Jillian Karl's DNA exhibition now on display at Whanganui's WHMilbank Gallery

Jillian Karl in front of her DNA canvases, all of which were painted with a decades-old squeegee. Photo / Mike Tweed

Whanganui artist Jillian Karl deals primarily in black, and that has included making her own black paint for the past 20 years.

"For the next 40 years, until I'm 100 and something, I'll still be working in black," Karl said.

Unsurprisingly then, her new exhibition Karl DNA was made using only that colour.

Karl said she had been furthering her academic studies in recent months, starting a PhD before opting instead to pursue a DocFA (Doctor of Fine Arts).

During this time "the impact of old philosophers" had been "brought up" in her face, she said.

"What's occurred for me this year is to let go of the impact, academically, of these old philosophers, and for me to look at my own personal journey.

"That's opened up a huge freedom for me."

One wall of the exhibition is made up of dense, circular pieces that have been painted on plywood, and the other consists of large, "site specific" canvases, all of which were made using a decades-old squeegee Karl found in her shed.

"At first I used a brush, but it was terrible and I tore it up. I did some printmaking many years ago and I used this wonderful old wooden squeegee, which they probably don't make any more.

"There's a history to it, it's almost like a friend. I picked it up and it felt good, and away I went.

"These are the DNA files, and I'm not only looking at my DNA, but also the other artists that work in black. They've excited me for a long time."

Karl said there was one artist in particular who had inspired her throughout her artistic journey.

"Pierre Soulages really resonates with me because of my ancient French background. He works with tar, and on December 24 he will be 101. He's still working to this day. Mind you, he has assistants, which I don't.

"He's a wonderful model though, and I still want to be painting when I'm somewhere around that age. I'd better keep fit."

There were two specific things that drove her in her work, Karl said.

"One is the act of painting, that's what I do. The second thing that's important for me is the experience of the viewer.

"I put down the brush [on to the wood] and then I drag it. I don't know where it's going to go, which is scary, but I have to see what I can do with the paint, and what the paint will do with me."

Karl said she completed a new body of work each year, but the DNA collection was a "suite" that would take at least 10 years to fully develop.

"The canvas here is very much a child of the works on the other wall.

"I can't tell you how many layers go on to the plywood, but it's an awful lot. It's months and months of rubbing and layers, and rubbing and layers. That's what I do though.

"All of this is one family, the DNA files. It'll keep on going, and building, and I guess I'll measure it by years."

Karl DNA is on display at WHMilbank Gallery, 1B Bell St, until February 6.