The Artist - UK (2021-04)

(Antfer) #1
16 artistApril 2021 http://www.painters-online.co.uk

IN CONVERSATION


Visual effects and


textures in watercolour


Susie Hodge talks to Linda Saul, winner of The Artist Award in


the 2020 Royal Watercolour Society Contemporary Watercolour


Competition, about her working methods


L


inda Saul is especially fond of
both the urban landscape and
the coast as she paints ‘the
interaction of the elements with
the built environment, the structural
geometric forms of buildings and the
passage of time – decay, weathering,
adaptation, repair or ruin.’
Mainly working with watercolour and
mixed media, Linda frequently features
high-rise office blocks, cranes, water,

t Pendeen Clifftop, watercolour and collage
on paper, 161/2 3 141/2in (42 3 37cm).
‘This Cornish view uses flowing, granulating
washes to suggest the texture of the ground.’

boats, lighthouses and harbours and
regularly explores both London and
Cornwall. Fascinated by the visual
effects created by various textures
in the environment, she creates
unique images that blend reality with
abstraction. ‘I find I am particularly
drawn to construction sites and cranes,
as modern structures engulf the
architecture of previous centuries. In
2018, I did a residency at the Wood

Wharf construction site in Canary Wharf,
London.’
Largely self-taught, Linda grew up on
the Isle of Wight, but did not consider
being an artist then; as a child I enjoyed
drawing, but hadn’t really painted. I
never formally studied art but have
attended numerous art workshops
with contemporary artists. In 2017
I completed the Newlyn School of
Art mentoring course, which I found
very inspirational. It was when I met
professional artists at workshops and
demonstrations that I found myself
drawn to the idea of becoming a
professional artist. I have spent a lot of
time experimenting with materials and
techniques and I have developed my
own techniques for producing certain
textures with water-based media that I
incorporate as collage in my work.’
The Making a Mark blog described
her painting Pendeen Clifftop (left) as one
of the top ten works in the 2019 Sunday
Times Watercolour Competition. In 2020
Linda won The Artist Award in the Royal
Watercolour Society’s Contemporary
Watercolour Competition for her
painting Battersea Dance (above right).

Paint, collage and
unpredictability
Linda produces her paintings in the
studio, basing them on sketches
and photographs that she has made
on location. ‘I love watercolour. The
medium has such lovely characteristics
such as granulation and runbacks.
Typically my paintings will be 95-per-
cent watercolour and most of my colour
mixing is done on the paper. However,
I am neither a purist nor traditional
Free download pdf