painting with a light touch

Yesterday in York I sat in the window of a cafe with a perfect coffee from a beautiful cup, muffled voices, a little morning sun. A delicious spot to find myself alone. I felt my brain quieten a bit - it’s been loud.

The buzz of near-far voices felt soft. People bouncing fresh thoughts with a gentle, secretive morning hush. Pre-work city: comforting, nostalgic, invigorating.

I’ve made Mondays my York day - a day for writing, meeting for coffee, seeing art, walking around, painting in watercolour, clearing a path for the week. Maybe it’s the newness, the contrast, the removal of chores and reminders, but it’s funny how my beloved hermit home-studio can often feel noisier and more chaotic than a day in a city. I’m already loving this weekly swap with its prisitine, empty desk.

I wondered what this feeling might look like in paint. How to draw this light connectivity, the magic of stepping away, of listening in. How a light touch with the brush and a clean, delicate palette could ease an over-busy mind. I wrote it down so the feeling would hold til home. I love how art can take you to these places and moods in an instant.

Notes from my (Monday) studio

figures listening, hushing, figures with eyes closed with thinking. Single line barely there. Translucsence. Subdued. Cloud cover, muted fabric, blanketed, low whisper. Softest gold spinning from rising sun. Space, with less. Washiness, rubbed away, start again from scratch.

Pinkish Cinnamon

Olive

Maple

Sulphur Yellow

Taupe Brown

Burnt Sienna

Salvia Blue

Olympic Blue

(names from a Dictionary of Colour Combinations)

Clean wood

and

Pink Clay

____

another town

I’ll be in London next week showing a collection of paintings at Once Gallery. There’s a Private View on Thursday 15th, 7-9pm then it’s there til January. Looking forward to seeing some of you there!