Joan Eardley and the Untidy, Tidal Nature of Painting

This article combines archival research with scientific imaging and analysis to illuminate the materials and methods of Joan Eardley's painting practice during the post-World War II period. At a time of enormous diversification in the look, feel, chemistry, and application of materials used by artists, Eardley's toolkit blended experimentation with tradition and environmental symbiosis. From two distinct studios in Scotland---one in central Glasgow and the other in the coastal fishing village of Catterline---she wrestled a gestural language from oil paint, recycled canvases, and industrial boards that flexed with seasonal humidity or gale force winds. She is thought to have augmented her palette with house paint and boat paint. Focusing on three paintings from the Hunterian collection, this article presents a series of vignettes exploring Eardley's studios, supplies, and paint application against the historical backdrop of art technologies in transition.