Sunday 19 August 2007

Watercolours from Wales






Just back from my holidays at a farmhouse called Gesail Gyfarch, just above Porthmadog in North Wales, while the weather wasn’t perfect (for holidays or painting) I had a very enjoyable break and managed to fit in some painting time...and here are the results…

I’ve pushed the “white” marks on three of these further than I’ve done in previous paintings and I think the effect has worked well. I’ve tried to focus on painting what I feel about the place I’m in, rather than just directly painting what’s in front of me…Generally trying to inject the “passion” needed to distinguish my interpretations of landscapes from everyone else’s…I think I’m going in the right direction :) certainly something to explore further in future pictures…

7 comments:

Hildegard of Bingen said...

Graham - I agree. I think the 3 with the 'white' markings are far more interesting.

I'm looking forward to seeing this develop.

Unknown said...

Thanks Hildegard :) I must hunt out some more dramatic views closer to home…I need to keep experimenting between holidays…Not enough mountains, or coastal areas in Oxfordshire for my liking…:)

Lorna said...

Fab to see new pictures. Glad you had a good time even if judging from your paintings the weather was iffy ...

SueC said...

Its brilliant to see some passion appearing in your watercolours...these paintings have moved you on a level I believe, both in a painterly fashion and perhaps a spiritual one?

Either way, bravo.

Unknown said...

Well I’m trying to get some feeling into them, but I am spectacularly bad at expressing myself, so it’ll be a long and winding road….:)

Hildegard of Bingen said...

At the risk of sounding pious (but hey I'm a saint) - passion does not have to equal drama. That's rather an adolesent trap. Why not try paining your front door and putting into it all the feling you have about home and family (if ineed that's what it symbolises for you).

I'm really looking forward to seeing you travelling that winding road, becuase I truely believe that's it's only by unlocking your emotions that you'll move on as an artist.

Unknown said...

I know what you’re saying Hildegard, a wonderful example that springs to mind would be Van Gogh’s Chair paintings, which while of “undramatic” subjects are “passionately” executed…and beautiful works of art…

I suppose some artists would say any subject can be explored and interpreted to create an interesting piece of art…I “could” paint my front door and try and inject it with those feelings…but I simply don’t feel that about that subject…to me, it’s just a door (in need of painting I’ll grant you, but that’s another issue…;))

I enjoy painting the watercolours in dramatic landscapes, because those landscapes stimulate me…perhaps that was the core of the problem with the Eynsham River picture…I wasn’t interested in it, so I just went through the motions…which was enjoyable (and much needed) for me as an afternoon out, but didn’t result in anything that great as a piece of art…

I think making time for…and pushing what I do with my figurative oil paintings, while “attacking” the watercolours is the direction I should be taking…it’s certainly the one I’m most drawn too…