RFH notes - 16 July 2015

These notes are really to just prompt those who were there as to what they should concentrating on next.  Under the new format, I will make these notes very much more specific as a hook to hang your next set of explorations on.

First up was PAT K., who laid out a great spread of work.  The paintings were taken from her drawings looking across the river at Hay's Galleria.  The really good thing that she managed to achieve was to keep the feel of the layers of features in her paintings.  So there was a layer of 'trees' and then a layer of 'building' etc.  This was a development on from the problems she had with trees after the Greenwich Park problem.  However, there was still a tendency to let the layers get overworked, and lose their freshness.  We all commented on the fabulous paint quality Pat can achieve (which we are all very jealous of!), and that seemed to have got a bit lost this time.
My suggestions to move on were to think about whether the distinction between the different layers were clear enough, as if the picture could be 'cut up' into slices/sections.  There needs to only be a few beautiful and well balanced areas of paint, all talking to each other - NOT lots of little bits.  This is why cropping Pat's paintings always works well - because the elements get reduced down to just a few elegant components.

STEPHANIE joined us after a long break, and it was great to see her.  She brought in some fabulous work.  The starting point for her work was blind drawings, and that gave her the freedom to be creative, and rearrange things as she wished, rather than being tied by the reality of the subject.  This showed itself very well in a piece she made, using colour, from 3 different blind drawings from City Hall.  Really very good indeed.  the she showed us a couple of experimental drypoints made on a course.  Again, these were made from a line drawing, and that gave her freedom to put tone and texture where she wanted, rather than where she felt it had to be in 'reality'.  Really good, Stephanie.
Practice doing this transition from the blind drawing into some other form.  Just remember to always have an idea as to what your 'statement' is before starting.

PENNY laid out her immaculate and fascinating drawings - but there was the problem.  the drawings were too complete, and left no room for further development.  She knew that, and we could all see it.  the painting became an exercise in colouring in ideas she'd already worked out in drawing.
So, we compared her work with what Stephanie had done, and thought about the possibilities.  The future lies in either doing the drawings more as simple line drawings, with manipulations to be done away from the subject and in paint.  Also, we talked about maybe working from memory from the very detailed drawings.  The results would be different, and the changes would possibly spur new decisions.
She was also getting very interested in the use of complex colours - layers of colour put on, and scarped off, to get rich combinations of the underpainting.  Much to be experimented with, I think!

The JANE laid out multiple sequence studies from single ideas, where in each one she was playing with colour/tone possibilities.  We discussed the spatial qualities of mixed colours as opposed to pure colours, and how the latter come forward and talk to each other, even though they might be different basic hues.  They were really super sequences, with lots of discoveries in each step.  She had also decided that using the i-Pad had limitations, which I also felt - useful up to a point.  Some of her pieces also included patterned areas, which were a new step and very interesting.
Jane - keep experimenting with colours, pure and mixed, and pattern.  Keep thinking about how all the various elements sit in relation to each other - what comes forwards and what goes back, and how these balance against each other.

GERALD has been such a star recently, and inevitably that high pedestal had to wobble a bit at some point!  The paintings he produced were a bit over-laboured and self-conscious.  He is maybe also suffering a bit of Penny's problem.  The drawings are too complete and perfect, and stand on their own.  So, he needs to finish the drawings less - go back to his experimental mood at the national Maritime Museum.  My question to him was to decide what his colours are doing for him?  What decides the colours he uses, and where he places them?  Think about the visual stepping stones created by the colours.  Don't just 'colour in'!

PAT W.  has had more than most to contend with recently, but she brought in two fabulous pieces.  One was a set of photos of a glass construction she's made, based on a drawing we've seen previously.  Stunning, Pat!  The also brought in a painting/collage piece, combining abstract ideas in a landscape, which also contained some more realistic black-silhouetted pine trees.  So clever.  Just keep on being experimental Pat, whenever you have a moment.  Really super.

Lastly, we had ELIZABETH, who has decided to drop the studies she was doing of more distant figures in motion, and concentrate of closer and more intimate figures - good idea.  Her main themes seem to be figures in some close communication, and another parallel them of views through windows.  Both intimate studies, and something which Elizabeth has a great sensitivity for.  Keep following those two stands Elizabeth, in whatever medium!

Thanks all, for a very stimulating day.  We'll set 7th July as the day on which you can send me any new work for comment.

Invitation accepted

This looks complicated Sarah!  May need some time to get to grips with it. I think Facebook will be easier for most people.