'This looks like a bit of a break from your more identifiable works Jo. I like it, great use of colour and a funky abstract 3D feel to it.

What part do you feel the text plays in these pieces? Maybe a bit of an immaterial question I suppose, as it does add a kind of extra dimension, but I'm curious, are there literal references to your subject matter or inspiration? Or is it more liberal, sort of a free association thing that flows naturally when you're in the groove?'

Hey ya heavyconsumer,
glad you like it!these paintings are more experiments exploring a different way of making something!if there is an element that really appeals to me i will develop it back into the style you would be more familiar with! Sometimes my work is completly off the cuff,free association as you put it, but it all depends on my mood.My angular abstracts are explorations of colour and space on a canvas where as my figures are more based around exploration of the body and its shapes.
The most literal referance to a meaning within my work can be found in works like augustine and the silence
http://www.flickr.com/photos/illjoseph/3813977975/
where a story or situation(oftern surreal/subjective) is been described.I would hope there is still a degree of ambiguity for you to fill in your own blanks.thats the joy of reading a painting;we all read differently.
All the paintings i produce will contain elements of thousands of personal memories and inspirations from life and culture.wouldnt know where to start with them ...seaweed,bones,driftwood,concrete,grunwald,schiele,olives,rotting chipboard,drums...
this is where the texts pops out.sometimes a story about the painting,sometimes me ranting about the taxman,some in pigeon french, oftern illegible.
An old essex writer ,richie phoe, got me into handstyle which worked its way into the pot!
Then i saw some work in an old urban art mag of someone embedding traditional handstyle under earthy layers of paint and loved it!that turned out to be parla of course!
wow....ranted on a bit!
hope that gives ya a vauge idea.I wouldnt want to be too specific
peace