Self Portrait in a Still Life

The Happy Couple and some of the Collection, pastel on board, 24x18cm

The things that I use as inspiration and motifs are part of me.  About thirty years ago my mother hooked me a wedding rug.  It is in our bedroom, underfoot.  My sister's is on her wall.  Mine is worn.  My sister's is pristine.  I know mine by touch. 

There's alot to think about when composing a drawing or painting.  The first thing is WHO IS THIS FOR? Although I do the occasional commission, for the most part my work is for me and then to show.  If I am lucky and I really like what I'm making, someone else usually does too.  My audience likes different things so I have scope to experiment and work in different media and motifs. Yesterday i wanted to have fun and steep myself in some of my favourite colours.

What I am working on begins with a question, or a puzzle or a delight or some colours that I need to fix in time.  Yesterday (and today's) drawing was about me, for sure, but it was also about where I came from, who I am here with and what I like, mostly.  As I chose objects I wanted to create a window into my life, how I see myself.  I began with the rug. I found a way to make a backdrop of the rug, first, then I began choosing objects. They were about eye height… boxes stacked on a plant stand with a piece of ply on top and then fabric, scarves, stuff.

My still life was going to be colourful, a bit whimsical, maybe frivolous but also solid and dependable (the apple and the book).  The story would be convoluted but pleasant with a little repetition and lots of pattern. It was so much fun to make!  My mother had made the aesthetic decisions in her rug and I was collaging the beautiful objects that are in my life already to compliment them.

Rudbeckia Robin and Pumpkin, egg tempera on panel, 26 x 20 cm

I know it's autumn by the colours I see, the colour I am drawn to and the way it is that much darker all the time. I began his egg tempera over the weekend and worked a little more on it this afternoon once I returned from life drawing. I wanted to create the lush feeling of each of the objects and to situate them in an autumnal setting. I Love the work of Hosep Pushman https://elle-belle10.livejournal.com/1941548.html and although my work looks nothing like his, I think of it as I work, often.

As usual, I nearly gave up repeatedly.  I would ask myself: Why can't a create a feeling of equilibrium? Even though the vase isn't quite in the centre is it too much in the centre? Which hour of light do I want to settle on? Do those rudbeckia need to be just the way I see them? Why is a cake stand used as a fruit bowl so darned difficult to draw?

I thought I'd include a very early version so you can see how much I change as I go on… how loose I start and how bad at drawing I can be!

And above was what I was looking at until I added the orange on the right to help satisfy my wandering eye.

A few new opened books

Villa Fiorita, pastel on book pages, 29 x 20cm

When I first started making opened books I remember someone saying that it would scare them to begin drawing on the prepared supports. they worried that if it were them they would 'ruin' the page.

Getting the page ready for my image does take time… First I have to find the book; then I need to find the pages that might speak to something I look at.  Next I have to prepare the books.  These days I like to take pages out of the books so I can have additional pages to work on, so I scan the pages as I go through the book, looking for words and ideas, cut pages out, and then glue them all together.  Once that's done, I press the opened book between books to flatten and dry, I use clear gesso on the top pages then mask and coat the pages with some pastel ground mixed with a colour. It's a couple of hours just to the point to beginning a drawing. 

Luckily a simple eraser removes my marks if I don't like what I do, so 'ruining' a page isn't a problem.

The Blue Hills, pastel on book pages, 30 x 21cm

One of my collectors wants a few more of these books so I am seeing what I can come up with. I have been going through my sketchbooks, trawling through my summer photos and looking at the prepared pages for inspiration.

Islanders Sea-breeze, pastel on book pages, 25 x 18 cm

This year's red pastel painting

Hibiscus Tea, pastel on board, 19 x 22

My garden in autumn gets very red.  There is raspberry, tomato, magenta, salmon, fuscia, rosehip, hibiscus…you get the idea.  So when I pick bouquets, inevitably it's difficult to work around red and pink. I arranged this still life a week ago but hadn't had time to draw it until today. Yesterday, hoping I would have time, I re-picked the bouquet. I have been looking at it all week, longingly. 

At the start of drawing ( I spent about six hours on it) it felt impossible to use the colours I saw to describe what I saw.  They were too intense, too overpowering. As I perservered and found the correct value, pattern and form the drawing needed it got more peaceful, that was my objective… to reflect back the joy and elegance of an autumnal corner of a house.

Selecting work for national open exhibitions

We Know That Light, pastel on altered book pages, 44 x 35cm (framed)
based on drawing in sketchbook of Preble Beach, Cranberry Isles, Maine.

Bring Back the Golden Days,pastel on altered book pages, 44 x 35cm (framed)
drawn on site outside Ware House, Cranberry Isles, Maine.

I am submitting for the Discerning eye open exhibition again this year.  I have never got my work accepted, I believe I have submitted four times. Above are the two pieces I selected and will carry down to London o Friday.

Here are the rules:

RULES

1. The ING Discerning Eye Exhibition is open to artists born or resident in the UK only.
2. All works must be for sale.
3. All works must be within the maximum size limit of 20 inches (50cm) including frame.
4. All works must be an original creation by the artist; prints (including prints from i-pad drawings), photographs, and sculptures are acceptable.
5. All entries must be accompanied by a fully completed, signed Entry Schedule and a fully completed Discerning Eye Work label.

As you will notice, there are no particular rules about what to submit. the exhibition has a particular way of selecting work and usually I google the selectors and think about them when I choose what to submit.  this year I have only just done that.

SELECTORS

The ING Discerning Eye Exhibition is selected each year by 2 Collectors, 2 Critics and 2 Artists.

Artists

Gill Button – Painter & Illustrator

Charlotte Hodes – Fine Artist

Collectors

Kwame Kwei-Armah – Young Vic Artistic Director

Tim Rice – Author and Lyricist

Critics

John Penrose – Past Chairman Discerning Eye

Louis Wise – Critic & Writer, The Sunday Times

I'm submitting two pieces because I think a pair is stronger than a single and although I agree with 'art tax' and don't object to paying to enter, I think it can be a bit like being a gambler… it's easy to add ad believe you will have a better chance with more. Because I am exploring opened books at the moment, I hoped I would make two of these for the exhibition. I haven't had much time lately but time pressure can be useful.

Having looked at the selectors… I think I might have chosen a different strand of my work… Below are the three opened books that I didn't choose. Wish me luck! I've already booked my train down to collect unaccepted work so don't fret on my behalf, though.

The Gathering Storm, pastel on altered book pages
Based on drawings made in Kenya

Lost in the Woods, pastel on altered book pages
drawings made in the Rockefeller Gardens, Mount Desert Island

Britains Structure and Scenery, pastel on altered book pages
drawings made on IBBAS paintout

Everytime I come to Cranberry..I see something new

From the 'Beach Party', pastel on paper 17 x 16 cm

I find myself in a place that I have been in many times before but as I find my pastels and look at what's in front of me the light is just a little different, the position throws something new into focus and I can't translate/record it fast enough. Above I stood at the end of the dock while tens of young people 18-27 and a few parents jumped off the dock, lounged on towels and played jazz from a speaker. It was a high ozone day so everything was a bit bluey haze.

The First Beach Trip, 2019, pastel on 'opened book' The Friendly Road.

A New View, Goergie's point, pastel on 'opened book', The Friendly Road.

Old Pine Story, pastel on 'opened book'  The Study Reader

I found a stash of used hardbacks at the new resale/antique shop on the island.  I created an 'opened book' for later and assembled a series of pages for single images with book pages.  I may donate this one to the fair for the raffle.

Trying time for Little Plants, pastel on 'opneed book', Gardens.

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