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 ."
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| Elizabeth 1 - Garden |
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| Elizabeth 2 - Barbara |
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| Elizabeth 3- British Museum |
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| Elizabeth 4 - Tessa |
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| 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.
