INERTIA

For personal reasons, I have dried up.  Ill health and an accident didn't help but it is almost a year since I last posted.  I want to paint but, like my music, my piano and organ playing, I just seize up.  I don't want to dwell on this and am hoping that starting my blogs again will motivate me.

I have just made two posts to my small paintings blog.  Why not have look here and here?

Here is one of the little drawings

AUTUMN AND SPIRALLING LEAVES

On Saturday I walked to the park.  It is sunny but colder and autumn is setting in

I sat on a bench and watched the wind taking the leaves. Many have fallen already, these are safe for a day or two if tonight's frost doesn't do its job.

Later, as I was taking a photo, within the wood, next to the pond, this little leaf spiralled down into my hand and snuggled against the camera.  I brought him home.

I made this little painting when I got home

"Autumn leaves, falling"  acrylic and collage on paper  15 x 12 cm

A NEW BLOG

https://imageandmeasure2.blogspot.be/2017/10/day-one.html

WHY NOT GO AND HAVE A PEEK?
This is what you find for the first posting.  I hope you like it enough to subscribe when you see it!

Day One

A few weeks ago, in the middle of a long period with no painting, a sort of painters block, I came across an idea from an  American painter's blog.  Carol Marine's Painting a Day .  For around ten years she has painted a small picture every day. It did not have to be perfect and, because it took a short time, there was no feeling of failure if it didn't work - there is always the waste bin!  She found the lack of pressure helped her to revitalise her work.  Read her blog.
I thought I would try it too and so here I am, nervously proffering my first born.  The first few will be  abstract, but I shall also do other things.

 #1a. 15cm x 15cm acrylic on paper

I am quite pleased with this; what do you think? It took about 15 minutes, I did several others but think this is the best. I may post one of the others.

SUMMER IN BRUSSELS

We spent a lot of the summer in Brussels and had a wonderful time with family staying with us and I did less painting than I expected.  I was a little disappointed with what I produced but, on reflection, I thank that maybe I am pleased with some of it.  It is very colourful - which is just how it was in the bright sun of summer in Parc Parmentier.

This one for instance

Approximately A3 size, watercolour and ink on paper, catches, I think the dazzling sunlight, reflecting off the almost still water of the pond.  I must look again at the others!

HEATH HOUSE ART GROUP AGAIN

They must have liked my last visit as tutor since they asked me back again!

On one of my two visits we drew in the garden  and around the various buildings. The other time I challenged them to make simple still life paintings or drawings of a standard size (20 x 20 cm) to fit in a frame I took with me.  I showed them a series of paintings I had made which used the frame as part of the composition; simplified designs which gain strength from the restraints of the format. I asked them to do something similar. Here are some of them.  I think they were as pleased as I was.

This is one of mine from a few years ago. A pear on a terracotta plate

and here are some of theirs. I will post some more another day

JORIS MINNE

A few years ago I made some drawings around Lutje's home. Standing next to her PC is this fine wood carving of her mother.  It was made by an artist unknown to me, Joris Minne, 1897 -  1988.

He was born in Ostend but grew up in Antwerp, Lutje's home city. He studied at the Bercham Academy of Fine Arts.  He is known for the revival of wood engraving in Belgium, making this cover for an art magazine he co-founded in September 1919

Shipping in Antwerp?

"O" is for olifant - a children's book illustration

In 1939 he turned to sculpture, mostly in wood 

   This small oak figure dates from 1988, the year of his death

Heath House Art Group

It was a great joy yesterday to make a return visit as tutor to Heath House Art Group.  My first two visits, last year,  were in winter time and we had a productive time in the studio.  This time we braved the possible rain in the morning and enjoyed the sun in the afternoon to look at  drawing buildings and simple landscape.

They produced a very varied range of work, I was very impressed and wanted to photograph them. My phone thought other wise!  Next week I shall take a camera as well!

In a very brief moment , whilst wandering the gardens and helping them, I was intrigued by , and quickly drew, these wonderful rusty metal chickens on one of the many lawns. .