Again, using my own photos, I’m undertaking the not inconsiderable challenge of making snow scenes that are both relatable and nowhere near a christmas Robin.
Frozen river. Acrylics and watercolour pencil on 13x18cm canvas. From the date stamp on a similar photo, I can pin this to February 1992. The river froze so solidly, it was unaffected by the tides that normally raise water levels by several metres twice a day. It seemed to stay for days; it creaked; swans and ducks skidded on it trying to land or take off; and dogs were fascinated. I have never met anyone who had seen this before and there hasn’t been anything close since.Across the fields from the White bridge at Beeding. Acrylics and watercolour pencil on 18x24cm canvas. This may also date back to 1992 although we have experienced significant snowfalls since then.Frozen river 2. Acrylics and watercolour pencil on 24x30cm canvas. This is from the datestamped photo so I can say with confidence that this was the state of things on the 8th February 1992. My two dogs, now long gone, were in the photo but executively edited out of the painting on the grounds that while they have sentimental value, they don’t contribute aesthetic value and risk tipping the painting over into the land of Twee.Ice and snow on the Adur at Beeding. Acrylics and watercolour pencil on primed 30x40cm canvas.
This is the final painting for this series – winter scenes using my own photos for reference. I found the smallest canvases the most difficult and the two larger sizes more accommodating. I seem to have moved some way away from the stained glass windows of that first set of landscapes, although I like to think this is because I’ve modified my approach to suit the subject matter.
My aim is to try not to forget about the lucidity of the stained glass effect or the simplicity of letting paint drift in water as in Frozen River 2 above. I’d like also to remember how useful pencils are in painting, and how obstructive paint can be if I apply it in wedges without thinking about what’s coming next.
Landscape set.
SCH 2023
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Conboyhill Arts - art from stART to finish 