Gauguin to my shed!

Well, it really has been a glorious autumnal day! And I have had a great day in the shed.!

I will begin at the beginning of this story!

Two weeks ago, I went to stay in my daughters flat in Luton. On the way, we met in London and went to the Paul Gauguin exhibition. It was truly inspirational. His use of colours, negative spaces, edges - everything that Clare Shepherd ever emphasises in class was there, shouting at me - see, this is how it is done! The beautiful vignettes of landscape seen beyond the figures, the way he shows how important in-between space is. Oh joy!




I also discovered Victor Pasmore, how has he ever elluded me? Amazing.

I think, like prints, I see these images and I know that I cannot do and do not have the capacity to create these visions. These are my perfect landscapes. Especially the top image, it has connections with every great landscape painter there ever was and is, yet it goes beyond to the clear and definitive essence of what it is. I cannot do that, I start putting too much in! I need to be hard on myself!

Sophie opened my eyes to Gerhard Richter, she saw other-wordly things in his paintings and now I will never look at the them in the old way!

So, we have just had half term. I cleaned my shed! I chucked out lots of things, rearranged, bought new shelves for the way-too-many books in there - and files. I sorted out all my pens and watercolour pencils and inks, well, I can now find everything and use it all!

I have an exhibition on at The Meeting House Arts Centre in Ilminster and tomorrow I am going to have a 'Meet the Artist' session! So I thought, rather than stand or sit there with nobody to talk to, I would do a large watercolour painting. But what shall I paint?


The autumnal colours have been so beautiful that I thought I would go out and search for a great spot! I found a site along the Stour next to the Hod and another between Durweston and Bryanston village, looking towards Blackfern Plantation. After looking at some of the beautiful pattern work of Victor Pasmore's drawings, I took a pen and intended to see the landscape as a pattern - but I quickly reverted to my old ways! I assure you I will try to do one like his at some point though.You can see that in the top left I began to make lines and then I became so intent on the landscape I forgot to continue in the same vein. It was wonderful to be out though.



On return to shed, I put Smetana's Ma Vlast No2 on, very loud! I poured some water onto a sheet of watercolour paper, sharpened my pencils over it, hence little dots and set to, using all my newly discovered watercolour pencils, I now have an image to work from tomorrow when I want to create a large scale watercolour. I will let you know how it goes, but I hope I do not get too many people now!! I want to work, work, work!