Artists & Illustrators - UK (2019-12)

TREASUREDMEMORIES

I’mwritinginresponsetoa verymovingletterinOctober’sissue

[Issue409]fromBobNicolsoninRanders,Denmark,andI wouldlike

tosharea similarexperience.Aftermyhusbanddiedsuddenlyin2015,

I couldn’tfindthemotivationtogoonwithmyhobbyofdrawingand

paintingordoanythingcreative.

Thenonedark,wetNovemberafternoonwhilefeelingsad,I sat

downandsketchedthechairwheremyhusbandusedtosit:anold

leatherchairbesidethefire,thecushionsstillbearinghisimprint.

AsI drew,I becametotallyabsorbedandmanymemoriessurfaced,

soevocativethatI couldalmostseehimsittingthere.

It wasverycatharticandafterthattherewasnogoingback.This

hobbykeptmegoingthroughthoseearliertimesofgriefandI’mso

gratefulforit.

AngelaChalmers,Balchraggan,Invershin

SosorryforyourlossAngela,butwhata lovelywaytocherishyour

husband’smemory.Artcanprovidegreatcomfortintimeslikethese.

LETTER OF THE MONTH

CROWNING GLORIES
I enclose a photograph of my recent
still life painting. Your article on still
life painting with Todd M Casey in
the October edition [Issue 409]
came at just the right time.
I had been planning a still life
painting using my late mother’s
coronation memorabilia. In the
article, Todd stressed the
importance of lighting in still life
and also that images should come
together to suggest a story.
This was a perfect approach
for my project and got my creative
thoughts fl owing. The end result not
only captured an age that has
passed, but also I feel is symbolic
of the present state of our nation.
I have been painting since
retirement and attending courses
in Cumbria at Higham Hall, where
a student gave me a copy of your
magazine, which has inspired my
artistic development.
Marion Peasnell, via email

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NOT REALLY BLACK AND WHITE

I have read with interest and great

anticipation the article in the

October issue [Issue 409] by Lisa

Solomon on mixing watercolours.

However, I am extremely confused

by her fi ve fail-safe tips.

As a watercolourist we are told

never to use white or black paint.

Lisa, however, says to use white as

a base for tints and black to create

shade. Surely by adding colour to

white, the end result will be opaque,

and the transparency of watercolour

lost? The same applies when

adding black.

As an amateur watercolourist,

I am now even more confused than

before, having been excited that the

article would solve all my problems,

alas no.

Karen Knight, via email

Yes, Lisa’s tips were suggesting

that if you were to use white, you

begin with that and add colour,

whereas if you used black, it

should be added to the colour in

tiny increments. Ultimately, every

artist will advocate different ways

of working, so don’t be too

disheartened if this one doesn’t

suit you – there are no hard and

fast rules in art. Our aim is always

to present a range of inspiring

approaches and let you cherry-pick

what works for you.

THOSE LOVELY BIG SKIES

I have just returned from a fabulous

four-day art course in Norfolk,

tutored by the brilliant Sarah

Wimperis, that I won courtesy of

Artists & Illustrators and Big Sky Art

[Competition, Issue 405].

I am very grateful for the

opportunity to be part of this

amazing course, and have just

uploaded a couple of pieces that

were completed there on your

Portfolio Plus site.

Thank you so much for arranging

the prize. I would highly recommend

the Big Sky Art venue, it was a

beautiful place and we were very

well looked after. Sarah, our tutor,

was so helpful, patient and

enthusiastic.

It was a brilliant time and I have

been inspired to try new techniques

and made some lovely friends in

the process.

Alison Yarrow, via email

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