Not sure this is the correct use of an Art blog but although I’ve obviously expressed verbally, to friends and family, my joy about things I’ve done this summer, it still seems important to write the words down for posterity. So a-n has become a repository for my diary thoughts. Suppose I’m apologising but in fairness, my life/diary is inevitably slanted towards ART and as I believe art is synonymous with life, it’s allowable. Yes?
Right, apology over. The course at Newlyn Art School was wonderful. Full of practical advice on ‘how to paint’ but delivered by the tutor Gareth Edwards in brilliantly humorous/semi art-speak academic/understandable language. His thoughts on composition were a revelation demonstrating that there is always something to learn, even after a lifetime of painting and drawing.Here’s one of my efforts after the first plain air day on a stunningly beautiful Cornish Beach.
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Then second day was spent in the studio making large-scale acrylic paintings. This is a detail from one of mine. I so enjoyed this one and it taught me so much.
I drove home (7 hour journey !!) feeling elated. Had one day to pack then 4 of us took off on another long journey via Brittany Ferries to France to stay in a gorgeous 200 year old stone house recently acquired by a relative. Situated on the borders of the Lot, Dordogne area. Again so wonderful that superlatives like amazing, beautiful, sublime can’t do it justice. Had no idea where to start painting as every angle was crying out to be captured. So I began by filling a concertina sketchbook with quite domestic images, to document our stay and to give to our niece as a memento. I photographed some of these to reuse back home combining lessons learnt on my Cornish Abstract Landscape course.
Here are some of the sketches and photos….
And now….inspired and slightly overwhelmed I shall begin a series of French memories. Then on 22nd I’m off to Brisons Veor,Cape Cornwall again for a weeks residency. What a wonderful arty summer I’m having.
Can’t believe this is my first August blog post!!!
Used up lots of nervous energy and trepidation by painting since my last blog. Fear has proved an excellent spur to creativity.I’ve managed to bag another week at Brisons Veor in Cape Cornwall and am so looking forward to time spent in this magical setting to paint when perhaps I can live in a more reflective manner than the current frenetic activity. News of my proposed Cornwall week prompted me to look again at the sketchbooks of my first visit for inspiration. And thank goodness this instigated a series
Just four of the 15 or so paintings rapidly completed recently in preparation for forthcoming exhibitions.
But the fear was not caused by these. A greater challenge was the one and a half mile swim I had foolishly agreed to do in the River Stour – the Mill to Mill starting at Dedham and ending at Flatford Mill next to Constable’s home. My son had dared me to take part.
Somehow I made it. Here with granddaughter Sophie who took 35 minutes compared to my 2 hours. Never again!!! I’ll stick to painting. It took me two days to recover. Now I’m getting my brain back in gear for next week – Visiting two lido’s in Devon to paint on my way to a two-day course at St Ives on abstract landscape. A timely event before my week at Cape Cornwall in September.
But that’s before our 10 day stay in France and a quick trip this Monday to Wells to see the Sculpture Trail. Shall have to blog again soon to catch up…haven’t mentioned my wonderful find of Covehythe Beach and my friends great art exhibition at Snape Maltings. Will I ever slow down? It’s proving to be a gloriously busy as well as hot and sunny summer.
This , I THINK’, the final version. Like I said before – each painting is like reinventing the wheel. I knew something wasn’t working but it’s taken a while and several reworking to discover how to get it right. But what does right mean? There are always more questions than answers and I suppose that’s exactly what keeps you moving forward. I seem to have moved on a little in my general approach to life in that I don’t just give up, throw a painting away and start on something else. I have managed, well with this particular one at least, to persevere until I get closer to the image in my head or to what, I consider, the right answer. That’s progress in my book.
And here’s a detail which I think made all the difference. It lifted the image from being purely figurative without having to obliterate too much detail and turning it into a pure abstract. The squiggly lines made with Inktense pencils suggest the crumbling cliffs in a way I couldn’t manage with paint alone.
I really liked the effect and have used it in my next image of a pool in Cornwall. See detail below.
Well that’s enough analysis for now. On with more painting. Actually, looking at this blog I now wonder if I should make squiggly lines in the sky of the Cliff painting??? Things are never finished. Questions??????
Well I knew I’d change my mind. Started the reworking by turning this into a portrait instead of landscape. That seemed to help emphasising the height of the cliffs. Then I put in some lines and drawing…. I always say that drawing is at the heart of my practice so I should not be afraid to draw more. Think it’s done now but who knows….I might start it again.
I think I’ve resolved the Walton landscape.
Just enough detail to nail it to a place but verging towards the abstract. I managed it by allowing my mind to disconnect and following the dictate of the medium. Tentatively pleased with the result.Think I’ve got the crumbling, weather-beaten cliff. Hope that doesn’t sound too smug. I’ll probably change my mind tomorrow.
