13 thoughts on “Landscape with Garden and Trees V 2012”
I was just reading your thoughts on being an artist. I certainly agree about the journey aspect of creating. I go on several journeys – the ACTUAL first journey overseas – then the journeys within the journey (exploring areas on foot to get my photos), then the journey within the drawing – the process of doing the art work. Sometimes I think it is like panning for gold ie a million photos taken for just a few specks of treasure (inspired photos) which will become drawings.
I love your loose impressionistic style. I think one could lose oneself in your drawings.
Thank you so much for your comment. I like your analogy of panning for gold! Your big investment of both time and effort that is made in each of your pieces comes through in the final work so well.
Yes, we are fortunate! I have always valued creativity and admired creative people across all walks of life, whether artistic, scientific or entrepreneurial. So often fine artists in particular forgo much that others take for granted in the pursuit of their chosen path and career as professional artists. Few in the UK really make a living but at the last count apparently there were over 50,000 practitioners in the UK. About 10% make a living wage or more…
Hi again Nicholas, I have just been to see ‘Great Expectations’. The opening scenes with the foggy open spaces reminded me of your art. It was that part of England which has sea and land meeting…is that the fens? Very moody.
Oh – I am one of the vast majority of artists who doesn’t make a living wage – not even near it. Lately my work sells well but take out gallery costs, framing, tax, materials and time – and I’d make literally CENTS per hour. However money is not my motivating factor so it doesn’t matter. It’s all for love, and though that sounds incredibly corny, it is also true.
Hi Julie, I understand the connection you make with the opening scenes. It is actually the East Coast and that merging of sky and land or even more so sea and sky is very typical. I’m reading a book about the old paths in Britain and one chapter covers a footpath across one of the bays, which is a dangerous one, and the author describes the melding of the wet sands to the sky as like mercury shimmering, thick liquidy, its very evocative! Apparently disorientation is the real danger as distance becomes distorted.
I earn a living as a designer as well, although I have exhibited more in the past it is very true to say that the real income after costs can be very diminished by framing and most of all by the gallery commissions! I’m not exhibiting now but creating a new body of work for next year. I can believe your work sells well, its so beautifully drawn.
Hi Nicholas, I’ve seen this part of England before but only on films…and often scary films … like “The Woman in Black” years ago. I would love to visit this part of your country. It sure does look mysterious and wild. Rather like the low countries of Europe…Belgium and Netherlands. The new version of “Great Expectations” was OK but art-wise it was fantastic.
Yes, the woman in black was shot on the East Coast too and it was very scary! The coast is mysterious when the weather is dull or worse, but no longer particularly wild, except at the very margins where the salt marshes are. Much of the coast has literally been eroded away! I agree The film GE was just OK, plus it came out only a little after a very, very good BBC adaptation the same year.
Ah ha – so you remember The Woman in Black. It was years and years ago but so creepy that my husband and I still bring it up in conversation from time to time. As to GE, it is pretty nigh impossible to cram a Dickens novel into a couple of hours. I liked it more than the latest Anna Karenina though, which I found pretty annoying. What’s more I don’t think Tolstoy would have approved.
I do and I saw it again not realising it was one and the same thing! Creepy is the word for it, the whole thing remained with me for weeks after. Then many years later some friends invited us to the theatre and I didn’t make the association of the title, so I saw it a third time! To be honest once was enough!
Neocolor and I are old friends – going back to my teenage years. The Neocolor I used were the crayons. Loved them. Still have boxes but don’t use them these days – just because I use the pencils instead. But they’re beautiful.
Drawings, Paintings & other Art 
I was just reading your thoughts on being an artist. I certainly agree about the journey aspect of creating. I go on several journeys – the ACTUAL first journey overseas – then the journeys within the journey (exploring areas on foot to get my photos), then the journey within the drawing – the process of doing the art work. Sometimes I think it is like panning for gold ie a million photos taken for just a few specks of treasure (inspired photos) which will become drawings.
I love your loose impressionistic style. I think one could lose oneself in your drawings.
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Thank you so much for your comment. I like your analogy of panning for gold! Your big investment of both time and effort that is made in each of your pieces comes through in the final work so well.
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Indeed, we all pan for gold in our own way – creativity is our treasure, Nicholas. Aren’t we fortunate?
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Yes, we are fortunate! I have always valued creativity and admired creative people across all walks of life, whether artistic, scientific or entrepreneurial. So often fine artists in particular forgo much that others take for granted in the pursuit of their chosen path and career as professional artists. Few in the UK really make a living but at the last count apparently there were over 50,000 practitioners in the UK. About 10% make a living wage or more…
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Hi again Nicholas, I have just been to see ‘Great Expectations’. The opening scenes with the foggy open spaces reminded me of your art. It was that part of England which has sea and land meeting…is that the fens? Very moody.
Oh – I am one of the vast majority of artists who doesn’t make a living wage – not even near it. Lately my work sells well but take out gallery costs, framing, tax, materials and time – and I’d make literally CENTS per hour. However money is not my motivating factor so it doesn’t matter. It’s all for love, and though that sounds incredibly corny, it is also true.
LikeLike
Hi Julie, I understand the connection you make with the opening scenes. It is actually the East Coast and that merging of sky and land or even more so sea and sky is very typical. I’m reading a book about the old paths in Britain and one chapter covers a footpath across one of the bays, which is a dangerous one, and the author describes the melding of the wet sands to the sky as like mercury shimmering, thick liquidy, its very evocative! Apparently disorientation is the real danger as distance becomes distorted.
I earn a living as a designer as well, although I have exhibited more in the past it is very true to say that the real income after costs can be very diminished by framing and most of all by the gallery commissions! I’m not exhibiting now but creating a new body of work for next year. I can believe your work sells well, its so beautifully drawn.
LikeLike
Hi Nicholas, I’ve seen this part of England before but only on films…and often scary films … like “The Woman in Black” years ago. I would love to visit this part of your country. It sure does look mysterious and wild. Rather like the low countries of Europe…Belgium and Netherlands. The new version of “Great Expectations” was OK but art-wise it was fantastic.
LikeLike
Yes, the woman in black was shot on the East Coast too and it was very scary! The coast is mysterious when the weather is dull or worse, but no longer particularly wild, except at the very margins where the salt marshes are. Much of the coast has literally been eroded away! I agree The film GE was just OK, plus it came out only a little after a very, very good BBC adaptation the same year.
LikeLike
Ah ha – so you remember The Woman in Black. It was years and years ago but so creepy that my husband and I still bring it up in conversation from time to time. As to GE, it is pretty nigh impossible to cram a Dickens novel into a couple of hours. I liked it more than the latest Anna Karenina though, which I found pretty annoying. What’s more I don’t think Tolstoy would have approved.
LikeLike
I do and I saw it again not realising it was one and the same thing! Creepy is the word for it, the whole thing remained with me for weeks after. Then many years later some friends invited us to the theatre and I didn’t make the association of the title, so I saw it a third time! To be honest once was enough!
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Lots of exciting drawing and painting here. I haven’t explored pastels but I like the way the drawn mark can fiz a bit with other drawn marks
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Thanks for your very kind comment. I’m trying out some Neocolor II pastels. They are excellent and water soluble too. Very versatile.
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Neocolor and I are old friends – going back to my teenage years. The Neocolor I used were the crayons. Loved them. Still have boxes but don’t use them these days – just because I use the pencils instead. But they’re beautiful.
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