Sunday 9 May 2010

Diversionary Tactics

Still in one piece (unlike the vase, of course) after a fantastic weekend on our Island of Dreams (aka Arran) my cunning plan is to divert attention away from the broken vase by gifting a new wee blue bowl from a young potter, Jeff Irving, working out of his own workshop on the Island, Cladach Pottery:


And here is that wee blue bowl which has indeed worked it's magic:



Now, taking sound advice, I'm sure, from Melanie, I also need some flooers to draw further attention away from The Vase Wi' a Hole in It and keep everything sweet.

For well over a year now I have been painting figures, abstracts, and more figures in a semi-abstract fashion all done from pure imagination. For now, however, I need another diversion to retain my sanity (who said "aye, right"?) so I set up these Rhododendron flowers in a jug with my favourite yellow pot and a sweet pear to paint direct from observation:

Oils on board, 30x40cm.

There is a world of a difference between painting from imagination and direct from life. When painting from imagination the options are indeed only limited by your palette. But what colours to choose? Depends, of course, on what you are trying to say.
In my "Facial Feelings" series the colours arrived at were 'felt' rather than 'seen'. And while this is an incredible way of working sometimes it is good to return to what is seen to keep the eyes on their toes, so to speak, and observant.

Even though you may think that the options are limitless from imagination sometimes it is better to simply be expressive with the colours you see rather than just "making them up". Ask Melinda.

4 comments:

Melinda said...

Oh, you've got a plan, and a good one it is! I think, if I may, that a wife could forgive any mishap with a gladness of heart after seeing this beautiful painting. I can see abstraction, skilled technique, and expressive qualities throughout. Really well done!

I confess. I said it...""aye, right"."

Thank you, bro, for the mention. :-)

daviddrawsandpaints said...

You were'nt to know it, Melinda, but your comment this morning was so well timed.
Just when I was having the poor me's your comment on this wee painting lifted my spirits and made me very happy indeed.
Now, I know I shouldn't be so dependent on what other people say about my work, and don't want to be a burden on friends, but your support and appreciation of my work has been second to none. For that (as well as being a great wee sister) I thank you from the heart of my bottom :o)

And I just knew you would say "aye, right"...

Melinda said...

I'm so glad that I wrote at such a time and could do as you have done for me in the past, when I've had the "poor me's."

You know, I was gonna write that you ought to have blamed the baby...

Hey! What's this "heart of my bottom?!" Oh, you are pure gallus...

Hope I got that right.

daviddrawsandpaints said...

You got it dead right! (you definitely have Scottish blood in you somewhere).

I can't help being gallus - it's just the way ah'mur (I am) to quote one of the indigenous species!

ps: and I no longer have the poor me's. Just a passing dip.