at Saatchi Art