Wednesday, 30 January 2008
Leeks
Pastel on paper, 43x30cm: Next stage in development is a pastel drawing/painting (it's definitely drawing but looks like painting!). Here I have enhanced the colours, particularly the blue, for the sake of a strong image.
Pastel on paper, 43x59cm: Another study, this time elongated and simplified as three stalks standing together wondering what has happened to the other two!
Oils on canvas, 80x50cm: Final attempt at portraying these leeks lying together awaiting their fate. Began by mixing the colours I was going to use and started with the white stalks, then the yellow/green, then the dark green applying the colour in sincle large strokes. Then I cut into the leek shape with the dark blue shadows, finishing (in the first session) with the blue background. I have always liked the combination of green and blue together. Next day I finished by going over where I thought the colours needed strengthening and sharpening up some edges. Pretty pleased with this!
Friday, 25 January 2008
John Anderson my Jo
"John Anderson my jo, John, when we were first acquent,
Your locks were like the raven, your bonie brow was brent;
But know your brow is beld, John, your locks are like the snaw,
But blessings on your frosty pow,
John Anderson my jo!
Today, 25th January, also marks the birthdate of my mother, Margaret Wallace, who always quoted this poem of Burns as her favourite. It is to her I also dedicate this painting. I never forget you.
Charcoal on paper, 43x59cm: I made this drawing today in preparation for making it into a painting, and while I am satisfied with this my atempts at painting were futile and a complete waste of time. Ah well, there's always tomorrow!
Thursday, 24 January 2008
Julie Fowlis at Celtic Connections
Julie has made a big impression on me! A slight girl with lovely face and eyes and soft fine hair she sings like a linty. I loved her in this little black dress with wide swirling flounces at the sleeves and satin neck-band and hems. But what a talent - she also played the whistle at such a fantastic rate, box accordian, and as part of her finale, these bag-pipes. Incredible to see this slip-of-a-girl commanding the stage and holding a large audience in complete enthral like some Hebridean pied-piper!
I can hear her again right now from this little sketch - watch the fingers fly, see her dress swirl with the skirl of the pipes, hear the crowd clap and shout for more as she finishes in a final flourish! A magnificent performance. I am now a dedicated fan!
Saturday, 19 January 2008
Celtic Connections 2008
Perhaps what made it all the more difficult was because the support band, "The Bills" from Montreal, were so good playing an eclectic mix of French Canadian Folk, Tango accordian, Italian Tarantella, simple folk songs and a bit of Jazz. They were well appreciated and I spoke briefly to Marc Atkinson, their mandolin player asking if they knew of "Tillers Foley", another Canadian folk band which I saw a few years ago in Ullapool to which he replied "yes, they were very good friends". The small acrylic painting at the top of this piece is actually of Tillers Foley from sketches made during their gig.
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
Young Woman Sitting
Monday, 14 January 2008
The Scott Monument
Sunday, 13 January 2008
Joan Eardley Exhibition
And what a show it was! She was prolific, and expansive - I was amazed at the number of paintings which were gathered here from many sources, both public and private, and the scale of many of the paintings was fantastic: huge expansive seascapes like the one at the end of this blog, with layer upon layer of paint and rich textures like you can't believe, and these paintings of people, especially the children. We were all in reverent awe of what we were seeing!
This is the front cover of the exhibition brochure and shows a large detail from "Children and Chalked Wall No.3" painted in oils with newspaper and metal foil collaged on canvas, 1963. The full picture of these two pals measures 61x68.6cm. A total inspiration with it's textures and colours.
If the previous painting was inspiring then what does that make this picture at 101x179cm painted in 1960 called: "Glasgow Back Street with Children Playing". For me this was the best in the show not just because of it's size but the complex interlocking of shapes and colour of the kids playing in the street just as I did as a child. This brings it all back for me. You can almost hear the laughter and the noise and the fun!
The Samson Family: Joan painted this group of children, individually and together, many times. This is a brilliant photo of them standing together in Eardley's studio. The little girl front right is Pat Samson who features by herself as "Little Girl with a Squint". Only recently did the media find some of these kids grown up now and let us hear their own memories of posing for Eardley. Fascinating insights!
Finally, this is an example of one of her seascapes:"Foam and Blue Sky" painted at Catterline in the North East of Scotland just south of Aberdeen where she stayed for a number of years towards the end of her short life. There are so many fantastic seascapes like this with it's grandeur, colour, textures, and movement I would like to show all of them but the best thing would be for anyone interested to get a hold of the brochure for themselves. It is a very high quality publication with great colour photos and only cost £9.95. Astonishing! It is published by National galleries of Scotland, ISBN 978 1 906270 04 9.
So what a day! It was wonderful, if a bit exhausting, to travel through to Auld Reekie, have our lunch in Harvey Nicks with an excellent glass of wine, and then get a look at this fantastic exhibition. My feelings as we came out were, as usual, very mixed: on the one hand I was, of course, inspired beyond doubt but also a bit deflated by my own inability to do anything anywhere near this quality standard Eardley has set for us. Having now seen these paintings 'up close and personal', many for the first time, I am in sheer awe and admiration of this womans fabulous talent. Well done Joan - you are one of the very finest painters that Scotland and even the world has ever produced. You are my hero!
Thursday, 10 January 2008
Peas
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
Lie Like A Chair
I started setting this up last year but never quite got to posting any items for sale until a few days ago when I recieved an enquiry about this pastel painting 'Lie Like A Chair'. This enquiry was the catalyst to get me moving, dive in and open up my shop, and make it easy for someone to make a purchase using PayPal - a third party payment facilitator that protects both seller and buyer.
The painting itself is in pastel, 43x30cm, and shows an imaginary couple in close embrace while sleeping.