Bloggers Unite, We Can Change the World

I have literally dropped my paintbrush as I had an epiphany, a “thought”, a “new post” I wanted to hold on to.  Grasping it by the tail, I pulled it back desperately trying to hang onto the words.

I think I might have written a diary for two weeks when I was a young girl …… I don’t know why I didn’t keep it up and I have always admired anyone who does.  I started out writing my blog as a marketing tool to promote my artwork to the masses, but it has developed into something much more cathartic.  It has led to a greater understanding of what I am doing and  many many  more questions.

Other people have said how much blogging has helped their art.  But it goes way beyond this. It connects you with other bloggers, people’s own thoughts and personal experiences who in their own journey of life are recording  information, allowing it to be shared, changing and challenged in the most subtle way; the way we think and live our lives. This ultimately has a knock on effect on those around us.

So, whilst the internet has made us in some respects more internal, I think it has also given us greater humanity, generosity and made us smile. So keep Blogging…. We can Change the World.

Footnote:  I decided to look up the definition of “cathartic” . From the myriad of words, the definition that was most pertinent to this post was “it is an emotional release linked to a need to release unconscious conflicts, a spiritual renewal ”  As I see it, we are conditioned through childhood to hold certain beliefs, things that we think are right and true and ways to control the emotions attached to these beliefs.  But … we can change that and this is what I believe us Bloggers are doing.

 

A Bigger Message – hand, eye and heart

When I first saw David Hockney’s paintings of his home territory in Yorkshire, I wasn’t sure about them. This is a very generalised statement as I don’t think any art can be judged unless seen in the flesh. Was it their simplicity?  Their greenness!!… that almost pure viridian than seems unreal.  But then I realised what the landscape meant to him and I could totally relate to that.  Although my surroundings are very different, the connection to the landscape runs just as deep. This may be heightened in the artist eye seeing the landscape in colour and form, peeling back the layers.

I am a great believer that things come to us at the right time – “the law of attraction “as many call it and this is one such instance.  I came across a blog called “When the light gets in” – a collection of musings on all things art. I have only followed it for a month, but the most recent post caught my eye.

“A Bigger Message – Conversations with David Hockney  , Hand, Eye and Heart.”  in which Hockney is quoted as saying ” I have always loved this part of the world, I have known it for a long time” ….. exactly how I feel too.

The book is ordered!  and contains a collection of conversations between the artist and art historian and friend Martin Gaysford.  I think I am going to learn a lot from this and it might begin to help me understand why I feel such an emotional connection with my landscape and why I feel compelled to express it through the medium of paint.

Here is the link to the post ” A bigger message”

http://gerryco23.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/hockneys-bigger-message-hand-eye-and-heart/#comment-2966

 

Mordros

Mordros  is a Cornish word for the sound of the sea.  It is thought that such a word only exists in Cornish and Polynesian.  Given the shape of cornwall, the fact that it has 300 miles of coastline and you are never far from the sea, it’s hardly surprising.  Even when the sea is out of view, you can often hear it, as the sound echos up the valleys or even a few miles inland in the still of night when there is a ground sea running.

Living so close to the sea,  we take this sound very much for granted and barely notice it.  So next time you are in Cornwall, shut your eyes and listen for the sound the of sea.  I have been told that there are several other words in the Cornish language which are all sea related, and I am keen to find out more, so will add them in a future post.

My interest in Mordros has inspired my latest paintings and this is to be the title for my exhibition in June.  Everyone who lives near the sea has their favourites, A new one I heard today was sea fret, which describes the misty rain that comes in off the Atlantic.  Any more? 

 

Winter Bonus in the Bongo

Between painting days, there are the usual jobs to be done, housework, shopping etc.  Todays list included helping a friend with a decorating dilema, a spot of shopping for my mother and collecting some logs from the farm to keep the fires going.

I was lucky enough to grow up on a working farm and although I have been living down the road for nearly 30 years now since I got married, it is like going home.  My childhood is so full of memories and experiences, although that way of like has changed dramatically over the years.  But the basics haven’t changed at all.  We went to fetch logs from the endless supply of old trees or fallen trees that are chopped and seasoned every year  but ended up with a veritable feast in the van – fresh eggs, sprouts on stalks, a swede, homemade seville marmalade and four skinned rabbits. How lucky are we!

 

Beach sketch and coffee

Blessed with another beautiful January day, I remembered my camera and sketch book this time on my return to Northcott Mouth.

Early morning January at Northcott.

Don had a day off, so came to and got the gas fire going. Although it looks beautiful, there was a sharp frost even to the cliff edge and after just a few minutes of sketching, it was lovely to wrap the fingertips around a mug of coffee.

Much needed coffee on the go

We spent all morning sat on the beach watching the waves crashing in. For January the weather the past few days has been a real exception.I managed to get some sketching done, though sitting on frosted grass for too long is not to be recommended……

sketching in my fetching flatcap!!

 

Has January ever been so beautiful

The weather has a profound effect on how most people feel.  January is usually the month of being shut indoors with the fire roaring, while the wind blows and the grey skies are here all day.  The past few days however have been beautiful and we have been out all day today and it has been very uplifting.  An early walk to Northcott Mouth  from Crooklets Beach was absolutely beautiful.  Cold, crisp and clear.  The offshore breeze was lifting the surf as it rolled in onto the beach and then pulled back taking the stones with it.  The sun was still low and creating the most beautiful light through the crests of the waves.  It was possible to follow the surf reflected in front of the wave as it curled over and the white reflected edge followed it.  There were no surfers here, although several were in the water at Crooklets.  Just a few early birds who had brewed up a flask of coffee and were wave watching with us.  My one regret was not taking a sketch pad and my camera.  The light was wonderful and I have captured a visual snapshot, but I will returnturn tomorrow to take down notes and get pictures .

 

2012 will be a Painting Sensation

With thoughts of making the New Year resolutions, my head is full of fresh ideas for paintings.  With the festive season now done, I can focus on the future and my mind is very much on a solo exhibition (my first!!) at the Willoughby Gallery at the Castle in Bude, North Cornwall.

I have flashes of inspiration, sometimes sparked by words I see written or by views and images while out walking. It’s the sleepy hours that my creative mind starts to come to the fore, as the rest of the days workings start to filter out and dissappear until the morrow.  This idea is described in the TED lecture    

Elizabeth Gilbert describes the notion of having ideas as images or words that flowing around the world and come to you but you have to grab them by the tail and hold on to them and put them down on paper otherwise they are gone and travelling on to someone else.  I love this idea and rather than letting it slip from memory, try and make some notes or a quick drawing.

So plenty to get on with.  I won’t be revealing too much about final paintings for the exhibition until nearer the time, but will share some of the thoughts and processes with perhaps little glimpses to tempt the curiosity so please come back and take a look.

 

Finding colour in the winter hedge

I have written about the brilliance of gorse before.  It really is the emblem of Cornwall, as it seems to be in flower all year around.  The leaves were late falling this year, and now that the hedgerows are bare, when the light is low, it brings out all sorts of colour in the different barks, twigs and shadows.  Not just grey or brown, you can see lilacs, burgundys, siennas, ochres and grey blues.  This is offset by the gorse, that  saffron buttery sulphurous yellow which is so heavily saturated.

 

Crafty Christmas

My painting has been put on hold for the holiday period, as my studio is also my eldest sons bedroom when he is home.  It has been a good opportunity to review work and ideas and have a sort out of dried up paint tubes and throw out worn brushes.  The toughest job was scrubbing off the paint spots on the floor…… in fact many are still there.  It has given me a chance to do other creative things.  I am a great fan of Kirstie Allsopp and her Christmas craft programmes, so much so that I had a go myself.

Xmas heart garland with tinkly bells

 

Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas.  Different cultures and countries all celebrate in different ways, but in the spirit of Christmas, we all hope for peace and joy. so I hope that this is true for you too.

 

Colour of the Cornish Hedge

There are no photographs to accompany this post.  Sorry!  - but for me there is a reason.  The next time you are travelling along a cornish lane or indeed any country lane in winter, look for the colour and the change of colour in different lights.  You will see blues, browns, burgundys  and greens in all shades.

I tried taking photographs.  It may be the shortcomings of my camera or my lack of knowledge when using it, but all the colours I can see are lost in the image.  So the only image I can work from is the one in my head.  As an artist, I am able to distinguish the different blues or siennas, and know which colours to mix to get a specific colour, so I now travel with a pad and pen in the glovebox of my van  so that I can instantly make notes for future reference.

The gorse in the Cornish hedge comes and goes all year round, due to the mildness of our climate here. The  sulphurous yellow is so vibrant and saturated.  It is pure lemon yellow with hints of cadmium yellow to give it depth.  Where the light catches the hedges, it reflects and bounces light around, off the tangle of branches, twigs and brambles in a dazzling array of siennas and grey blues.  Whilst the outer edges and tops are mostly yellow ochres and raw siennas, the darker inner hedge is a mix of burnt sienna, burnt and raw umber and the whole spectrum of blues to give an endless variety of what the most people would term “brown”. But these browns have a richness unsurpassed by any generic brown.

This way of looking at the colour also applies to the greens.  I never use the already mixed “leaf green” or “phalto green” which are very bright and harsh.  I prefer to mix my own which have a natural softness where you can add light or dull it down, where it reflects or absorbs light.  This gives a painting harmony and is probably why a landscape painting holds the eye as the brain and eye are revelling in the optical melee of wonderful colour.