Page 2 - cn Alter - Realism with intro 01-01-2025 _Handy

An introduction to Alter–Realism

Over the past 30 years Neal has found whilst pursuing Impressionist subject matter direct from nature that contained within a view there are fragments of visual
experiences, worthy by their intrinsic beauty to be captured in paint and yet are insufficient in content to constitute painting a distinct picture.

Neal would often disregard these special visual experiences, as he had not discovered or formulated any pictorial vehicle in which to incorporate what seemed to him,
disconnected visually emotional elements.
Over the years, through the gradual process of discovery and experimentation, initially through Impressionist practice, Neal had evolved a mode of expression which
incorporates what at first appears to be isolated fragments, into a visual construct by its own structure creating a connective agent.

Working in the Impressionist mode of painting the subject is discovered as a complete composition, irrespective of the possible need to selectively frame in- order to
achieve a balance point relative to the scene and desired subject or narrative. The selected composition comprises elements that through the envelope of the picture space,
their individual meaning and representation are merged and altered through the commonality of light, colour and associative terms within the subject.

Whereas, when viewed in isolation individual elements assume a distinct value and character, which in turn changes the perception of their unique presence.
Neal’s first attempt at distinguishing between what is considered as conventional composition, in having a salient focal point and an associated bounding area that
conformed to normal perspective. He termed this new approach ‘Abstract Impressionism’, in-essence Impressionism in terms of how a composition was realised through
direct reference to nature; but the structure of the painting concentrated only on a specific space within the scene. This had the effect of introducing areas of ambiguity and
a degree of pattern making which accentuated the effect of movement, through colour, line, and area.
However, at this stage, Neal’s approach still did not incorporate isolated compositional elements.

Concurrent to his experimentation, he became interested in a number of art Movements, this interest did not solely lie with the search for a new representation, but
rather as a general search to enhance the poetical aspect within the visual language, in other words, to go beyond pure recall and style.
The Movements that interested me at that point, were the Art Nouveau Movement, Symbolism, Post Impressionism, Fauvism and Cubism.

The Art Nouveau movement introduced Neal to the idea of incorporating mystery into a subject, as well as the use of design based on nature.

The fashioning of these two salient components into materials such as glass, ceramics, wood and metals thereby creating an animation within the medium used.
Equally in the use of glass and ceramics the artists were able to create a sense of ambiguity in the design. These points of perceived ambiguity afford the viewer a window
into an alternative state within the context of the piece.