Living Wild! My New Forest adventure.
I went on an Artist Residency, in Hampshire, what an adventure, why did I do this?
Regular readers will know that I love to sketch and paint on location, in the heart of the forest.
My Living Wild adventure was designed to help bring you paintings rich in the textures, colours and feelings of being there, in the forest surrounded by nature’s beauty.
I had thought about an Artists Residency many times, so last year I applied for three residencies, thinking they will be looking for a young artist about to ‘emerge’ on the London art scene! So I didn’t really expect a good outcome.
But SPUD WORKS at Sway in The heart of the new forest came up trumps!
Lucky for me.
So why did I go on this adventure? I have always been a plein air painter, going outdoors for inspiration. I wanted to test another way of working, from nature, by spending time making rapid sketches with pen, watercolour and other media and then returning to the studio to work these up into larger oil paintings.
“Not very radical”. I hear you say, agreed – It is how traditional landscape artists have worked for centuries.
My quest, was to figure out how to paint from my memories thoughts and feelings alone, aided by my on-site sketches. To create paintings full of heart and soul, rather than detail or accuracy.
It may take me a little while!
Living wild, My forest adventure, – How was it?
I decided to go out each morning, to make sketches in dip pen and ink, and added watercolour notes. I also used fineliner and marker pens and oil pastels as the mood took me.
After lunch, back at the studio, I worked up fresh oil paintings, standing at my French box easel working larger than usual, with larger brushes and big tubes of paint. Standing up allows the use of the whole arm and shoulder, which can add a certain freedom to the brushwork. Though difficult at first, I did enjoy the challenges that this method of working brought. I also realised that when the winter cold arrives, it will no longer keep me from painting, so my warm studio will be a more inviting place to create art. A win win situation!
Being given a studio and accommodation for two weeks in the heart of the forest was excellent for me. It allowed me to experiment and try out new ideas, away from other pressures, would you do it?
Let me know in the comments, Here is a short video about it!