These works are exhibited in "Arthur Wicks: Colour Field" at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery from December 2012 to February 2013. They are initially paintings, shaped canvases and prints from the period 1965 to 1974.

1. Name Size cm year notes image
Orbital 177.5 x 129 1967 Paris
Acrylic on
linen
“The inspiration for the painting came from the print,
‘Orbital 1’ and the treatment and colours were very
similar.” *
Full Speed 153.5 x 87 1966 Painting
(2012)
reconstructed
from
silkscreen
print of 1966
Acrylic on
Belgian linen
“At the same time came the realisation that the
experience from the prints Study in Purple and Full
Speed could be continued on a much larger scale to
advantage, and the approach offered by these prints
was not as intrinsically sterile and unemotional as I
feared.” *
Study in Purple 153.5 x 87 1966 Painting
(2012)
reconstructed
from
silkscreen
print of 1966
Acrylic on
Belgian linen
“At the same time came the realisation that the
experience from the prints Study in Purple and Full
Speed could be continued on a much larger scale to
advantage, and the approach offered by these prints
was not as intrinsically sterile and unemotional as I
feared.” *

2. Gemini II 192 x 188 1968 Paris, original
destroyed
Reconstructed
2012
Acrylic on
linen
“Fine strip of lemon yellow and white down the
centre: flanked by curves of light blue and pink.
Surrounding these sections are large monochromatic
areas of dark blue and dark green. No use was made
of transparent washes. At later date the dark blue and
green areas were repainted a much darker and richer
tone (the initial colours were grayed with the
complementary colours). Substantial use was made
of masking tape to obtain clear crisp areas of colour.
During the painting it was found that hard edges
between two areas of similarly taped colours
particularly if they are both dark in tone) do not
appear to he harshly separated.” *
Hinge 154 x 76 x 20 1968 Canberra
Acrylic on
linen
“The wooden frame was constructed along similar
lines to Thrust, but at the left- hand edge two uprights
were fastened. The remainder of the structure was
two
dimensional. The canvas was stretched and shrunk as
with ‘Thrust’ but it was found
that to produce a satisfactory shape the stretching had
to be more carefully controlled
with plenty of slack at the critical corners. *
No masking tape was used in painting the final
surface, and the contours of the colours developed
naturally from the stretched form.” *

3. Slant 249x135x36 1968 Canberra,
destroyed;
reconstructed
2012
Acrylic on
linen
The wooden frame was constructed in two sections
which are screwed together by brackets. The canvas
in the upright was stretched right around to cover it
back and front. The lower section was stretched on
the upper surface and the whole tilted backwards
slightly by little chocks near the fulcrum, and weight
inserted at the foremost end of the structure. *
In a sense this sculpture is the 3 dimensional
embodiment of the print Full Speed. *
Thrust 102x102x41 1968 Paris 1967-8
destroyed;
Canberra
1968
destroyed;
reconstructed
2012
Acrylic on The first prototype was made in Paris, and differed
Belgian linen little from that made in Canberra (the following year).
The frame was prepared by strips of rough pinewood
nailed into a stable structure. The central embossing
was achieved by inserting part of a tin onto the
wooden frame. The canvas was stretched and
shrunk by pouring boiling water over the whole thing,
and re-stretching and shrinking. This was repeated
several times until a constant stretched skin was
achieved. The canvas was primed with acrylic primer.
No masking tape was used. *
The shape was first conceived as a sculptural (?)
extension of Orbital. The final form was reminiscent of
a human form as are the paintings Orbital and Gemini
(at least to some extent). The painted form followed
naturally from the lines of the stretched object, streng-
thening the final impact. The first prototype was
painted in a soft pink, compared with a stronger
orange-pink in the second. *

4. Vortex 91 x 91 x 97 1968
Acrylic on
linen
The wooden frame was constructed by careful angling
of the joints. The plan view of the base is an irregular
lozenge rather than a square. The canvas was
stretched and fastened at the back upright. The colour
areas were applied to strengthen the "saddle" effect
which such a structure would mathematically produce.
*
The development from the other sculptural pieces and
the more direct use and possible development of a
series of such pieces based on mathematical
constraints is interesting. The very means by which
the pieces are made rely on the resolution of physical
forces, and the direct reliance on mathematical
functions seems a natural path to follow. *
Wall Sentinel 222 x 69 1969
(max)
Acrylic on
cotton
The areas of colours are delineated by pencil lines
which are not concealed during the process of
painting. The canvas was treated with Bondcrete to
seal it and is the first where no priming coat was
applied. The colours, as a result, could be applied in a
thin transparent layer, thus producing a more brilliant
colour. The orange, especially, was applied in a very
dilute form but uniformity was preserved. *
Commenced and finished Jan., 1969. The first one
attempted was destroyed due to an accident in the
finer orange tone. *
The rationale for this painting came from the yellow
"mist" effect produced in Wedge. **

5. Soft Centres 170 x 86 1970 Acrylic on
cotton
Green Drift 168 x 168 1971 Acrylic on
cotton
H Scape 119 x 86 1972 Acrylic on
cotton
Is it included??
Cross Scape 163 x 48 1973 Acrylic on
cotton
Not included
Glomesh 124 x 89 1973 Acrylic on
cotton

6. Web 124 x 83.5 1973 Acrylic on
cotton
Skyburst 162.5 x 112 1973 Acrylic on
cotton
Verdant 79 x 252 1973 Acrylic on
cotton
Green Breaker 174 x 332 1973 Acrylic on
cotton
Ockham’s Grid 80 x 170.5 1973 Acrylic on
cotton
Skylight 2 168 x 297.5 1974 Acrylic on
cotton

7. Red Cornered 165.5 x 254.5 1974 Acrylic on
cotton
PRINTS
Leaning Corner 69 x 46 1969 silkscreen
Collapsed Walls 70 x 49 1969 From WWAG
collection
Is it included??
silkscreen

8. Whisper 76 x 56 1968 silkscreen
Berg 71 x 51 1970 silkscreen
Is it included??
Red Drift 71 x 51 1970 From WWAG
collection
Is it included??
silkscreen
Red Fizz 71 x 50 1970 silkscreen
Double Glow 51 x 71 1971 Silkscreen
Artist Proof