Bacon and the Masters

I have been to the Francis Bacon and the Masters exhibition at the 

Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich.

 Comparisons were able to be made between Bacon's work and the inspirational work by those he admired. How disappointing then that Velasquez work, Pope Innocent X was conspicuous by its absence. It is what I went to see! Given the premise, it is the one you think of! Oh dear not a good start.

 In the main, I have to say that Bacon suffered by the comparisons. I.E. Colour choices by Picasso were far brighter, vibrant, which sorry to say is not evident in these reproductions garnered from the internet. 

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 Most folk I have spoken to say there is NO comparison, that Bacon pales into insignificance. And before I saw the exhibition I would have agreed. I dislike Bacons tendency to plaster on the paint, and that is a personal preference, but I can see the inspiration and sometimes what he was trying to do and have admiration for that. In this instance I prefer the Bacon to the Matisse! There is more movement, expression, solidity and the look on his face begs so many questions.

 I would have this on my wall if I had one big enough!

And, although the subject, the bull fight, is not pleasant, I like this tryptich, the colours, the format, the feeling of it. 

And Roy's pick of the day.........this Van Gogh  Farms Near Auvers

I agree this is very nice, I could live with this, and I had not been aware of it until today.

My opinion of Francis Bacon has changed because of this exhibition, I like his ideas, if not the execution of those ideas. I now have ideas of my own..............watch this space.

I would recommend this, you really have to make up your own mind.

WA + WAG

The brief at WA was 'sealife'. My idea was to have live and dead in the same place. The cockles still need the 'ready for BBQ' image transposed. Both are in progress. What I badly needed was respite from very difficult facial features, and, by golly, I enjoyed throwing, scraping, pushing, wiping, pressing, lifting............................................

Life Drawing at Castle Acre

To see more of what I did today go have a look at my life drawing blog - HERE-

Prize

A phone call yesterday brought the good news that my painting ' DAY OFF ' not only sold at Hertford Annual Summer Exhibition, but also won the Visitors Choice award. So how chuffed am I today! Voted best work by the viewing public! I like . It brings with it a prize, which my messenger could not tell me about. 

Tiddling Again

 I couldn't leave poor Roy as he was, and so this is much improved! It was good to start upside down, but it needed a right side up tidy up!

 Added a glaze to the frill of her underskirt and some creases. Much improved also.

No comment! I think the problem I'm having is with the size of the heads...........small! No improvement..........YET!

Day Off 24" x 8" Oil

SOLD at 63rd Hertford Art Society Open Exhibition . RESULT!
This painting also won the Visitors Choice Award! 

WA - Upside Down Drawing.

Roy   16" x 20"  Charcoal + Chalk

Well this was fun. I really had to hold myself back from turning the drawing the right way up before the end of the session! It is fairly evident where it is wrong, but it is also very clearly a portrait of my 

hubby.

A very happy 80th birthday to June! We had two scrummy cakes, so we all celebrated in style with her.

Christopher 10" x 12" Oil

SOLD!

Together  16" x 16"  Oil 

Sold  at an exhibition in Swaffham, Norfolk. Continues tomorrow in the Assembly Rooms if you wish to obtain a superb work of art!

Works In Progress

A COMMISSION IN PROGRESS

WORK IN PROGRESS 

I think that toning down the underskirt might be all that is required! You can tell me different if you like, feedback appreciated always.

Both paintings in oils.

HAS Submission Day 2015

 Ready for  Waring Robinson, who is a Vice President of HAS, to judge the best 3D work. The winner was the contents of the boxes in the front of this pic, which were a couple of glass 'books'. 

 June Pickering made a very fine bathstone Buddha. Bet her hands and shoulders ache!

  Ready for the off!

 Judges, l to r, Abel Kesteven , Alex Roch , + Derek Daniells

 Sorting out the prizewinners from the work  given AAA

The John Goss Prize - Best in Show
Landscape at Pignano Villa, Tuscany by Daniel Shadbolt - Oils

 The Bill Dale Award 
Golf Sale by Bill Dean - Oils

 The Lady Laming Award for Abstract Art
Evening Reflections by Anne McCormack RI, SWA - Acrylics 

 The Edward Mason Award, Best Watercolour Painting
Rochester Skyline by Alan Runagall MRSA - Watercolour

The Mayor's Award - Best 3D work
A Little Contemplation Vol IX - Cast glass and metal

I thought I would show you some of my best friends work, who has no internet presence at all. This one was awarded AAA by the judges, and she had all her paintings accepted. I wish her talent would rub off on me a bit!

Apologies for terrible reflections on photos.

And my ducks came home again, as did the two boat paintings. I have to stop listening to other people and trust my own judgement. Lesson learned this time.

Alex 10" x 12" Oil

WA - Quick Figure Sketching

 I started the afternoon off by giving a quick demo. The delightful Sue modelled for me, with this, unfinished result. I went away wishing I had taken it more slowly, had explained better what I was doing. I wanted to show how to build form and not fiddle with details and I think I did that because the last couple of strokes did pull it all together. What a relief! Sue liked it enough to take it home!

Michelle

Lost the plot here, but doing a complete drawing in 20 mins is not possible for me. I am quick, but not that quick!

Long, Tall, Thin + Sally et al....................

 Long, Tall, Thin + Sally    11", x 12", x 5",   Cherry      

Ramble  15"h    Cherry

Ducks   12" x 10"  Oil

 Boatline  8" x 26"   Oil

 Day Off   19" x 15"    Oil

Beached  12" x 16"  Oil

Finally, Long, Tall, Thin + Sally is finished and so, along with these five other pieces, is destined for Hertford Art Society Annual Exhibition. Fingers crossed.

Ramble 15" H

I think this clumsy effort is as good as it gets! She's not pretty and it is unlikely to sell, but she is destined for Hertford Art Society's annual exhibition. More tomorrow.

Life Drawing at Castle Acre

Went to Castle Acre today for an all day life session. The model this time stayed in the same pose all day. Some people worked on the same painting all day but I elected to change position after a scrummy lunch., the whole figure in charcoal and then zooming in with oil, both 20" x 16".

Brilliant day, thank you Helen and Sonia.