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.