Going all in outdoors
One of my great heroes is the artist Joan Eardley. Her seascapes are absolutely magnificent and she was a true pioneer in post-war art. She worked outdoors, balancing huge canvases on easels on the edge of cliffs and in the eye of the storm. Her work exudes that energy and vitality that comes from being part of the subject of your painting.
I have sketched outside for years, and often take a random crayon or pencil with me onto the beach or into the field for a walk the dogs. I love to take a line for a walk and not think too much. I also love to set myself up on the beach or in the woods somewhere with a few materials and some board and spend an hour trying to capture it quickly, without thinking too much about what I’m doing. This has influenced my work for years, and for me, it’s usually stage one, so sketches and photographs form the basis of a print or painting.
This year, however I’ve decided to go ‘Joan Eardley’ and get a little braver. I’m using board or small canvases with a view to actually developing it into something more finished on site (i.e. the beach). This can be a bit scary. As soon as I start thinking of producing something finished, my ego starts getting in the way. I’ve experimented with watercolours on paper and ink and crayon on board recently. I must admit I’ve really enjoyed it and have even found things on the beach to draw with (seaweed, sticks and pebbles are good dipped in ink) Usually I have a deadline which help me focus, but I‘m slowly working towards taking my oil or acrylic paints with me to the clifftops!! Here is some of the work from my recent trips to the beach.
