What's occurring?

I've mentioned in passing that when I was younger it never occurred to me that in later years (during which I obviously wanted to continue painting) bodily functions would deteriorate. 

Some people's eyesight degenerates. Other people develop illnesses which inhibit work in other ways. Well, in my case, I have developed shaking hands. 

Not Parkinson's or any really serious affliction like that. Simply what's called Benign Essential Tremor. In other word's I won't die from it, but it does prevent me from doing the kind of painting which I wish to, and of which there are many examples on this site. 

So I have to re-think.

Not long ago I saw a couple of my paintings in the home of a pair of London-based art collectors. They were Cubist/Expressionist influenced paintings (here they are below).

And it made me think that maybe they would provide a different starting point for me to explore in my future work.

N.B., Click on image to zoom.

'Canal Scene, London' 

Acrylic on Panel.

Both of these pictures were painted several years ago, when I lived in London, and were painted directly, outdoors, by the North London canal (the name of which will come to me, I'm sure).  

I set up an easel by the side of the canal, and started painting directly onto the panel. I didn't use a coloured support. I returned to the site for quite a few days. Fortunately the changes in weather and light, which obviously occurred, did not affect the work, as I was not aiming for naturalism.

Sometime afterwards, Mari was having a one-woman exhibition in a Highgate gallery of her work, and she kindly allowed me to exhibit these two pictures with her show. I managed to find a collector for these two paintings, and Mari, as expected, sold out completely.

N.B., Click on image to zoom.'Canal Scene, London' 
Acrylic on Panel.

So, maybe I'll have to go backwards, if I want to go forward.

_________________________________________________________

By the way, I've been using some of my naturalistic landscapes, figure paintings and life drawings, alongside some music, in a series of YouTube videos based at  

Songs From Wales. 

And in future I'll also use my paintings based on the ones in this posting. You're very welcome to take a quick look if you have the time.

  quiz  quiz quiz  quiz  quiz   “details, details........,” quiz  quiz  quiz  quiz  quiz  

What's occurring, and who painted it?

(The answer will be in the next posting.)

And here's the answer from the last posting -

'Summer'.  

by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, 1572, Louvre, Paris.

  quiz  quiz quiz  quiz  quiz   “details, details........,” quiz  quiz  quiz  quiz  quiz  

"If you could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint." 

Edward Hopper

______________________________
Music

Beyond painting, my other preoccupation is music - particularly songwriting.

I've recently started, just for fun, linking the two preoccupations together, by featuring a few paintings along with one of my recorded songs. If you have a spare minute, you're welcome to take a look. . . 

Click here to find a few songs on YouTube, and I'll add more as time goes by.

These songs can also be found on (and downloaded from) iTunes, Spotify, CDBaby, and many other platforms, - (my intention is to upload a different song each month)

Also in the last period I've been recording some songs with some friends - have a listen here if you have the time.

______________________________________

. .  and now, a Recommended Read . . 

'The Whisperers'

By Orlando Figes

Published by Penguin

I think it's fair to say that the Russian people had a rather bad time during the communist years. Figes draws on the records, correspondences, etc that have become available since the files were opened up, to paint a convincing picture of private life during those horrific times.

(I'm still waiting for someone to convincingly explain why it's anathema to wear a swastika (quite rightly) but it still seems to be ok, after all that we now know, to wear a hammer and sickle?)

Drawing on a huge range of sources - letters, memoirs, conversations - Orlando Figes tells the story of how Russians tried to endure life under Stalin. Those who shaped the political system became, very frequently, its victims. Those who were its victims were frequently quite blameless. The Whisperers recreates the sort of maze in which Russians found themselves, where an unwitting wrong turn could either destroy a family or, perversely, later save it: a society in which everyone spoke in whispers - whether to protect themselves, their families, neighbours or friends - or to inform on them.

Review from Amazon. 

Wonderful ... an amazing panoramic view ... I've rarely read anything like it (Claire Tomalin)

This is a heart-rending book ... its importance cannot be overestimated ... This book should be made compulsory reading in Russia today (Antony Beevor, author of Stalingrad)

A masterful account of lost and stolen lives (Sunday Times)

Awesome … one of the most unforgettable books I have ever read. I defy anyone to read it without weeping at its human suffering, cruelty and courage … a celebration of family love in an epoch of hellish cruelty … now in this book these righteous heroes have their rightful memorial (Simon Sebag Montefiore Mail on Sunday)

______________________________________

To subscribe to free email notifications

 of my newest blogs, please go to the pull-out menu (on the right side of the

main screen). 

 Select 'SUBSCRIBE' and input your email address. 

When you receive the email,
you can go to the site itself by clicking on the blog title. 

You can un-subscribe at any time