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. "
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| Figures in the cafe |
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| Girl in the cafe |
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| In the garden |
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| Mother & Child |
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| Mother & Child II |
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| Random Figures |
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| Reflections |
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| 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!
