As explained in previous texts about Hunter’s working practice, his paintings are made by painting in an ‘automated’ manner following a long period painting spots for one of the world’s best-known and sensationally prolific artists, Damien Hirst. The hands-on practical training he received in Hirst’s relentlessly productive studio had a big impact on Hunter’s work, not only positively influencing his attention to detail and presentation, but showing him methods of working practise that he definitely did not want to adopt in his own work.

Hunter is at his best and most comfortable when he is taking his time. His paintings are honest, thoughtful and playful journeys of mark making across canvas or aluminium, without the presence of pre-conceived forms and thought processes. Each spot of paint is carefully and deliberately placed with receptivity to the combination of colours and the placement of shapes. In Fraxinus Excelsior, shades of pink and blue share equal space on opposite sides of the composition with orange acting as the mediator to compliment the latter and warm up the former. Its positive role in the painting is a connecting one, and we sense no discord or colour-clash here.

One obvious change in Hunter’s approach is that pigment takes a bigger and bolder role in the new body of work, and is a departure from the precise brushwork, coupled with large expanses of blank canvas, that Hunter’s early paintings presented. In Cercidiphyllum, blue encircles the centre of the painting in great swathes, the movement of the brushstrokes helping guide our eye into the central space and the amalgamation of pattern and hue going on there. For a deceptively simple arrangement, the painting contains over ten shades of colour and leaves the smallest area of white that we’ve seen in Hunter’s work to date.

New shades are also present in Dracocephalum’s interlocking jigsaw formation. Plum and ochre show a complimentary colour choice again, but their muted tones are an unusual selection for Hunter, giving off a sophisticated glow reminiscent of terracotta sunsets and vineyards. Some subtle variations in technique can be seen in the peach-colour in the right side of the painting where a thicker application of paint sees some of it sit on top of the canvas, hinting at a layering effect which creates depth and a three-dimensional quality to the surface.

When we asked Hunter to comment on his new works, he revealed that it’s interesting to look back at his earlier paintings, noticing how his mind has changed the way he feels about certain works; “I want to have more courage when it comes to my painting now. There's a battle going on between being spontaneous and applying that daub of paint instinctively, or carefully considering the next move and taking time painting that mark. I've been enjoying getting the bigger brushes out as well, although the pressure increases with brush size”. Hunter also discloses how his twin brother, Anthony Hunter, is an inspiration with his large-scale colourful works. Anthony was once described as an ‘explosive bomb ready to go off’, with James as ‘a candle burning steadily away’.

Eyestorm are delighted to be able to show and offer Hunter’s new works, from today. The paintings maintain the highly regarded aspect of Hunter’s work, that of flawless presentation, by being framed by the artist himself and it’s an inspiration to work with an artist sensitively evolving his craft. By building on the strengths of his previous practice, Hunter continues to seamlessly integrate the contrasting and challenging energies of spontaneity, with that of delicacy and thoughtful application.

You can view the three new paintings, Fraxinus Excelsior, Cercidiphyllum and Dracocephalum on James Hunter’s artist page here.