Art by Bob Abrahams

February 21 LEMONS

Jeremy you are so right. It seems to me that I may have two different two modes of painting or processing of images, to develop.

1) Direct painting of what I see, ala prima small studies, that trend to stifle my creativity in composition because I am focused on what is front of me. I find it difficult to break out of this mode when painting directly from the subject and I am not sure that I should try to at the moment, but I take your point about tonal and compositional studies

2) Using the small, directly painted studies in (1) and photographs, as a departure point for larger, more creative paintings. First investigating the subject with charcoal drawings as you suggest, and then with larger paintings in another medium, say pastels. This can be a much slower process, more reflective even like meditation often requiring modification at my thoughts develop.
Thanks for your helpful advice
Cheers
Bob

Hi Bob

I started out as a landscape artist painting basically what was in front of me. It has taken me years to get away from painting what I see. First changing the colours, then distorting, then adding imaginary features, then imaginary landscapes based on memory and trying to incorporate figures (large) on an entirely imaginary basis. Its all part of the journey I suppose.

The key thing for me now is to stop looking at the original scene and let the painting take over. So I just make the changes that I feel I should make. I work with the painting upside-down a lot.

Jeremy

Cezanne still life

One of Cezanne's lovely still life paintings

--
Jeremy Holton
http://www.jeremyholton.com

Summer afternoon bush track

I think that this painting by Lloyd Rees captures the transparency of
Australian trees and their ephemeral appearance as they lightly cloak
our ancient landscape. Somehow the structure and bones of the
landscape show through.

--
Jeremy Holton
http://www.jeremyholton.com

Glass Bell Tower on the

Glass Bell Tower on the City of Perth Foreshore.

Bell Tower

Oil painting on 6"x8" canvas covered MDF Board. Painted on location, in a 2 hours session with 0.5 hr review and touch up in the studio.

RIVERSIDE MAYLANDS 10 Feb 2005

Riverside Maylands

Oil on 9"x12" canvas covered MDF Board. Painted on location in 2 hours.There are number aspects about the painting that I would like to rectify in the studio, but will resist doing that because it usually changes the painting and it loses its freshness and spontaneity. So, here it is warts and all.
It is about to go on public display as part of a promotion of my upcoming exhibition.

Hi Bob

As you say it has a lovely freshness about it and feeling of water and light. I agree that you shouldn't change it. I am not sure why but I want to bring some of the sky down into the trees in the LHS to centre of the work. Somehow the line of the boundary between the tree tops and sky is a little too straight. Don't worry about it and I only mention it as general feedback on my response as an artist.

Where will your exhibition be? Let me know how it goes.  Can you blog some photos of the works when they are hung.  Good luck.

Jeremy