The Painting is Always King

Kingdom of Flora (30 x 20 cm) egg tempera on panel

I set up the still life for this painting on the 13th of July. Between then and now I finished a portrait for an NHS Hero, did plenty of pastel drawings in my sketchbooks, and gessoed 38 panels - this panel was the last of my bigger panels.  The new panels are all bigger and they have a coat of rabbit skin glue, followed by nine coats of gesso and then another coat of rabbit skin glue. There is a lot of waiting for things to dry. It's laborious but also uplifting - so much hope. The panels took two days this time.   I'm not sure when I actually began this painting but I certainly had something down over last weekend. It was stop and go but I also had a few problems from the outset.  The set up was more square than horizontal and the only panel I had was a long panel, . The flowers didn't live very long, at all.  The Gazanias died in about half a day. I couldn't really replace the flowers once they'd died.  It is the start of my dahlia season, there weren't any new ones blooming yet. I wasn't really convinced by the colours in the arrangement at all.  When I put the colours I saw on the panel, there was always something discordant, or simply ugly about it. But I I wasn't going to let that stop me.

Although I have plenty of objects to choose from, I like to vary what I am looking at and imagine people like to see different things. As a compulsive charity shopper, Covid 19 has forced me into a less consumerish way of working.  I have nothing new and exciting to begin the dialogue between the objects.

Still, as I was painting I began adding objects to the the still life to try to 'fix' things. I covered colours and objects  up and to change what I was looking at to make the composition work horizontally and to find a balance.  IT IS MUCH BETTER TO PLAN YOUR STILL LIFE CAREFULLY SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO REARRANGE ON THE PANEL. One day I decided that I needed an orangeish shape on the right hand side.  I trawled through Pinterest until I found what I needed. The plums rotted. The leaves shrivelled up and I had to redraw things as I brought fresh items to the table. On Friday (looking at my third bouquet) I remembered it was OK to paint what I needed, not what I saw. I was suddenly Rousseau looking at my tabletop peaceable kingdom. 

I think I'm convinced by it now, or is too stylised?

what I began with

Egg Envy, egg tempera on panel, 30 x 20 cm, 

I set up a still life on Monday morning.  No more frivolous trips to the supermarket to buy  fancy spring flowers. Here we are in 'lockdown and it's ''make do and mend, 'victory garden' and 'pick your own'. Luckily my bulbs are coming up and a new roadside egg seller sells scrumptiously beautiful pastel coloured eggs!

My Monday stilllife was not peaceful and I had a lot of jobs to do (including sewing a cloth mask) so I got through the day without beginning it.  It is difficult to settle down in lockdown. On Tuesday morning I began again.  This set up was easy on my unsettled eyes so I stuck to it all day and thought about it when I woke in the middle of the night and continued today. 

I never thought I would paint a cat figurine, but I hadn't expected my mother would carry a cat figurine from Orlando and give it to me for Christmas. She must have known that on a Tuesday in March we'd all be social distancing and I'd need a little pastel coloured light relief. 

Taking an idea through

Stalking Spring, oil on canvas, 50 x 40 cm

Today I think I finished an oil painting. I haven't been painting in oils for months, maybe even a year or more. I love working in oil but getting started with it just seems to be a big commitment. I hate cleaning my brushes, I get paint all over me in a way no other media does and I have to move furniture to set things up to paint at an easel. I work in so many different media and lately it has felt like I have needed to work in those, for upcoming exhibitions. OIl has taken a back seat.  

I have heard myself telling people that what I like about egg tempera is that it dries so quickly and you can layer in the space of minutes, not days, like with oils. It isn't smelly and the clean up is simple. On Saturday I sat next to an RBA exhibititor at the dinner and she did intricate paintings with 'wet on wet' oils. I had already started this. I think I got out my oils because my last egg tempera felt like it could work better/needed a bigger scale. But after taling to Sue, I has a different attitude to the layers and the oils were different, not more cumbersome.

A5 oil sketch

 Before I began on the first day, I decided to do a small oil sketch on gessoed paper.  I have agreed to donate a few pieces (A5) for a fundraiser, to aid the animals that were affected in the Australian wildfires. I thought perhaps an oil sketch work.

working bigger

 I worked form life.  I realised I needed another motif on the left side, so added a bouquet on the second day to balance out the colour and shapes.

egg tempera Composition and Saint

This was the original idea,  painting.  I used a photo of a bowl/cup to imagine an alternative composition.  In the painting I have done the same.

Here we go again… It's time to choose between three!

Colour After Frost, egg tempera on panel, 23 x1 6 cm

Dahlia for Remembrance, egg tempera on panel, 26 x 20 cm

We Three Kings II, egg tempera on panel, 26 x 20 cm

If you follow my blog you will know that this summer I had two pieces selected by the RBA.  The selection process has come around again very quickly… they have moved the RBA's date back to its usual slot.  For the RBA, this change back was desireable and that means I need to choose something to submit by the end of this month.  These are my three most recent egg tempera pieces. I can submit more than two pieces but I have 'capped' my submissions at two. Which two do you think I should submit? 

Another story about exhibiting at the Mall Galleries!

Patrick and I took the 8:10 train.  Once in London, we went to the British Museum for a coffee. From there I walked over to Trafalgar Square and down to the Mall Galleries.  

On arriving I found my exhibitor's label but decided to save it for later. I walked to the 'naughty' room and to my surprise my work wasn't there. Instead, I found it in the main room, hung with other flower and still life works by RBA members and other exhibiting artists. I met quite a few members in the hours that I looked at work, drank coffee and introduced myself.  David Paul Rowan introduced me to others and put me at ease. Gabriella (last year's NEAC drawing Scholar) and Sergio came to support me. 

PV day

During the day, I met Terry Watts and saw his impressive paintings (one was on the invite). I found Mick Davies (after his wife greeted me and introduced herself) - I was a big fan of Mrs Hokusai's Hairdo!

work by Mike Davies

I visited Messums to see Antony Williams' exhibition. https://antony-williams.com/messums-exhibition-2019/ Later, other friends and family met me at the exhibition.

Tom Marsh and me

It was brilliant to meet Tom Marsh, a regular exhibitor at the Mall Galleries.  He knows some of the plein air painters I met during my NEAC scholarship year. I also introduced myself to Annie Boisseau whose work I admire.

On Thursday I went to John Sprakes talk/book launch/poetry and music event, held in the exhibition. I had met him at the PV and his congenial nature and strong vibrant paintings recommended me to the talk.  https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/artist/john-sprakes-rba-roi

Brian Johnson and one of my paintings

While there, Patrick's dear friend, Brian, appeared, and we looked at a bit of the work, including my paintings, together.  His adorable words, something like 'it's quite exciting to be able say my friend has work in an exhibition here,' made my day.

Mr Wei Shao, and a fellow opera singer

The following Saturday, I went to the RBA's annual dinner.  We were entertained by the Patron of the RBA, Mr Wei Shao, and a fellow opera singer with a piece from La Traviata. Patrick and I enjoyed our table with dinner companions: Peter Newsome & Marion Eastwood (member and exhibitor) and Lorrain Abraham, member of the Society of Marine Painters who was an exhibitor in the RBA show.  I also had a wonderful encounter with revered Chinese artist, Feng   Sixaio https://www.royalsocietyofbritishartists.org.uk/royal-society-of-british-artists-honours-chinese-artist-sixiao-feng/ His wife and daughter-in-law took photos of me by my work and explained his practice in China.

As ever, the whole experience was delightful and exhillarating.  And I feel that I couldn't have got more from it, which is also good. (unless I'd sold…)

You can find the catalogue online here: 
https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/royal-society-british-artists-annual-exhibition-2019 my work on page 10

Low footfall, why not paint?

I thought about making badges during the down time of my open studio today.  That was the plan but when it came down to it, I wanted to paint or draw.  My flowers are starting to flower and it seemed to me that it might be interesting to visitors if I was doing something that reflects my current interests. While I was working on my little egg tempera, Fiona Camp, a fellow artist and sort-of neighbour came by. She was interested in egg tempera and had even done some herself.  She watched me paint, something I never really understand, but was willing to do. I was fine. I haven't finished...  something to do tomorrow if it's not too busy. I was pleased that I was integrating the various strands of what I am doing: portraiture, still life, egg tempera, painting on the spot and story telling.

What was also intersting about the day was that the picture I almost didn't frame was the favourite of three people. - an egg tempera of Lyra and Patrick on a cold morning. Who knew?

Highs and Lows of early 2019

Since mid Feb I have sold these ten pieces.  I sold at Thorpe Morieux Creation https://www.facebook.com/ThorpeMorieuxCreation/,  the Cocobelle event at Boxted Hall https://www.cocobelleevents.co.uk, a private sale from Instagram, and Suffolk Open Studios 2019 Showcase Exhibition at the Apex, Bury St Edmunds. https://suffolkopenstudios.org That's a high!

Here are some facts:

• all of the exhibitions have been local
• I showed a total of 22 pieces at the exhibitions
• I showed 1 portrait
• I showed 13 stilllifes
• I showed 3 landscapes
• I showed 6 'opened books'
• I showed 3 egg temperas
• I showed 13 pastels on paper or board
• 1 monotype miniprint from the browser was sold.  I think there were about 12 things in the browser.
• prices ranged from £150 - 340, framed.

Meanwhile, although I had a piece preselected for the Royal Portrait, ultimately I was unsuccessful. This was an egg tempera of Figgy. I submitted just below the maximum for the New English Art Club annual open exhibition, and had nothing preselected.  I sold three things as a drawing scholar last year at that event. I continue to submit for shows outside my local area but it's tough to get noticed. It's all 'art tax' but my success rate in early 2019 is certainly a low!

What Comes Next in a Series?

Car Boot Oranges, egg tempera on panel 23 x 16cm, 

A few weeks ago I made a still-life  Jugs where I was exploring how to balance light using layers of pigment vs white mixed with pigment. The egg tempera class I'd taken with Mick Kirkbride was focused on using layers of pure pigment mixed with egg to create luminosity. Ruth Stage uses milky/eggy colours.  I had the idea that by using both kinds of painting you might be able to create light in a particular way.

I set up a new  still life up a few days ago but it wasn't until yesterday that I had time to work. The still life was made up of objects I have bought at the car boot or from local charity shops as well as a few of my brighted spined art books. My goal was to create a companion piece for Jugs.

What you can't necessarily understand is that in Jugs the light is coming from behind and the pattern at the back is a kantha folded on a radiator under a window.  This time the light is primarily natural  but I also pointed lights from both sides.  I chose similarly coloured objects to  Jugs  and this painting was made working from life.

Private View New English Art Club

Private View,  Mall Galleries, In front of the 'Scholars Wall' my work (12 small pieces) on right

People kept asking me if I was nervous before the Private View. The answer was 'no'. I hoped the work would speak for itself and all the members were so kind to me I was just excited and trying to enjoy every moment.

My day began by rendezvousing with Jane and Jo on the train. We made our way to the The Mall Galleries, arriving by noon. The atmosphere was wonderful.  There were many people and more red dots were starting to appear. I had sold the little egg tempera of Dawn at the 'first sight' exhibition on Tuesday night so had already exceeded my expectations!

I went over to Messum's to meet Annabel and Patrick for 3pm.  Rose Hilton's vibrant work was wonderful to see even though they were busy adding other artists to the exhibition.  I was wearing my exhibitor badge and David Messum kept looking at me so I explained.  He had been at the critics' lunch the day before (as had I) and had been trying to think how he knew me… it was all rather surreal. When I told Paul Wuensche (other scholar), he and I joked that we should make a habit of wearing exhibitor's badges as a rule.

Pauline arrived 5 ish and she went straight to my wall and was very excited to share that I had sold another piece, this time it was the image that is in the catalogue of Tiziana, labeled 'untitled'  Pauline, Annabel Patrick and I made our way to the drinks table and clinked glasses. Figgy, Jonny, Livvy Padfield and Kate Hills joined our convivial group. 

At 6:30 Richard Pikesley, president of the NEAC, then Sir David Clementi (Chairman of the BBC) addressed us, awarded prizes and the new scholars were announced.

I had many wonderful conversations with members and visitors between Monday and Thursday but perhaps my most thrilling was when Melissa Scott Miller came to find me to tell me that Anthony Eyton wanted to speak to me. According to Melissa he had spent a long time looking at my wall and when I spoke to him he spoke encouragingly and enthusiastically about my pieces, calling me a 'really wonderful artist'. He told me his work was up high at the RA Summer Exhibtion this year and I promised to look for it. Nothing could have prepared me for that encounter. 

Sir David Clementi at Mall Galleries NEAC exhibition 2018

And there is an afterword: On Friday I met Lesley and Ian en route to Wales from Rome to bring them to the exhibition.  I took an early train down and went to see Gabriella's exhibition in Fulham.  Gabriella is one of the new scholars. As I was preparing to get off at South Kensington to change to the Wimbeldon train, I locked eyes with someone I recognised… it was Anthony Eyton again, on his way to the V&A about a commission! He remembered my name, having as he said only 'met me in the past 24 hours' and repeated all the nice things he'd said about me and my work to the man who was accompanying him to the V & A. I had to pinch myself.

revisiting St James' Park

Final version St James' Park, egg tempera on panel, 26x16 cm

Having had a few sessions working with egg tempera lately, I decided to revisit the panel I began with Ruth Stage back in June 2017.  Ruth introduced me to working with egg tempera. Anthony Williams who also works in egg tempera held an NEAC workshop at around the same time, but his was a portrait drawing workshop.  The two artists work is very different ways and with any media it's up to the person working with it to find something to say that the media enhances.

The picture above is the new version of what you see below, which was begun in the Mall Galleries learning centre.  I worked from a drawing I made at lunch time and only had about 2 1/2 hrs to begin to find my feet with a new media and to find something to say about St James' Park. Not having the information in front of me (referring to a drawing instead of working from direct observation is always difficult for me but John Dobbs reckons you need to just fight through all those uncomfortable feelings to find something worthwhile and authentic to say. All I know is, I I have been moving the panel around the studio and wincing every time I caught sight of it, so I knew the process was going to be prickly but was absolutely necessary!

Forst version, St James' Park, egg tempera on panel, 26x16 cm

You can see Ruth's work here: https://www.newenglishartclub.co.uk/artists/ruth-stage-neac
and Anthony Williams' work here:https://www.antony-williams.com

Before I began I looked at a few people to find direction, found my original pastel drawing and printed off a black and white version of the photo I took of the scene after I finished my drawing.

What I looked at for inspiration was images by Wolf Kahn and Thomas Lamb:

Wolf Khan, by Justin Spring, p 143

Thomas Lamb, Browse and Darby catalogue, 2017

I also read this article and bought a cheap pack of cosmetic sponges to exxperiment with 'smoother transitions'. http://www.kooschadler.com/techniques/Transitions-Egg-Tempera.pdf

I worked for most of the day, going in many different directions, sanding, scumbling, glazing, cross hatching and eventually found something to say that felt like me and reminds me of my monotypes. Phew.

A day of portraits

1st pull Stacey, akua intaglio on paper 10 x 15 cm

2st pull (with added ink) Stacey, akua intaglio on paper 10 x 15 cm

final print (press and release agent) Stacey, akua intaglio on paper 10 x 15 cm

I was surprised how straight-forward it was to make monotypes and to paint on a couple of prepared panels with egg tempera in a group portrait setting.  Of course, I forgot a few things and had to find solutions…  

I covered a board with cling film (which I had brought) to use as a mixing tray as I had forgotten those..  I didn't have my spoon or barren so used the back of a fingernail brush and then a metal teaspoon to transfer the print. Carol doesn't have water in the studio so I had eggy hands after separating the yolk but it's amazing what you can ignore!

David posed first and I used my traveling egg tempera kit.  He is very still. I used lots of egg yolk, working from blocks of colour to more detail. Because I didn't have a big area to mix colour on and because I had carried the loose pigment and some had intermingled, it was difficult to keep the colour fresh. We all find his beard difficult to deal with.  I thought about Anthony Williams and wondered whether I should find out what other artists do.

When Stacey arrived I needed a new egg yolk and this time I had one of my hen's eggs.  The yolk was much yellower so everything became more brown; this was a surprise.  Stacey moved back from her forward leaning position and I had to stop as everything changed.

The series of monotypes followed.

Stacey, egg tempera on prepared panel 16 x 23 cm

David, egg tempera on prepared panel 16 x 23 cm

A week of working across media

Sound of Alcina

I discovered that I sold both of the fused plastic pieces I was showing at the gallery in Bermondsey earlier in the week. It was timely because I was in the process of trying to make something for an open call and working in fused plastic is usually fun but sometimes is confusing in that trying to say something too specific feels forced and at the same time, I can't necessarily believe in something that comes absolutely intuitively. A sale can be a reminder to trust your instincts.

C of plastic

Sorting Plastic

You'd laugh if you walked into my studio… it is about as chaotic as it gets.  I am literally stepping on top of plastic. Things are balanced all over the place and I have many tea cups, some still full, scattered. 

I seem to be moving from one idea to the next without a pause. Yesterday I was in London all day so today, after showing the recent egg tempera to Mick and Louise for feedback, I had some ideas and wanted to work on another panel to test them out. 

Yesterday I drew in Trafalgar Square in my silent traveller in london sketchbook after spending a very enjoyable few hours with Fig's friend Jonny and went to life drawing with Mick. 

Panel 2 (day 1)

I wanted to set up something without strong darks that I could build up with lots of layers to see if I could acheive a sense of luminance that I guess is the real point of egg tempera. Mick told me Ruth uses big brushes so I blocked in very pale colours to begin with. I guess it feels more like a water colour as it is.  I have fewer small marks and more variety, I suppose, but it may be a little saccharin. It got too dark to work anymore on this today, so we will see what happens tomorrow, maybe if I can deepen the colours it will feel stronger.

Matthew, monotype 

Below quick sketches in a small sketchbook to warm me up.  My first print was a bit of a failure, but I may work back into it… I was nearly late to drawing as got so involved trying to see everything in the dark in Trafalgar square (including the colours of the pastel (no head torch) that I was horrified to see it was 5:45 when I looked at my watch.  I was convinced it wasn't even five yet.

5:45 pm Trafalgar Square