3 Exhibitions, visiting Kenneth Clark at Tate Britain and Veronese at National Gallery
These are exciting times; i'm working on new paintings for my theme of Nature returning and I have three shows happening.
As part of Nature Returns and to make the most of the weather I have taken to my garden to paint. I have a couple of oil lilly studies from the pond and am working on a large painting of the top of our treless that is covered in the most beautiful green foilage twisting and knotting itself, shooting towards the sky with the wonderful pattern of the ash tree leaves behind. I purposely left out the bit of house that is part of the scene... Not sure why. It kind of looks menacing, poking up behind the greenery.
I have just posted the painting Millennium Bridge to The Bank in Eye, Sufollk for another of their curated exhibitions, The Artist's Journey, showing works by artists form all over the world.
'Focusing on the idea of journeying, in both the geographical and mental sense, this exhibition investigates the creative process behind a final piece or developed project, whilst also looking at the physical journey, the idea of travel and transport, and the way this changes from person to person.' (The Bank).
I am excited that they selected Millennium Bridge at it is one of my favourite paintings and says alot about my journey. Painted from the physical angle of looking down on people looking down, this is an (unintentional) autobiographical painting. I and my partner are looking down through the clouds on to Millennium Bridge. From the tension in the back and head I look apprehensive, restless whilst Matt looks cool and collcted. This painting is about nostalgia. Fear and excitement of modernity i.e the age of mobile phones and the internet. It is also about moving to the city of London and all that that entails!
Meanwhile, back in London I am excited to have two paintings in the Summer Salon at the Leyden Gallery. It is a real honour to have my painting Thames III hanging next to Robert Weir Allan's 'The Bell Rock Lighthouse' which was last exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh in 1911. The show is very exciting, it includes works by artists Nan Goldin, Vivienne Koorland, Prunella Clough and Paulo Rego.
This weekend we have the Euroart Open Studios in Tottenham where I will be showing works from my London Face series, portraits from life and new works from Nature Returns. I am a bit apprenhesive about showing these three bodies of work as it may be too much however this is where I am with my work. Paintings, prints and drawings will be for sale - but if you just fancy coming along to see the paintings and to have a chat that would be great.
Two exhibitions I have visted are Kenneth Clark at Tate Britain and Veronese at National Gallery. Both were fantastic. I especially liked Clark's collection that has works spanning over 1000 years. What stood out for me were the beautifully intimate sketches of Cezanne's son asleep and Kessels' sensitive drawings of Belsen victims, also a piece of fresco from Venice of a winged Putto gathering fruit, 1500, attributed to Giogione.
I just want to end with a poem written about my painting Heaven's Above written by Greg Williams.
Like claws from the God's and faces from the sea The cold sky obscured in colossal harmony The rich textures built in intimidating power Above a firmly planted bride through this canvas hour Grey turns to white white fades to blue This heavenly abode a tenderness anew People standing by though heads are cast aside The lord had cometh here to an earthly bound reside
