Thursday 4 October 2007

2nd Venice Picture


Spotlight (1st pass)
I was looking for something new to start painting at the Art Club today, so I began to draw this subject out on an old canvas at home. ( This is the third picture I've begun on this canvas and it's developing a nice texture.)

"It would be nice to just get some paint on to obscure some of the more intrusive elements of the previous picture, " I thought to myself. And before I knew it, I was fully into it and the Club was out of the question. Sometimes you have to just go with the flow.

This handsome couple were caught in the spotlight of a vaporetto station as their own vaporetto sailed by. I wasn't sure I could make this one work, so it's not very big (20 x 20 ins), but things seem to be working out. There were several other people on the deck to the right of the couple, but I'm playing them down considerably, leaving them out of the spotlight.

I'm particularly happy that I'm having to think less about the colours I'm using - they're becoming much more intuitive and as a consequence, a lot freer, I think.

I'm more excited about this series than anything else I've done for quite some time.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really liked this one. Something about the sense of movement and immediacy in the couple in the foreground, and the gorgeous, glorious use of light. (The way you use light is one of my favourite things about your paintings, as I may have told you before.)

Incidentally, I tried to publish this and my previous comment as Doctor Pam, but it wouldn't let me, so it seems that I must be content with just plain Pam for now. Any chance you can fix that, or is it a new "feature", perhaps?

harry bell said...

I don't know. You've signed them as Doctor Pam before. Have you tried reclaiming your old Blogger account?

I'm glad you like the picture. Or at least like it as it stands Changes will happen, but the interest in light will always be there.

Anonymous said...

OK, I'll try again. This is just a test. Just in case it works, I have chosen the option "other" and typed in my identity as Doctor Pam. Exactly as I tried yesterday, before resorting to my Blogger account (which is really just my e-mail address). And today it works, although yesterday it didn't. Go figure.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry, Pam. I'm sure you'll be 'doctor pam' soon. First you did the thesis - now you've outsmarted blogger!

I think this is Bogart and Bacall on the vaparetto - is it not? - with Peter Lorre lurking there in the shadows. You seem to have captured a certain intrigue and romance here, Mr Zip...

harry bell said...

Dr Pam - I'm glad you've retrieved your title but am at a loss to explain the vagaries of Blogger. Sometimes they talk to me in German!

Simon - You could be right, but it all happened so quickly. It would be nice to retain that sense of intrigue and romance, but as ever I'm at the mercy of the paint.

Anna said...

I'm always glad when people get let in to paintings (and photographs), they immediately up my interest by 20%. I have a good feeling about this series, looking forward to developments.

harry bell said...

Anna -- I'm looking forward to developments, too. Now if only I can clear away this damn paperwork ...