Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2022 i The Artist

from the editor Want to comment on something you’ve read, or seen? Email me at theartistletters@tapc.co.uk or visit our website at www.painters-online.co.uk/forum As we look forward to 2022 and hopefully a more positive year for everyone, our thoughts turn to new year resolutions, new to-do lists, and fresh creative plans. It’s an ideal time to think about moving out of our comfort zones, painting new subject matter, using new media, learning and developing different techniques, and entering work to an open art competition to be considered by esteemed judging panels and our peers. With this in mind, in this issue we include our annual Open Art Competitions diary planner, containing details and the key entry deadlines for many of the art competitions we think might be of interest during 2022…

Email theartistletters@tapc.co.uk or write to The Editor, The Artist, Warners Group Publications, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH Please note we may have to edit letters for reasons of space Survival instincts My shed’s three minutes away. Three minutes forty five. I had it before all this started, before we stopped, slowly, not seeming to notice the quiet, the traffic that wasn’t there. The people in the street, always polite and smiling, and skirting as if to say ‘sorry, it’s not you, it’s The Covid. Have a nice day.’ It carried on daily, my three minutes forty five. Skirting and apologising towards the unfinished, the hell-in-handcarts, the might-be-OKs-after-all and even some pleased-withs. And the lockdown somehow happened somewhere else. Not in my shed. Brian Inwood, by email Painting…

I generally paint landscapes and seascapes in soft pastel and particularly enjoy working en plein air, both here in the UK and during my travels abroad. I work predominantly in pastel and love them for their rich colours and the mark making possibilities they offer. My way of working is to create small pastels in the field and using these, and the associated photo reference, to create larger studio pieces. It’s possible for us artists to become comfortable in a certain way of working and, whilst we do continue to improve with experience, it can be at a gradual, considered pace. Sudden restrictions Life, however, can sometimes throw you a curveball and there has certainly been no greater one in our lifetime than the Covid-19 pandemic. Suddenly, the freedom to…

I have always been fascinated by the swans that glide serenely and gracefully on our waters. These three swans inspired me to create a linocut after seeing them take flight dramatically after being spooked whilst taking refuge under a railway bridge. It is not often you see swans flying in different directions as they normally take off together. Swans are a protected species and have few enemies but there has been a decline in their numbers and urban sprawl has led to a diminishing population. These three flew off safely, to be seen later enjoying their home on the river Thames. I created this work in a style that is loose and painterly, developing throughout the print process. Working with soft lino and vibrant inks, I print on to 140gsm…

Sarah Edmonds is the Marketing Manager for Pegasus Art and a freelancer supporting creatives and fine artists. Sarah studied a short course at the Slade School of Fine Art and has a degree from the Chartered Institute of Marketing. www.sarahedmonds-marketing.com Artists have always understood the power of collaboration. Since the dawn of time, they have worked in pairs or collectives in professional and personal support of each other. So the idea of supporting a charitable cause that is close to your heart with the added benefit of greater mutual exposure is a win-win. Our case study, Penelope Kirk, spent many months during lockdown working on a project entitled ‘The A – Z of Endangered Species’, painting rare animals close to extinction, highlighting their plight and raising much-needed money for animal…

WINSOR & NEWTON TATE COLLECTION JOHN SINGER SARGENT SKETCHING SET Let the greatest artists guide your creative journey. Sargent was renowned for his portraiture, using a variety of lines and marks to describe form. Try drawing with this sketching set containing a range of soft leads and tools for life drawing. The tin contains: 2B, 6B, 8B graphite pencils; white charcoal; sepia; medium charcoal; hard charcoal; metal sharpener; eraser and blender. RRP £16.50. Available from winsornewton.com, shop.tate.org.uk/art-supplies and selected retailers. WINSOR & NEWTON TATE COLLECTION WASSILY KANDINSKY OIL COLOUR SET Kandinsky was one of the founders of abstraction, turning upside down the established idea about art. Like Winsor & Newton, innovation and the use of colour was at the core of his practice. Convert your home into a studio with…

Ken Howard OBE, RA studied at Hornsey School of Art and the Royal College of Art. He is a member of the NEAC, ROI, RWS, RWA and RBA. He exhibits extensively and has won numerous awards. David Curtis ROI, VPRSMA has won many awards for his en plein air and figurative paintings in both oils and watercolours. He has had several books published on his work as well as DVD films, and exhibits his work extensively. Haidee-Jo Summers ROI, RSMA has won many awards for her plein-air and alla-prima oil paintings. She is an elected member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, the author of Vibrant Oils and also has a DVD with the same title.…

I was very interested in several articles in the December 2021 issue of The Artist, namely those by Peter Brown and Sarah Edmond’s case study with Paul Fowler, on adapting to Covid-19 and lockdown. Although only amateur myself, these words seem related to my own experience. When my art class closed I was at a loss without feedback or motivation. Eventually I decided to post my paintings to PaintersOnline (www.painters-online.co.uk) and found the comments and encouragement I received from others stimulating. This, alongside subscribing to The Artist and Leisure Painter and a few DVDs, spurred me on and I discovered I was painting even more than before lockdown. Perhaps anyone going through a dull patch might like to try these ideas – what have you to lose? Give it a…

I have always been drawn to natural landscapes, particularly forests, caves and tree tunnels. I am constantly taking photos or producing quick sketches or paintings while out in the landscape, with a view to creating a painting or collage back in the studio. Sometimes I simply record the colours in a little watercolour book. Working process I began producing collages as a way to use up the mounting pile of discarded prints, batiks and experiments in my studio. I used to run classes in life drawing, printmaking, textile art and painting, so I had built up a huge collection of demonstration pieces and exploratory work. I usually stretch the paper to prevent it from buckling. I use heavy cartridge (at least 200gsm) for the background, which I soak in a…

LONDON Bankside Gallery 48 Hopton Street SE1.☎ 020 7928 7521www.banksidegallery.com Mini Picture Show 2021;affordable works on a smallscale by members of theRoyal Watercolour Societyand the Royal Societyof Painter Printmakers,December 3 to January 13,(see page 10). Dulwich Picture Gallery Gallery Road SE21.☎ 020 8693 5254;www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk Helen Frankenthaler;woodcuts, until April 17. Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art 39a Canonbury Square N1.☎ 020 7704 9522;www.estorickcollection.com A Still Life: Paul Coldwellin Dialogue with GiorgioMorandi; until December 19. John Martin Gallery 38 Albemarle Street W1.☎ 020 7499 1314www.jmlondon.com Andrew Gifford: Alonewith Trees, Part II;until December 12. Mall Galleries The Mall SW1.☎ 020 7930 6844www.mallgalleries.org.uk Royal Institute of OilPainters 2021;until December 5 (see page10 for related events). Royal Society of MiniaturePainters, Sculptors &Gravers; 125th anniversaryexhibition, until December 5. National Gallery Trafalgar Square WC2.☎ 020 7747 2885www.nationalgallery.org.uk…

FEATURES IN CONVERSATION Be inspired by winner of The Artist Award in the Pastel Society annual exhibition, Janine Baldwin, as she reveals how she uses layers of charcoal, pastel and graphite to capture the coast, moors and woodlands of Yorkshire PRACTICALS Loosen up in your watercolour paintings by simplifying your subject, with advice from Steve Griggs Peter Cronin demonstrates how to capture atmospheric rainy scenes in watercolour PLUS ● Follow Sevina Yates and paint striking alpine mountainscapes in acrylics ● Explore the wonderful possibilities of the hidden colours of winter with Haidee-Jo Summers ● Be bold with gouache and big brushes with advice and top tips from Robert Dutton ● Jenny Aitken shows how to paint a still life in dramatic lighting in acrylics PLUS ● Try new ink wash…

Duncan Grant: 1920 Charleston, the modernist home and studio of the painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, has recreated Duncan Grant’s very first solo exhibition, which opened a century ago at the Paterson-Carfax Gallery in Old Bond Street, London. The exhibition includes 31 canvases, including landscapes, still lifes and portraits – some of them well known, such as Venus and Adonis and The Room with a View (above), others less well known. Duncan Grant: 1920 is at Charleston, Firle, Lewes, East Sussex, until March 13. For more information telephone 01323 811626 or go to www.charleston.org.uk MINI PICTURE SHOW The Mini Picture Show at the Bankside Gallery, London has become a highly anticipated event where you can pick up a unique Christmas gift. All the works on show are by members…

Martin Taylor studied at Wimbledon School of Art and University of London Goldsmiths College. He has exhibited widely; he is currently represented by Gladwell & Patterson, 5 Beauchamp Place, London SW3 1NG. www.gladwellpatterson.com www.martintaylorartist.com Unlike acrylic and oil paint, watercolour is not easy to correct. I was recently asked how to keep and preserve the light areas and whites in watercolour paintings. The simple answer is to remember that in watercolour you are working from light to dark. If you wish to work in a pure watercolour manner, you do not use white. Therefore, the lightest tone you have is the ‘white’ of the paper. Papers come in different tones of white and you must accept that the clean sheet you have is going to be your white and must…

Believe it or not, feeling stale and stuck in a rut is a very common problem for an artist. It can lead you to feel demoralised and you begin to feel as if you’re going around in circles. The first thing is to stop this circular path. There are various things that you can do, and I will discuss them separately with painted examples. I have often felt like this, and I’ve tackled this in various ways. It can be helpful to look at other artists’ work, but you must be careful not to take on someone’s style too much. I find it inspiring to visit exhibitions and read art books. After visiting an exhibition I will usually wait a few days to let it sink into the essence of…

There are two important elements to a successful dog portrait. One is accuracy, the other is character. An accurate portrait can be impressive but if it lacks the life, light and movement necessary to portray the dog’s character, it is missing a big trick! Observation I typically use a grid for accuracy in portraiture. It isn’t cheating – it is an excellent painting aid. I also paint the initial shapes upside down, to focus on observational skills as opposed to interpretational ones in the early stages. With a grid, it is simpler to observe where features sit in relation to each other. Once you have those main elements in, it is easier to be loose and expressive without losing the accurate structure. Composition A strong design is always helpful. Try…

Ambleside & District Art Society Online exhibition, until December 15; www.amblesideartsociety.co.uk Epsom and Ewell Art Group Christmas exhibition at Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell KY17 1UF, from December 13 to 18, 9.30am to 5pm daily; www.epsomandewellartgroup.com Hitchin Art Club New members are invited to the Hitchin Art Club. Members meet on Tuesday evenings, 7.30 to 9.30pm at Hitchin Library for a lively programme of demonstrations, workshops and exhibitions; www.hitchinartclub.co.uk Rugby and District Art Society Annual exhibition at Floor One Gallery, Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, Little Elborow Street, Rugby CV21 3BZ, from November 27 to December 9. Open Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 5pm; Saturday, 10am to 4pm; closed on Monday and Sunday; https://rugbyanddistrictartsociety.org.uk Salisbury Group of Artists Members will show artworks in the corridors of Salisbury District Hospital, from…