A Promise to Myself.....
After a recent extended period of teaching, I find myself back in the studio with enough time and headspace to consider my own practice. In recent months, when I haven't had other commitments, I have been focusing on working with the landscape - both in drawing and painting. This makes sense, I guess, given that much of my current teaching work is centred around why and how other Contemporary practitioners choose to engage with the landscape as a subject or departure point.
Much of my own thoughts have been on considering why working with the landscape can be seen as something hackneyed, or dismissed as merely 'genre' painting. For me, this return to drawing on senses of place and location, geography, topography, and memory of place, is a fertile ground and one which I hope will continue to be a rich seam. Above is one of my recent studio studies, in line and watercolour wash, drawn from imagination and memory. I decided to call it 'A Bend in The River'.
As a final note, I am making a promise to myself to use this blog more regularly - both to reflect on my studio practice and update on what I am doing. I hope to be writing again soon......
