Skinny Hollow Dog (Entity Effigies Series)

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’ve recently started work on a new series of small semi/barely-figurative pieces that I’ve been constructing from organic found materials and utilising their inherent forms with the bare minimum of intervention on my part. 

'Skinny Hollow Dog Effigy' (3 views), 2025, artist Wayne Chisnall

I’m calling this series my Entity Effigies. Rather than being actual sculptures I’m considering them more as contemplation pieces, as inspiration for potential further works (drawings and paintings). Although, saying that, I think that once I have enough of them, as a cluster they will probably be able to hold their own artistically.

'Wide-Mouther Hollow Dog', oil on board, artist Wayne Chisnall

It was only after I’d finished this three-legged effigy that it occurred to me that it somewhat resembled a Hollow Dog, the name I gave to the series of characters that emerged during the ‘100 oil paintings in 12 months challenge’ I set myself a couple of years ago. During this self-imposed challenge I started almost every one of these small paintings/oil sketches by putting brush to board with little or no preconceived idea of what I was about to paint. And it was during these painting sessions that I noticed these hooded or wide-mouthed creatures materialise. It’s fascinating what the hand and mind can produce when you’re in the zone and not paying too much directed attention.

'Hollow Dog Warrior', oil on board, artist Wayne Chisnall

It reminds me of an exercise I used to do every night just as I went to bed. I would force myself to do 10 drawings before I was allowed to go to sleep. They would be very fast, scribbly sketches, especially if I was very tired, and I once I’d done them I wouldn’t look at any of them until some time had passed. But when I did go through them, days or weeks later, even though many of them wouldn’t be great, there would be some that jumped out at me. A few of these inspired future works, and even though they came from my own head, many of them I had no idea what they were about or meant. But as the late great David Lynch once said, “I don’t know why people expect art to make sense. They accept the fact that life doesn’t make sense”.

'Hollow Dog Howling', oil on board, artist Wayne Chisnall