SATURDAY!! Art is taking over my life – help!!
Went in to try to resolve the Antibes painting AGAIN. Still struggling but felt inspired after watching a lovely TV programme last night – Monty Don looking at artists gardens in France … Cezanne and Monet.
Am going to try to post a video. It probably won’t work …. technology again. Here goes.
……well that didn’t work. Will have to ask Josh how it’s done. In the meantime here’s a still.
Organising the Fundraising Auction is taking up a lot of my time but I still have ideas buzzing around in my head about the Degree Show work.
The Antibes painting is driving me nuts!! Can’t seem to get it right; it just escapes me all the time. Maybe I should leave it ; come back to it later.
I adjusted the water on my other big canvas and am happy with that now. Think that one’s finished.
I realised that by 3 pm I hadn’t picked up a paintbrush – had spent the whole day doing stuff towards the Auction so I had a cup of tea then painted till 6pm. Exhausted now after a long day.
On my visit on Wednesday to collect a painting from Richard Scott, I stopped off at Aldeburgh and took a few photos. Just love the reeds along the water’s edge. Another painting perhaps. There are possibilities everywhere.
ANTIBES PAINTING
Recording the progress of my Antibes painting. It’s not doing what I want. My latest thought is to redraw the composition as portrait rather than landscape; to get the feeling that the studio is high up and the boy in red is looking up at it. I want to create a sense of slight eeriness and fear but at the same time retain the beauty of the Mediterranean sea. Not easy.
I bought secondhand on Amazon on de Stael. This helped to evoke the spirit of place in the painting.
Keep looking and making sketches of the Waterfront at Ipswich. It’s tantalising; there’s a painting there but up till now I couldn’t decide how to tackle it. Talking to Simon Carter, plus the de Stael book has given me an idea which I must have a go at it soon.
Simon said any object or view is only a subject on which to hang a painting. I like that thought – it helps.
CONTINUATION OF PAINTING
My constant fight to ‘go abstract’ has taken a different direction. Am sure it’s not new – nothing is….but I decided to work in stages. First very loosely drawing the composition, then blocking in flat colour shapes to cover the canvas. Next put the drawing back using a strong black line (in paint) correcting as I go. Then block in again but don’t completely cover the drawing.
I want to express the atmosphere of the place but retain the drawing from the sketches onsite. We’ll see if it works !! Influenced by looking at de Stael and Diebenkorn !!
LOOKING AT CHRISTMAS SKETCHES
Thank goodness the dissertation and hours bent over my laptop are over. Computers drive me mad and make my shoulders ache. Went swimming today which eased the pain. Just love swimming. So calming.
Started a new painting of de Stael’s house in Antibes. It’s 2 x 1.8 metres so nice and big. I’m using the sketches I did in France plus photos but only very loosely. Want to get at the feeling of the scene before I knew the tragic story. I’m sure there must have been some vibes left there which drew me in.
I changed my name to include my maiden name, Bright. Two reasons - homage to my dear Dad who taught me to draw and there seem to be several ValJones's so hope this helps! I paint because I need to. Recently completed my MA Fine Art at Suffolk University, Ipswich. Enjoy blogging about progress - it seems to help. Landcsapes, the human figure, sense of place, in other words all the concerns of an artist in reflecting impressions of the world.
