Sketching life and the landscape of the Aude valley
'Aller au fil de l'eau' means to go with the flow. It is also, appropriately, the name of the café in the small French village where I live. On the terrace, the atmosphere is relaxed, life seems to mosey along no faster than the river that slips lazily by. In spring and early summer, conversations are often accompanied by a chorus of croaking frogs. Creating this blog is some kind of commitment to take brush or pen or pencil in hand every day and make art. As Julia Cameron says: "...creativity is not a marathon event that we must gird ourselves for, whacking off great swaths of life as we know it to make room for it. Creativity is not aberrant, not dramatic, not dangerous. If anything, it is the pent-up energy of not using our creativity that feels that way". Not making art is like trying to stop the flow of the river. I surrender to the flow and watch where it takes me.
Wednesday 11 August 2010
Millgate Centre
This is a view of my home village of Delph that I first painted 20 years ago. The Millgate Centre houses the public library and Saddleworth Players amateur dramatics society.
Maybe it's because I know this view so well but I think it's one of the best pieces of work you've done.(that I've seen) The perspective is good. I love the tonal variations in the road, especially the dark purple shadow. I like how the building on the near left fades away and your fine detailing and highlighting is great. The glowering Saddleworth sky tops it to perfection. Great!
Love this. Love the simplicity of it. Really like the complementaries, the colours you've used, the 'vignette' effect, and that it's full of light. You are very talented Judith.
Thank you both for your lovely comments. It's quite amusing that you both draw attention to the fading or 'vignette' effect as it wasn't intentional initially - I just got fed up with drawing the detail and wanted to get on with putting the colour in, then I decided it looked okay so I left it!
Maybe it's because I know this view so well but I think it's one of the best pieces of work you've done.(that I've seen) The perspective is good. I love the tonal variations in the road, especially the dark purple shadow. I like how the building on the near left fades away and your fine detailing and highlighting is great. The glowering Saddleworth sky tops it to perfection. Great!
ReplyDeleteLove this. Love the simplicity of it. Really like the complementaries, the colours you've used, the 'vignette' effect, and that it's full of light. You are very talented Judith.
ReplyDeleteThank you both for your lovely comments. It's quite amusing that you both draw attention to the fading or 'vignette' effect as it wasn't intentional initially - I just got fed up with drawing the detail and wanted to get on with putting the colour in, then I decided it looked okay so I left it!
ReplyDelete