Contemporary original artwork, still life and botanical in oil or watercolour.
I have just finished a little watercolour of a beautiful Jersey Tiger Moth. It was on a friend of mine’s window, so perhaps it is straying further north these days. It reminded me to appreciate how beautiful the odd wildlife visitor is in the garden and how they are so wide ranging in form and pattern, quite exotic! It brightened up a winters day.
I will be exhibiting in the following exhibitions this month. The Dorking Group of Artists is exhibiting at Denbies Wine Estate with about 150 framed paintings on show plus unframed work and beautiful original greetings cards for sale. I do hope you can make it. It starts on Friday 10th and runs until Sunday. If you would like a private view ticket for Thursday 9th 6-8 pm please contact me.
Towards the end of October I will be exhibiting with the Surrey Hills Artists at the same venue for two weeks from Monday 27th October- 2nd November. 10-5pm
I can’t believe it’s September already! Time to get out the sweaters again and enjoy the warm autumnal colours on my palette as well as in the garden. I have been exploring reflections over the summer and how they describe the forms of objects and the surfaces that the light bounces off. These two terracotta pots, one glazed and one unglazed demonstrate how differently they reflect the light. I loved the simple rustic shapes and how they complement each other emerging into the light from the dark background.
I have just visited this years Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy. I go every year and it is always a very varied display of art at it’s modern end of the spectrum. Always some very good and inspirational works, some bad and some of questionable artistic quality. In my view! But it’s worth it for the good stuff. This year I wasn’t as impressed as usual by the selection and found the most interesting works were the ones beautifully painted or imaginatively composed. But then that is my personal bias. My friend was most impressed by the more abstract and impressionistic colourful submissions. There is something for everyone.
I have just finished this contemporary still life of an Ogen Melon, I liked the simplicity and the curves in the image, and the reflection adds a further dimension.
I visited my sister who is also an artist in Connecticut recently and was impressed by the way she had placed her paintings in her beautiful new house. So here are a few of my tips on how and where to hang your favourite pieces.
Location can give a painting significance and presence. It’s fun to find the perfect spot! Placing an artwork opposite an entrance gives a work a certain status. In an entrance hallway it will be the first impression of the style of the house so choose something with visual impact that reflects your style. Even in a small space a larger painting can create a sense of drama. Similarly, positioned opposite the entrance to a room, a painting will catch the eye well, leading you in. At the end of a corridor or long passageway a good artwork can be very striking. Have a look at how The National Gallery, for example, has hung its greatest pieces, often on the wall at the end of an enfilade. Lounge areas can take a bold choice, above a sofa or fireplace there is often a wall space just asking for an interesting artwork to enliven the room. Also think about scale, if you have several small paintings they may look more striking grouped together rather than dotted around the room. Bedrooms are restful places, a restful or contemplative painting would work well adding to the atmosphere required of the room. If it can be seen from the bed all the better, so choose something that is not too small or too pale so that it registers from a distance or in low light. Bathroom paintings need to be able to withstand a humid atmosphere so works on paper such as watercolours need to be well sealed to avoid warping. (Also watercolours need to be protected from bright sunlight to avoid fading). If your painting can be placed for contemplation from the bathtub that would be a perfect location! One or two well placed artworks can give a fresh and interesting vibe to a kitchen or dining area. Perhaps a still life, food or drink related, either on the wall or placed on a shelf, creates a focus in a busy area. This is probably the most frequented area of the house so it is worth having something special there. If you have space above a doorway that can be an interesting spot for a painting, to draw attention to a room entrance. Or at the top of a staircase it can give a sense of arrival in a new area.
Useful tips If a painting is long or large it can often, irritatingly, keep straying off the level. If you hang it on two hooks placed a few inches apart horizontally it will be much more stable. If a painting slopes away from the wall too much it may be that the stringing is too loose. Stringing is best one third down from the top and taut. Try attaching a wedge of rolled bubble wrap behind the bottom edge to help flatten it up if it still tips forwards. A common error is to hang paintings too high. Eye level is best to view the artwork and it looks more contemporary.
summer 25
Two recent exhibitions that I took part in during May have been a pleasure to take part in. The Dorking Group of Artists staged a wonderful display of interesting work and I was thrilled to win a prize for my “Rhythm and Blues” oil painting and to make some sales in this uncertain economic climate. A painting is, after all, a luxury item, not a necessity, so it is lovely to think that someone has enjoyed my work enough to have to buy it!
Currently I am working on some paintings that are studying glass, reflections and shadows. How an objects image is mirrored and ghosted in its environment, making beautiful shapes that contribute to a complex composition. Painting is so much fun when you find a new area of interest to explore!
This is one I made earlier.
A new season, my favourite! I will be exhibiting in the following exhibitions in May. It is always a treat to view such a range of painting styles both from the Dorking Group of Artists and the Surrey Hills Artists.
DGA 2-5th May at Betchworth Village Hall. If you would like Private View ticket for Thursday 1st May 6-8pm please contact me.
SHA 5-18th May at Denbies Vineyard Gallery
At home it’s a time for a spring clean both of the home and of the imagination. I intend to increase the scope of my painting in composition and subject matter, although Still Life will always remain my favourite. I love to capture the subtleties of common or garden objects and see them with a fresh eye. In spring there are fresh treats all around to capture in paint.
I have just finished two new oil paintings(see the Oils page). The first is a shelfscape in my larder of breadmaking ingredients. They reminded me of the lovely statuesque still life compositions by Giorgio Morandi. Capturing all the creases and folds in the carefully posed paper bags of flour was a joy to paint.
Another year already!
I do not find January a good month for setting difficult goals but I always feel it is time for a refresh, clear the clutter and start with a clean slate….or canvas. I am tempted by some brighter colours and bold compositions to get me excited. I have started by playing with some simple shapes and working with some brighter colours, aiming for a balanced but bold composition.
It’s a start!
”’Tis the season to be merry.”…
Warm wishes for a festive Christmas, full of delights and a happy and healthy New Year.
Pauline Allbeury