Doreen Fletcher.
The Nunnery Gallery, 181 Bow Road, London, E3 2SJ.
This show really is a treat.
It's not very often these days that one goes to an exhibition and sees paintings of a consistency and standard that truly impresses.
Doreen Fletcher's retrospective at the Nunnery Gallery, is one such show.
It features works which have been completed over a period of years, and largely, but not exclusively, in the East End of London.
N.B., Click on image to zoom.
'Rene's Cafe"
1986, Oil on Canvas, Private Collection.
Obviously, all representational painters choose their subjects from the real world. But the real quality of their work then depends upon how they depict their chosen subject. This sounds fairly straightforward, and it is. The excellence (or otherwise) of an artwork is always dependent upon such equivocal characteristics as the intensity or individuality of the artist's vision, their personal honesty and integrity, their subtlety of thought, their command of the visual language and so on.
But the subject matter does act as the initial inspiration which allows all these personal characteristics to find focus, so careful choice of subject is important.
I remember that Pissarro said that an artist should be able to find sufficient subject matter within five miles of their home to provide inspiration for a lifetime of work. And, wisely, Doreen has chosen to paint subjects which are very local to her geographically, and also with which she has a strong emotional affinity.
'Commercial Road in the Snow"
2003, Oil on Canvas, Private Collection.
I love the subtle colour composition in this picture. Notice the orange window in the top right, sympathetically balanced by the deeper orange windows to the mid-left, and the orange marks on the ground.
This may be instinctive positioning, or deliberate composing. I don't know, but either way it works.
'VIP Garage, Commercial Road"
2001, Oil on Canvas, Private Collection.
This picture also has a deceptively simple symmetry, which is nuanced by wonderful colour and textural touches.
There is no shouting here, no pumped-up colour, no collar-tugging histrionics, no slickness, just a quiet respect for reality, an acute eye, and a recognition of the (....yes, I'm going to use that supremely unfashionable word...) beauty to be found in the seemingly commonplace world around us.
'The Jennifer"
1993, Pencil on Paper.
The exhibition also shows some exquisite drawings. These have a wonderful feel for atmosphere, and a sensitive sense of place. It is refreshing to see drawings which are technically outstanding, yet don't attempt any showing-off.
I always think that the hard work that goes into composition is, like good acting, most powerful when the spectator is not aware of it. And such works have a feeling of inevitability which features, I would say, in all first-rate paintings.
'The Albion Public House"
1992, Oil on Canvas, Private Collection.
Reading the book/catalogue, I learnt quite a bit about the artist. I understand that she has painted pretty well all her life, but a few years ago, became somewhat dispirited at the lack of any kind of attention.
This, I would suggest, has been the pattern for many painters who work in the field of representational art. Realistic paintings have been very, very out of fashion.
Fortunately she found her inspiration again and is now working hard. And maybe there has been a wider change in the art world. Let's cross our fingers and hope that this could be the case.
Her work is not to be missed!
(Last day is Sunday March 24th)
Doreen Fletcher.
The Nunnery Gallery, 181 Bow Road, London, E3 2SJ.
The Nunnery Gallery, 181 Bow Road, London, E3 2SJ.
This show really is a treat.
It's not very often these days that one goes to an exhibition and sees paintings of a consistency and standard that truly impresses.
Doreen Fletcher's retrospective at the Nunnery Gallery, is one such show.
It features works which have been completed over a period of years, and largely, but not exclusively, in the East End of London.
N.B., Click on image to zoom.
'Rene's Cafe"
'Commercial Road in the Snow"
I love the subtle colour composition in this picture. Notice the orange window in the top right, sympathetically balanced by the deeper orange windows to the mid-left, and the orange marks on the ground.
This may be instinctive positioning, or deliberate composing. I don't know, but either way it works.
'VIP Garage, Commercial Road"
'The Jennifer"
'The Albion Public House"
1986, Oil on Canvas, Private Collection.
Obviously, all representational painters choose their subjects from the real world. But the real quality of their work then depends upon how they depict their chosen subject. This sounds fairly straightforward, and it is. The excellence (or otherwise) of an artwork is always dependent upon such equivocal characteristics as the intensity or individuality of the artist's vision, their personal honesty and integrity, their subtlety of thought, their command of the visual language and so on.
But the subject matter does act as the initial inspiration which allows all these personal characteristics to find focus, so careful choice of subject is important.
I remember that Pissarro said that an artist should be able to find sufficient subject matter within five miles of their home to provide inspiration for a lifetime of work. And, wisely, Doreen has chosen to paint subjects which are very local to her geographically, and also with which she has a strong emotional affinity.
2003, Oil on Canvas, Private Collection.
I love the subtle colour composition in this picture. Notice the orange window in the top right, sympathetically balanced by the deeper orange windows to the mid-left, and the orange marks on the ground.
This may be instinctive positioning, or deliberate composing. I don't know, but either way it works.
2001, Oil on Canvas, Private Collection.
This picture also has a deceptively simple symmetry, which is nuanced by wonderful colour and textural touches.
There is no shouting here, no pumped-up colour, no collar-tugging histrionics, no slickness, just a quiet respect for reality, an acute eye, and a recognition of the (....yes, I'm going to use that supremely unfashionable word...) beauty to be found in the seemingly commonplace world around us.
There is no shouting here, no pumped-up colour, no collar-tugging histrionics, no slickness, just a quiet respect for reality, an acute eye, and a recognition of the (....yes, I'm going to use that supremely unfashionable word...) beauty to be found in the seemingly commonplace world around us.
1993, Pencil on Paper.
The exhibition also shows some exquisite drawings. These have a wonderful feel for atmosphere, and a sensitive sense of place. It is refreshing to see drawings which are technically outstanding, yet don't attempt any showing-off.
I always think that the hard work that goes into composition is, like good acting, most powerful when the spectator is not aware of it. And such works have a feeling of inevitability which features, I would say, in all first-rate paintings.
I always think that the hard work that goes into composition is, like good acting, most powerful when the spectator is not aware of it. And such works have a feeling of inevitability which features, I would say, in all first-rate paintings.
1992, Oil on Canvas, Private Collection.
Reading the book/catalogue, I learnt quite a bit about the artist. I understand that she has painted pretty well all her life, but a few years ago, became somewhat dispirited at the lack of any kind of attention.
This, I would suggest, has been the pattern for many painters who work in the field of representational art. Realistic paintings have been very, very out of fashion.
Fortunately she found her inspiration again and is now working hard. And maybe there has been a wider change in the art world. Let's cross our fingers and hope that this could be the case.
Her work is not to be missed!
(Last day is Sunday March 24th)
quiz quiz quiz quiz quiz “details, details........,” quiz quiz quiz quiz quiz
Henri Cartier-Bresson
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Music
By the way, recently 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.
You're very welcome to take a quick look if you have the time.
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 -
please have a listen here if you have the time.
please have a listen here if you have the time.
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. . and now, a Recommended Read . .
'The Noble Liar'
By Robin Aitkin
Published by Biteback Publishing
Is the BBC politically biased?
Written by a journalist with twenty-five years experience of working at the BBC, this book analyses the most important media organisation in the UK. Particularly at this historical juncture (for both the UK and for the EU), the expected impartiality of the BBC has never been so critical, or more scrutinised.
This book helps to put such matters into perspective.
Written by a journalist with twenty-five years experience of working at the BBC, this book analyses the most important media organisation in the UK. Particularly at this historical juncture (for both the UK and for the EU), the expected impartiality of the BBC has never been so critical, or more scrutinised.
This book helps to put such matters into perspective.
To some, it is the voice of the nation, yet to others it has never been clearer that the BBC is in the grip of an ideology that prevents it reporting fairly on the world. Many have been scandalised by its pessimism on Brexit and its one-sided presentation of the Trump presidency, whilst simultaneously amused by its outrage over 'fake news'.
Robin Aitken, who himself spent twenty-five years working for the BBC as a reporter and executive, argues that the Corporation needs to be reminded that what is 'fake' rather depends on where one is standing. From where his feet are planted, the BBC's own coverage of events often looks decidedly peculiar, peppered with distortions, omissions and amplifications tailored to its own liberal agenda.
This punchy polemic from the author of Can We Trust the BBC? galvanises the debate over how our licence-fee money is spent, and asks whether the BBC is a fair arbiter of the news, or whether it is a conduit for pervasive and institutional liberal left-wing bias.
Review from Amazon.
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