One that worked

I want to talk about a picture that i did some years ago now. It sits at the top of our stairs and I pass by it several times a day, usually without giving it any thought. Today however, was different. I'm not sure why but as I climbed the stairs I focused on the picture. Why do I like this picture, I thought. After all, it is of little technical merit and was only ever intended as a quick oil sketch, painted, as far as I can recall, on acrylic primed cartridge paper. I mulled this over for some time and the following points came to mind:

It is a visual reminder of the process and enjoyment of its creation. The piece came about after an early evening stroll along the Nottingham Canal armed with my video camera. Thumbnail sketches with written colour notes were done from the video.

I am entirely responsible for it - including the framing (made from some planed timber and quadrant beading). Creating something, albeit of little value, can be immensely satisfying.

Although it is painted quite thinly, the loose brushwork, especially in the foreground, gives the painting a feeling of spontaneity. Additionally, the limited palette has contributed to the overall colour harmony with the orange hues in the branches being played off against more muted grays and greens.

I think it captures the feeling of a crisp, sunlit autumn day.

For me, the composition works fairly well and even the home made frame seems to suit the picture.

The moral is that for a painting to be a success it does not need to be a grand, highly finished piece. Even the simplest of sketches can have their own merit and and often benefit from the lack of pressure during their creation that can easily cause a more important piece to appear laboured.