Sadly, Stephanie wasn't able to make our RFH session, but has sent me her images for comment via the blog - so here we go! 

She says :  "As you will see from below I have been having quite a few adventures in my class this term with a tutor called Alison Hand.

 So here are three.  I am still using a roller, basically, in a lot of compositions.  I still want to keep it simple, and these are nothing like what I have shown you before but I have been advised 1. to improve my materials.  2.  go larger. 

 But first, we had an exercise to work from some form of digital information.  Hence a piece from last week, called Empire.  it comes from a map of 1897 — I had to do a lecture over the weekend before on the Empire and my head was too full of it  to do anything else.



The colours, sadly, are not at all true:  at least the pink is, but the ground is really a sort of salmony pink. The lines are done in black pen - shipping routes. This is quite a large canvas:  at least a metre wide.  I am not sure what I think of it; one side of me says it is not finished.  My tutor said not to touch it anymore so I am going to let it be for a bit.

 

The second comes from an exercise when we were asked simply to blow or scratch ink and paint around.  It’s quite big:  600 high by 1.5 metres wide and done on lining paper for walls.



 

 

 

 

The third was done yesterday.  A real adventure — designed to make me deal with making huge marks.  It’s a bit like a wall hanging:  it’s on unmounted raw canvas 2 metres wide by 48 inches (forgive inconsistency) high.  It’s not finished yet, and I notice it’s been cropped a bit hard at the top.   I’m not sure where it’s going, and photo repro not the best, but I thought I’d send it along for you to see.

With all good wishes to you, and everyone at City Painters."

Oh, my word Stephanie, what a departure!  She is certainly pushing you into new territories.  What I'd really like to know is - what do YOU feel about it?  Are you enjoying it (I get the feeling you are)? Is this work exciting you?  I'd love to know.

It certainly excites me.  Really interesting.  So, the big question is how to assess work like this.  How do we know whether it's working, whether it's 'good'?  Well, that's the 64m dollar question.  I still say it's to do with how the elements communicate - with each other - more than anything else.

When I first looked at no. 1, I was very excited by it.  I love the rhythm of the pen lines, and the placing and energy of the pink splodges.  There is a simplicity to the language which makes the whole thing more energised and exciting.  There's not too much going on, so the looping of the lines is what counts, against the pink accents.
Now, here's an interesting thing - I looked at it and enjoyed it before reading your text.  Knowing what it's based on, and what the looping lines refer to, actually takes something away - for me anyway.  What do other people think.  Maybe just to know it's to do with Empire is enough - that's great.  The reality of what the lines are somehow sucks away some of their originality and energy.  Very strange.  I felt surprised by it.

No. 2 is great - have you seen the Abstract Expressionists?  If you look at Jackson Pollock and how he works, it's very illuminating.  Every swoosh of the brush is to do with rhythm and movement across the canvas.  Too much or too little, and the piece wouldn't work.  You have a lovely rhythm and movement between the black splodges, and their 'dangly bits' are really important, because they create a linking energy.  The space left around them, and between them and the edges of the paper are really important too.

No.3 I am less moved by.  Why - difficult.  You have many more elements. 4 different colours, many different shapes and movements, and different tonal balances.  I think it struggles to say one powerful thing.  Which is the primary statement.  Is it the yellow swoosh, or the heavy green marks/blocks?  Whatever the scale and degree of abstraction, in the end it all comes down to the same thing..... what's your no. 1 statement?  Clear in nos. 1 and 2, not so much in no. 3.  Is that fair?

None of this is to take away from the enormity of what you are doing - absolutely great. Keep it going.
We will meet again in June (such a long time), but do feel free to send me more entries to be handled like this.
Have a great Christmas, and a creative New Year, in EVERY way!!

A FEW PIECES FROM JANE

JANE is bringing along most of her new work to our get-together on December 6th (be there, or be square!!).  
However, there are a couple she wants to share now, so here we go.  She says :"The images of Wellcome Below are worked up to the size I will print. They are still roughs. I have also attached my original roughs from which I have made a few changes. The colours have come out better on the original roughs."

Wellcome Below I

Jane, I think you only sent these two Wellcome ones.  Send the others if you wish.

Basically, what we have here are two interpretations of the same design, taken from looking through to a lower floor with the spiral stairs.  Great bit of drawing.  It has that quality which I first remember noticing and Samuel Johnson's House, where you have flat planes and 3D planes in the same space - very clever!

'Wellcome Below I' is, in essence, a tonal picture, using a fairly narrow range of a pair of complimentary colours - blue and yellow.  The tonal design does the really hard work, and the pops of colour add a frisson to the image.  The greys are beautifully judged and set the whole thing off.  Those floating blue bars at the top are brilliant, and definitely come forward, creating yet another space.  I cannot fault this piece.Very nice indeed.

Wellcome II

I could add to the last sentence   ".......but quite safe".  
'Wellcome Below II' takes more risks.  Many more.  It uses colour in a far more powerful way.  The difficulty is the tone of the colours (oh yes, here we go again!!).  The lovely mustard yellow is a LIGHT colour, even though it is very strong and vibrant.  The red and purple are dark colours, even though they are very strong and vibrant as well.
So we have that old, old problem of how to read it - do we read the colour, or the tone?  For example, the dark red/aubergine colours of the two curved forms in the lower left, against the yellow.  These are very dominant, and rather squash the yellow.  Which is more important - the yellow, or the dark forms?  As it is, the eye tends to jump from these dark curves across to the light 'steps', and pay less attention to the yellow.

So, if it's the tonal forms you want, maybe reduce the yellow a bit.  If it's the colours you want, decide where your main tonal blocks of light and dark are going to be, and tie the relevant colours into that.  This all comes back to your original intention, and ...... where do you want the eye to go?!

This is me being very picky though.  They are both really good in different ways.  I especially commend you on the way your are playing with 2D and 3D.  So clever.

I hope that helps, and see you on Dec. 6th.  I hope you will bring these along too?

More from Elizabeth

Well, here is our monthly treat, courtesy of the brilliant Elizabeth!  She says :

 "There is an amendment to Vauxhall Bridge done last month. There is black and white painting form a sketch at V&A  and then a painting of reflections in the river.  The last are Mercia and May. I am taking up courage and doing some sketching of friends.   I don’t think the Vauxhall Bridge works."

Greenwich View

Mercia and May

V&A sketch

Vauxhall Bridge

River Reflections

I am not sure I've got them in the order that you write about them, but it's quite clear which is which.
Elizabeth, I think these are just brilliant.  I've run out of superlatives for you!

Firstly the two drawings... how super!  Both of them are sensitive and honest, and beautifully drawn.  I think the Marcia and May one is just exquisite - so tender.  The additions of colour are just right.  What can I say - except that I think you must carry on, and do all sorts of your friends, and total strangers, and that they should be seen somehow.

Then, next on my list of loveliness is the painting of reflections in the river.  This, I would say, is the first painting of your which really, really works as a painting.  My way of defining that is that I can't imagine it being done better in any other medium. The paint is a delicious wetness, and the colours are well thought through, and the tonality is spot-on.  Those rich darks against the simple light shape in the middle - great!  I also love the fact that the REFLECTION makes you want to turn it over, but it's a reflection, so that's how it is!  The way you've used the simple marks to suggest movement in the water chimes in with your drawing skills.  so good.

The Black and White drawing I find intriguing and mysterious.  I can't say it touches and funny-bone in the way the others do, but it's still a good painting with clever counterchange and it makes you wonder.

The only one which I think works less well (as do you) is the Vauxhall Bridge.  I just think, compared to the others, it looks a bit mannered maybe - over-thought?  A few months ago, I would have said 'well done', but all these others are now so good, that it's got a bit left behind!

So, you just need to spend time rendering your world through your very special eyes.  Maybe try and do some more painting in the manner of this River one?  Certainly more drawings.  It would be great to hear what others think?  You could e-mail 'reply all' if you wished?

ELIZABETH IS SHARING SOME MORE WORK

Elizabeth is showing us all up, and producing more lovely work!

She says :  "Another month and I do not feel I have put in enough time to my work.   Time seems to go so quickly.  This is the better work of what I have done.   I have gone back to some old drawings for British Museum figure  and Vauxhall bridge . I  don’t know if this is a mistake but I have been going through my work throwing a lot of old work away and trying something different with those I still think have some life in them.   Garden 2 is another version from one of last month’s garden.   I have a lot of ideas which I feel have never been done to my satisfaction ."

Elizabeth 1 - Garden

Elizabeth 2 - Barbara

Elizabeth 3- British Museum

Elizabeth 4 - Tessa

Elizabeth 5 - Vauxhall Bridge

Firstly, I don't think it's a problem going back to old drawings at all.  You've got a great pool of information there.  going back to old paintings can be a problem, because you are working with a different head on now!

The drawings first of all - 'Barbara' and 'Tessa'.  These are as sensitive and beautiful as ever.  In fact, I can almost hear Tessa's voice! It's not the first time I have likened your work to Sonia Lawson.  the same grit mixed with sensitivity.

I really like the simple magic of 'British Museum'.  All I would ask for to really make it work is a slightly better shape on the head.  So much gesture can be implied by the head shape, and it is just a bit balloon-like at the moment.  other than that, I think the other-wordly composition is most compelling.  The same can be said of 'Vauxhall Bridge' . The clever triangles of dark implying water movement and reflections.  Here I might suggest the figure being a little less strong, and a bit more enigmatic, to be discovered as you look into the painting.

The one painting that I'm not sure about is 'Garden'.  The structure is brave and interesting, but it's just not composed enough to hold together.  The top left corner looks unfinished compared to the weight of the bottom right.  It's a brave idea, but just a bit too polarised - I think anyway.  What do other people think?  Having said all this, leaving the interpretation open is so brave - ie. not putting in leaves etc. to describe 'garden' - just leaving it as these forms and shapes.

Great stuff, Elizabeth.  Thank you.

NEW AND LOVELY THINGS FROM ELIZABETH

Elizabeth has been beavering away, and has sent in the following :- 

" I am still finding it difficult but I sending you a selection
of this month's work. The roses are inspired by Stephanie and trying to get
the feeling and memory of roses. It was nice to see the others last time but
I have not been out with anyone so I feel this is scrappy."

John

Passion Flower

Roses after Stephanie

The couple

The Garden

Three Figures

Waiting

Churchyard

I love them all, Elizabeth! The portrait of John is so sensitive - I can almost hear his voice.

The figure groups are your usual beautifully observed and felt drawings.  I think that's what really comes out of your drawings - the empathy you have with the scenario.  Your lovely line just catches it all.  We are left wanting more - what was the conversation? who were the people?  I especially like "waiting" - it's sensitive tonality, the fall of light and the counterchange - absolutely beautiful.  The "three figures" holds our attention because of the uneven distribution of the threesome, creating a tension-filled space in between.  We wonder "what are they to each other?"

Then "churchyard" again is interesting because of the rhythm of the light and dark forms, withy the hints of green just tying the whole thing together.  "The Garden" takes the colour idea a bit further, but still retains the strong tonal shapes as being the main compositional device in the picture.  The brave, strong diagonal with that lovely light trunk against the dark - super.

Then we come to "Passion Flower", which again is still predominantly a drawing, with the clever dark accent of the green leaf creating a fizz.  I love the way you've really brought out the distinctive patterning in the middle of the flowers, and made less of the petals.  that is, after all, what Passion Flowers are all about.

Then....the roses.  How lovely are they??  My one possible comment before I saw the picture blown up was that the green 'foliage' was too generalised, and didn't speak of 'rose' as such. However, there are (just) one or two suggestions of a rose-leaf shape.  It is a difficult thing to strike the balance between something all about 'feel', and still adding in just the littlest hint of something that says 'rose'.  You have to think how this can be read as 'rose', and not as .... 'pink azalea', for example.  Having said all that, it is simply stunning - beautifully and sensitively painted, and very evocative.

Well, for a month where you didn't feel you'd achieved much, you've done pretty well!  Great stuff Elizabeth - so good.  Thank you.

NEW WORK FROM PAT WIGDAHL

Pat W. was sadly not able to join us at the Royal Festival Hall a couple of weeks ago.  She has sent in some images to share, and so here they are.
This is what she said : "At last here are a few bits and pieces which I had hoped to bring up to London last time.  Being somewhat more housebound these days  I am having to find some homebased subjects.  The drawing (which is quite big) is a corner of our conservatory with a somewhat aggressive plant
The black/white ink and the painting is a sort of abstract of a topi arid bush and some metal
Birds I made for a very plain bit of wall.  The painting of pines is in the Sandringham Woods and the quick drawings were at Kings X."

Pat 1

Pat 2

Pat 3

Pat 4

Pat 5

My goodness Pat, what a selection!  You get stronger every time.

The drawing (no. 1) is STUNNING.  So beautifully observed, down to the magnificent spider.  

My one tiny comment would be the shadow on the floor.  The leaf shadows nearest us are a bit dark compared to the shadow of the pot, when they would actually be the same depth and degree of sharpness, as they are at the same level off the floor.  However, if you were wanting to make a statement about the aggressive claw-like reach of the shadows - then great, but you need to maybe alter some other aspect too, just so that we know it's a deliberate exaggeration, and not just over-zealous drawing.  I love it  -do more, of anything within reach, with the twist of the spider-equivalent of beautiful observation.  These could be your finest moment!
Your skills with drawing also come out in no. 4.  I especially love the chap looking up and holding his hat - SO expressive and good - I can just picture him there.  Then the drawing at the bottom of that sheet is creating a more imaginative world, with the glass structures becoming almost fluid.

Nos. 2 and 3 are the inventive Pat we know and love! I think the black and white one works best, in a very effective graphic way. It's descriptive, but not too much so, and the black and white patterning of the whole thing is very well balanced and arranged,   the coloured one works less well, because you are being drawn in to describe the swallows/leaves etc. a bit more than is necessary.  They work best when the y are suggested (no.2), meaning the viewer has to work a bit harder.
Then, no.5 is different again, being a very well executed painting of the pines.  I like the tall format, and you haven't been sucked in to becoming too 'conventional' in terms of the painting.  By that I mean that sometimes, when you start to paint, you fall straight back into the 'how-to-do-it' mode, and lose sight of the actual idea behind the painting.  Here you haven't done that, and it's a fine painting - well done.

All in all, Pat, it's a great set, one of your strongest yet.  Pretty amazing when you've got so much going on!  Thanks for sharing it with us.

NEW WORK FROM ELIZABETH

Elizabeth has been very hard-working, and has sent me some more work to show you all!  Anyone else for any more?

Here's what she says :- "I have been trying to work up some of my previous drawings to make paintings .  The one at the V& A  of reflections I felt worked but I am not sure about the other two. " 

Figures in the cafe

Girl in the cafe

In the garden

Mother & Child

Mother & Child II

Random Figures

Reflections

Waiting

As ever, Elizabeth, your drawings are complete works of art in themselves.  They exquisite little glimpses into private conversations, or moments of reflection. I cannot add to these, or suggest anything further.  My only comment, really, is that they should be done on respectable paper, and shown as pieces in their own right.  I LOVE 'in the garden' - the little glance of the figure, caught just as he's about to look away.  They are all absolutely great.

The paintings are not far behind!  I still feel you have too great an awareness of 'watercolour' per se.
You sent me a beautiful card by Matisse "Woman in a Kimono" (anyone looking in, look it up).  The thing to notice is how the marks in the background match the quality of marks in the fantastically animated mark-making in the figure.  You are still tending to go for 'watercolour wash' with painting and drawing on top.   The washes can end up looking a bit bland.  Having said that, I do very much like both the mother&child ones.  Why not have a go doing a painting just in chalky gouache colours, then you can make decent marks in both the background and the figures.  It feels and behaves like watercolour, but might just know you out of the essential need to do washes.  The ghost of Lorna (for others, a mutual early influence for both Elizabeth and me) still hovers behind you!
The reflections painting is OK, but doesn't read as reflections particularly.  That's because you can't see the actual thing AND its reflection.  It's more like 'silhouettes'.  I would say it doesn't have the magic of all the others, being honest!

Super stuff though.  Try doing something different with your backgrounds - that's your next task!

AND THEN THERE WAS JANE!

JANE has also now sent in some work, saying :-  "Elizabeth and I had a lovely day sketching. I took my coloured pencils with me because i could spread out on the table. Anyway here are the results."

Jane - Debenham's Cafe Reflections I

Jane - Debenham's Cafe Reflections II

Jane - Debenham's Cafe Reflections III

Jane - Debenham's Cafe Reflections IV

They look like a very good source of ideas Jane.  They have shape ideas, colour ideas, & perspective ideas (esp no. IV) .  It's difficult to know what you're going to do with them.  The reflections are so perfect that there's not even any distortion in the panes of glass, so it almost looks like we're looking through at the structure.
I think you've played very safe here, and gone for the plain observation drawings.  Nothing wrong with that, not at all.  However, it's quite nice to just start pushing at little ideas when you're on the spot, and not leave it all 'til you get back to the studio.  Live a bit more dangerously - I would have liked to have seen your THINKING.
Sorry Jane - as I'm not there on the day, I need to be a bit more direct at this stage, otherwise you'll just slip.

Now is the time to start working up some of this stuff, before you go and get any more info. drawings.  Even if you just work through some possibilities - not reaching a finished piece.  I want to see some courage and risk-taking.  Uncomfortable, but necessary.

I can't wait - I think you've got the material to some really exciting work.  Thanks, Jane.

ELIZABETH'S WORK - Wimbledon 5/4/16

And then there was one!   ELIZABETH has produced the following.......

"Another month gone by and I could not get any ideas on how to develop my sketches into paintings. I decided that I would do a little watercolours  to try and find out what excites me about watercolour and if  later I could use them in paintings  so I have a little book which I am doing paintings as I feel like it. I attached two for your comments. I don’t know if it will be useful but it is just something I wanted to do.

Jane and I once again enjoyed our time and some of the drawings are not very good but I enclose them all. I had an e-mail from Pat W and she would like to meet at the Festival Hall so Jane and I have chosen 3rd May.   We hope some of the others can come to discuss work and if possible draw."

Wimbledon 2

Alone

Wimbledon 2

Wimbledon 3

Wimbledon 4

w/c abstract 1

w/c abstract 2

Again Elizabeth, a great set of studies of people.  I especially like nos. 2 & 3, where you have used touches of colour, and a combination of line and tone drawing to create a richer visual language.  Lots of food for the eyes!  These all tell a story, which is what I mentioned last time.  The two drawings involving mothers and children are intimate and draw you in to the space between them, and then 'alone' makes us feel as if we're looking across at this solo figure in an empty space.  Very good - definitely telling that story.
What happens to these now?  Do you do paintings from them?  It's back to the old debate as to whether your 'in situ' stuff is the complete statement, in which case it needs to be done on separate sheets of paper, or do you then subsequently work from them?  Maybe they are complete in themselves - maybe that's why you couldn't think how to paint more from them?

Now, the watercolour abstracts.  I think it's extremely good to keep experimenting with you materials, and seeing what they can do for you.  However, I think all this points to a fundamental issue.  Your 'sketches' are not somehow lesser that subsequent 'paintings', and either stage does not need to have specific ways of handling them.

The language you use in your 'in situ' pieces (I'm not calling them sketches, because it can be used rather pejoratively) is SO honest and lovely, you don't need to suddenly change it to a more 'accepted' painting style when you work them up.

Work up you drawings to contain the same mix of language - line, tone, colour, pattern - just as you naturally do anyway.  Yes, some of the lovely watercolour effects you have achieved here can be used too, but IN COMBINATION WITH, AND IN CONVERSATION WITH all the other marks you make.

End of rant!!  Have a go.
Thank you Elizabeth, for being such a sensitive and brilliant watcher of people!