On Boxing day, Ian and I walked along the Grand Union Canal from Brentford to the 'Fox Stop' ( a delightful real ale establishment which has the feel of a country pub). It was a lovely sunny day (if cold) and we both took lots of photos. I was particularly struck by the reflections of trees in the weir (below) and over the next few days did several quite large acrylic paintings on canvas and board ( best one above).
It's amazing what a difference light makes. We did the same walk on New Years Day (below) and apart from the ice on some sections, it was far less photogenic as it was overcast, with no shadows. I think if I'd seen it like this the first time , I'd probably have walked straight past!
This weekend I've been thinking how I can develop this subject further (it has a lot of potential for both stitch and paint) and have been raiding my stash to audition base fabrics. I can see that I will have to do several sample pieces ( CQ Journal Quilts at 6 x 12 inch are the perfect size) to find the right combination - so many possibilities.
Thank you very much for all your contributions and advice about the trials with my 'Pearl,Pearls ,Pearls' themed piece. I have decided not to proceed any further with this , partly as the deadline is too near and also as I'm still not inspired by the subject. But there's some great ideas from your comments I may pursue further.
From Idaho Beauty " You may not want to go back to that same format, but what if you created similar blocks, but with the inserts being your painted or transferred pearls? Your color scheme could mimic that of the sea and this could be a very abstract landscape/seascape."
And from Olga: "I've just remembered that the word Baroque originally meant a distorted pearl, and that someone once described the Baroque building as a Renaissance building seen reflected in moving water . As you prefer to work from your own developments, perhaps you could play about with distortions of your photo of pearls"
I should seek your opinions more often!
The weir is really gorgeous - I love the way it zig-zags and lets you see slices of reflection.
ReplyDeleteI like both of your photos of the weir. The second is wonderfully subtle and dreamy and would maybe suit sheers.
ReplyDeleteYou have done a wonderful job capturing the colors and reflections in your photo. The bright colors in the first photo certainly capture my attention. But I also like the more subtle colors in the second photo. I think it would make a wonderful series.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful site to return to. We'll all be looking around for something similar near to where we live!
ReplyDeleteFor instance, I'm fascinated by the windows in the houses across the street - the lights through the various combinations of curtains - and only on seeing your weir did I think of using these as a painting/quilting subject.