Julian, I don't know how you feel about them, but it seems to me with these recent still life's you've raised your own high game up to yet another level. In particular the design and color relationships are so satisfying, and the quality of light so well observed. There's a sense of immediacy conveyed in these paintings that really feels like a fragile, frozen moment in time. Wonderful work.
oooh! is just fine Carolyn, surprisingly it's a tough job and the odd ooooh is much appreciated!
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Thanks Don, I think that I'm exploring things that maybe I've only painted previously on a larger scale like these, the influences are Morandi and Cezanne (Cezanne obviously being a big influence on Morandi).
Nineteen of the last twenty paintings have been still life, mostly painted in overcast conditions or occasionally with artificial light. I've hardly been out and the days are very short. Trying to keep up the surprise element is getting complicated, perhaps that's the best thing that can happen forcing one to explore the motif more thoroughly? I do seem to have produced a small series.
I'm off to Paris on Saturday to see the big Courbet exhibition at the Grand Palais and to hear my wife play the continuo in Don Giovanni. Perhaps I'll come back with a different view of ..the world!!
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Bartow, the pears are past their best but anyway inedible, they are little miniature pears called Poire Martin Sec and only used for making liquers etc. a little like the pear equivalent of crab apples. They are very small which makes them very useful in little paintings. Je ne mange pas les Poires Martin Sec!
Julian - I really like what you are doing with these new small works. I recognised the style from your larger still life paintings - and for me it works tremendously well on a smaller scale too. I've been telling people to come and look and will inevitably mention it on my blog as well if you keep doing more like these!
It's really good to hear about influences as well.
Have a nice time in Paris.
Interesting that I've been thinking of both Morandi and Cezanne in the last "series," but more Morandi than the latter. I used to love Morandi, but Julian Merrow-Smith has actually come to replace him in my aesthetic appreciation. Merci!
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Thanks Don, I think that I'm exploring things that maybe I've only painted previously on a larger scale like these, the influences are Morandi and Cezanne (Cezanne obviously being a big influence on Morandi). Nineteen of the last twenty paintings have been still life, mostly painted in overcast conditions or occasionally with artificial light. I've hardly been out and the days are very short. Trying to keep up the surprise element is getting complicated, perhaps that's the best thing that can happen forcing one to explore the motif more thoroughly? I do seem to have produced a small series. I'm off to Paris on Saturday to see the big Courbet exhibition at the Grand Palais and to hear my wife play the continuo in Don Giovanni. Perhaps I'll come back with a different view of ..the world!! --
Bartow, the pears are past their best but anyway inedible, they are little miniature pears called Poire Martin Sec and only used for making liquers etc. a little like the pear equivalent of crab apples. They are very small which makes them very useful in little paintings. Je ne mange pas les Poires Martin Sec!