Sisyphus

Sisyphus
(acrylic on canvas, 8 x 8 in)

Although I know the beginnings of this painting lie in a sketchbook drawing done in a wood quite a few years ago, it seems to have taken on a life of its own when developed in paint. A life of its own in the sense that it rather puzzles me: what does it mean? Does it mean anything? Something in my mind helped it to come to fruition and I can see a certain vague personal symbolism there, but maybe I'm not supposed to delve too deeply.

Whatever, as the kids probably no longer say. I like it and I can tell you what it doesn't mean: I'm definitely not finished with the Path Through the Woods.

Nordic Transcendence

I suppose it must be something to do with Sod's Law that when I go to the last (and for me, the only) meeting of the Painters' Group this season, I should miss the bus because it came early. I shall be glad to be free of this one-an-hour bus service.

Sod's Law continued to apply when I got to the Hatton Gallery where the Group usually meets: it was Newcastle University's Open Day and the gallery was full of folk. And no one from the Group, of course. So by the time I'd trotted over the road to the Northumbria Gallery, the fallback venue, I was only just in time to put my Chalice painting amongst the others and sit down for the crit.

I wasn't sure how it would be received, but everyone seemed to like it, including Bill V., our tutor. The term he used in reference to it was "Nordic Transcendence" which I thought somewhat appropriate. I remember two years ago seeing and enjoying the exhibition  Van Gogh to Kandinsky | Symbolist Landscape in Europe 1880-1910, not so much for the well known painters but for the lesser known works by artists such as Kallela and Willumsen. I found a a real connection with those paintings.

Whether or not Chalice represents a new departure. I honestly can't say, but it's stirring up some ideas from the past that may need to be looked at again.