International Artist – August-September 2019

(Barré) #1

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OILUNITED KINGDOM


DEMONSTRATION


S


pending time with nature has always
been a huge source of inspiration,
and the mountain environment holds
a special fascination for me. I love
scrambling up high to seek out rocky
crags and elevated views of the valleys
below. Painting outdoors is simply the
best way to really immerse yourself
in a landscape and connect with your
subject. “Being there,” I find, is the most
effective way to experience the natural
colour, light and tonal values of a given
landscape, as well as being able to
witness the day as it evolves, capturing
the true essence of the moment. I also
find it much easier for me to get “in the
zone” and totally focus on my painting.
Mountainous areas have their own
weather systems that can provide you
with all four seasons in one day, and
as the artist, you can select elements of
these moments to add to your painting.
The painting then becomes a story of the
whole day, rather than a quick snapshot.
My favourite season for painting
mountains is winter. When the hills
are cloaked in a blanket of snow, it
completely transforms the landscape.
Many of the crags and broken ridges
have been sculpted with blizzard blown
cornices or shrouded in veils of ice.
This helps to define the individual
shape, form and character of each
mountain. Frost and snow reflect the
colour of the skies, and the shadows
change from strong, bold, dark tones
to subtle shades of blues and purples. If
you are lucky enough to catch a winter
sunset or sunrise, you will witness
the hills painted in shades of pinks,

yellows, reds, lilacs and blues that can
be so intense as to look otherworldly
for a short while.
Mountaineering and rock climbing
have been my favourite outdoor activity
since childhood, so combining these
with my lifelong passion for painting
was a natural progression. My years

of experience in the mountains have
provided me with necessary skills
essential for my own safety in these
sometimes-extreme environments,
while I’m trying to capture the essence
of the landscape onto canvas from these
lofty viewpoints.
If you have little or no experience of

Into the Wild


Adventuring into the mountains allows DJ the chance
to experience the landscape firsthand

DJ


Sharp Edge, Blencathra, oil on canvas, 60 x 60 cm (23 x 23")
Early morning sunshine lights up a sharp edge in glorious winter conditions. I felt a square canvas was the
ideal format to complement the angled slopes and ridges in this piece. The colours and tonal values of the
snow in shadow were a real joy to paint.
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