Gardens
The colours and plant forms in gardens are exciting and interesting for the artist. Indeed many famous artists have also been mad keen gardeners. I also like gardens because there are no cars in front of them! Many buildings and houses are hard to paint because there are ugly cars parked everywhere blocking the look and the feel of the buildings.
I think to paint a garden is quite difficult because there are often few structural elements to create a good composition. Often you have to rely on shadows or strong uprights like tree trunks to create form.
Mostly I keep to sketches and watercolour works of gardens and these are rarely exhibited. It is very easy for an oil painting on this subject get too overworked and heavy looking. I like to preserve a light and filmy look in garden pictures but this can be hard to achieve.
The paintings below remain light and delicate but one of the last pictures (Plum Tree in Annie's Garden in Blossom) shows what I mean as it has started to become rather heavy and thick.
Above: Suffolk Cottage Garden View to Field Beyond (2011) Graphite Sketch
I made this sketch in the early morning, determined to do something creative after a day of sanding ancient wooden beams over my head and with another day promising the same! Dust in my eyes, ears, all over - and the noise. The view is supposed to show the interesting shadows across the lawn but somehow I kept focusing on the tree which was probably more in accord with my mood.
Above: Garden at Charleston Farmhouse, East Sussex (2017) Watercolour on Paper
Below:Garden at Chatsworth Road Viewed from the Studio (2016) Watercolour on Paper
Above: Pashley Manor in Spring (2017) Watercolour on Paper
Below: Herstmonceux - The Mystical Garden (2017) Watercolour on Paper
Above:Plum Tree in Annie's Garden in Blossom (2009) Oil on Canvas
Below: Waterlilies at Sheffield Country Park (2017) Watercolour on Paper
