Face to Face.

The moment when a man comes to paint himself - he may do it only two or three times in a life-time, perhaps never - has in the nature of things a special significance. Lawrence Gowing. 1918 - 1991.

There is an excellent book on British self-portraits in the twentieth century, by Philip Vann, published by Sansom and Company. Sometimes hard to find but well worth persevering.

Thomas Hardy - Journal entry. January 1887.

Untitled. oil on wood. 120x120cms

After looking at the landscape ascribed to Bonnington in our drawing room I feel that Nature is played out as a beauty, but not as a Mystery....I want to see the deeper reality underlying the scenic, the expression of what are sometimes called abstract imaginings.

The exact truth as to material fact....is a student's style - the style of a period when the mind is serene and unawakened to the tragical mysteries of life; when it does not bring anything to the object that coalesces with and translates the qualities that are already there - half hidden, it may be-and the two united are depicted as the All.

The Cloud of Unknowing.

Cloud Shadow. oil on canvas. 50x50cm.

This is one of those paintings which, seen after a while, begs to be reworked. At the time of making it seemed to be heading in the direction I wanted but I had to put it aside because although I felt it needed to go further I couldn't see how. Actually I think my nerve fails me. However at some point the nettle needs to be grasped so to speak and this is where I am now. It might push me along a bit further: I hope so.

The title of the post comes from the fourteenth century book on Christian mysticism, a copy of which I received from a friend in Ireland. I keep reading it but I need to understand it.

A word from Ruskin.

Shower.(Passover). 120x120cm. oil on canvas.

"While form is absolute....colour is wholly relative. Every hue throughout your work is altered by every touch that you add in other places.... In all the best arrangements of colour, the delight occasioned by their mode of succession is entirely inexplicable. Nor can it be reasoned about. We like it, just as we like an air in music, but cannot reason any refractory person into liking it if they do not. And yet there is distinctly a right and a wrong in it, and a good taste and a bad taste respecting it, as also in music."

At this time of year there is a vividness and sharpness to colour here: the air is very clear. It reminds me of Spring days in England when the smell of rain is in the air - though the light is softer there I think. The above painting was made on the floor and only moved to the vertical at what seemed the last minute and like most of my painting , may well change yet before I show it in an upcoming exhibition: whether it lasts the year will depend on how much I need the canvas.

Painting from Nature.

John Constable. Dedham Lock,1820-25 oil on canvas on wood. 16.5x24.5cm

David Blackburn. Leaf Coast.1999. pastel on paper. 50x38cm.

Thomas Jones.Buildings in Naples. 1782.oil on paper.

Rain clears from the west. oil on wood panel. 120x120cm.

From an article by Merlin James:

What does it mean to give an accurate, Matter-OF-FACT description of the world or part of the world or something in the world? When I try to describe objectively what I perceive in front of me, or around me, how far in fact am I giving an account of myself, of my own impressions? How do I set limits on what I choose to describe? How do I decide what is the focus of my attention and what is incidental or "background". How much has to be asked - or left unquestioned- about the language I use in order for my description to be comprehensible, believable?.....and why make a copy of appearances at all if not in the anticipation of the absence of the "original"

I was in London recently and among the many images that I have carried with me since is a painting by Thomas Jones, made in 1782, in Naples. It was small and perfect and I would love to have it: but more, I would have loved to have made it.

I show another of his here, together with two pieces which have also had a similar impact, and a new one of my own.

Picture for an exhibition.

untitled. oil on wood. 120x120cms.

There is to be an opening exhibition for La Tour, Montsales, 2011 season and I hope to take part in this with other local artists. It is a very small village but the exhibition space, has attracted a large audience in the two years that it has been operating. In this part of the Aveyron there are a number of excellent exhibition spaces with a variety of work being shown in and around Villefranche de Rouergue, Cajarc, Rodez, and Toulouse.

A walk in progress

After rain. oil on canvas, 80x80cms.

untitled. oil on canvas. 80x80cms.

after rain 2 , oil on canvas. 80x80cms.

These three paintings are an extension of the idea of what one can bring back from the solitary walk. In the case of these the walk was not far, a matter of yards in fact. However the experience of one thing gives rise to another. The paintings will in time, I hope develop: they are small 80x80cms but could be, should be, much bigger. I can't at the moment remember who told me that small shows you what you can do and big shows you what you can't - referring to markmaking - but it is something to think about.