Slice

Over the weekend I avoided any drawing, choosing instead to clean up my studio and develop a few ideas . I am still interested in fruit and vegetables as landscape objects. I have included an interesting view of a slice of tomato that will feature in a drawing. I love its “mountain-like” qualities and I’ll tackle the “tomato” theme once I have completed my current theme of “bread”. I have also planned several drawings featuring natural objects washed ashore at Sisters Beach, a favourite place of mine in North-west Tasmania.

Richard

Tread Carefully

This afternoon I took the opportunity of taking some photos on a nearby dirt road with some help from Matthew, my eldest stepson. I have enclosed a snippet and needless to say, my purpose was bread-related. I shall use some of the information I gathered in my next drawing which I hope to undertake early next week. This will be my 14th out of a necessary total of 13, but I want to complete at least 18 so I can have a broad range in my exhibition next March.

Richard

Deco Orange

I haven’t drawn figures for some time and when the opportunity arose to include some hands in two of my drawings I had to experiment to find the right colours. Working on coloured pastel board has its limitations as colours behave differently on different coloured surfaces. I finally found that Deco Orange was the perfect skin tone base but alas, Prismacolor don’t make them any more! This is not fair! I have sent requests to two suppliers but have yet to receive a reply. If you have any Berol Prismacolour Deco Orange (colour 1010) pencils or know of anyone who has, please let me know. The pencil pictured is the only one I have left! Fortunately, I had enough to lay the base down for my current drawing, featuring Val’s (my wife) hands. It looks as though I shall have to find a new skin tone colour combination for future figure work.

Richard

Number 12

This drawing involves its usual main subject, this time accompanied by a most popular kitchen appliance. As is often the case, there is a twist, in fact on this occasion it is one of role reversal. All will be revealed in March! Once my exhibition has opened I will be posting on this blog, one image per day.

My next drawing features my wife Val in a quite surreal situation!

Richard

Number 11

I’ve just finished my latest ‘Bread” drawing, this time with the addition of a more “human” element as is revealed in the enclosed snippet. For this drawing I used a light umber background to make the subject more intense than has been the case with most of my previous works. I will need to use this colour again in another drawing or two as I’m conscious of how the exhibition must be presented as a whole. I will be using the one style of moulding and double neutral matts for the 13 pieces on display and I’m also aware of the need to vary my backgrounds as there is a danger of the drawings becoming too similar.

Presentation is so important for artwork to be seen at its best. In these times when money is tight for most artists, it is easy to put the price of framing before the best outcome for one’s work. For those who live in Tasmania, I strongly recommend you visit the current exhibition at Country Club Tasmania, in Launceston, (as mentioned in yesterday’s blog) to see what first-class presentation does for a first-class exhibition.

I shall now go and cut some more pastel board and prepare for drawing number 12.

Richard

Hanging Day

This morning I completed hanging the next exhibition at Country Club Tasmania. This latest showing is by North west artists Gerry Jensen and Margaret Coombes. The former paints and draws while the latter is a watercolourist. This is a fine exhibition of 37 works by two highly respected and extremely competent artists. I have included some examples of their work. The top photo is a pastel by Gerry titled, “Red and White Poppies” and the bottom photo is a watercolour by Margaret titled, “Highland Summer”.

My role as curator also sees me responsible for opening the exhibition tomorrow night. I enjoy this departure from producing my own art as it gives me the opportunity to encourage other artists to show their work as well as get an “inside” view of how they think and work.

It’s a glorious afternoon here in Launceston and I’ve finished composing my speech for tomorrow night, so it’s about time I continued with drawing 11 which is waiting for me on the easel!

Richard

Expanding my Theme

Today I took two sets of photos related to my “Bread” theme. I wanted to explore other possibilities even though I have several drawings planned and certainly enough for next year’s exhibition. I am currently working on a drawing (number 11) that involves the right hand of my youngest stepson Alexander. This has opened my eyes to other possibilities and so I enlisted the help of my wife Val. One of the photos heads this blog entry. I took many more and I shall study them more closely when I have the time and see what I can do with them.

This afternoon Val and I went to visit the Cataract Gorge, a world-class natural attraction in the city of Launceston. The light was strong and there were many sharp shadows about. I have included an image I took. Of course, I just happened to have a slice of bread with me at the time! Again, these images like the earlier ones will be filed for future use.

Richard

Number 10

This drawing took a little longer than I expected and judging by the snippet I have included it is obvious that this sandwich has a tree theme. In fact, it is more to do with logs and their association with sandwiches which no doubt only adds to the confusion! “All will be revealed in the fullness of time”, to quote Sir Humphrey Appleby from “Yes, Prime Minister”.

I obtained some more bread last Wednesday night and the following afternoon successfully photographed two more ideas that I shall tackle in the week ahead. The first image involves Alexander, my youngest stepson and the second, the family toaster. I intend to involve more of our family in future ideas for drawings on the “Bread” theme.

Richard

Number 9

Golf, that game that defies logic, is the theme for my latest “Bread” drawing. It’s amazing to think that human beings should engage in belting the daylights out of a little, white ball out in the open on beautifully manicured grassed areas, in sand and thick scrub. Let’s not talk about the water hazards! And after a demoralising day on the golf course, they want to come back as soon as possible and do it all over again! I haven’t played the game for 10 years, but I still have my clubs which find themselves in my art from time to time.

I’m getting some more bread tonight so I can photograph some new ideas that I have written in my visual diary.

Richard

Number 8

Weather-wise Monday has been a glorious, sunny day and has seen me in the garden as well as in the studio. I have enclosed a snippet of my latest drawing. I have included a little more than normal  this time just for my Kiwi friend Deborah!

My brother Andrew gave me a number of bread titles last night over the phone which are now listed in my visual diary. If you have any suitable titles please send them to me! Although I am intending to exhibit only 13 drawings, I hope to do several more. This exhibition is a light-hearted look at “bread” as a theme, but I would also like to produce a series of works with a more serious message sometime in the future.

Back to the easel!

Richard