http://www.painters-online.co.uk artistApril 2021 19
hours, from start to finish, to complete.
However, she says ‘I have false starts,
lots of paintings that I reject. If I divide
the amount of time I spend producing
work in a year by the number of
finished paintings I produce, then it is
more like 50 hours per large painting.
I also produce small experimental
watercolours – typically about 10cm
square that are quicker and quite
therapeutic to create.’
Opportunities and
communication
‘I frequently exhibit locally with the
Reading Guild of Artists and take part
in my local art trail in Henley. I usually
have work in other exhibitions during
the course of a year – often the Royal
Watercolour Society Contemporary
Watercolour Competition. I’ve also
exhibited in the Discerning Eye, the
Sunday Times Watercolour Competition,
the Royal Institute of Painters in Water
Colours and the St Barbe Open in
Lymington. It can be restricting working
for an exhibition if there is a theme that
doesn’t fit with my usual practice, and
it can be a hard decision whether or not
to accept such challenges. On the one
hand it can be very time consuming, on
the other it’s healthy sometimes to be
forced outside your comfort zone. Such
opportunities have to be weighed up
very carefully.
‘I haven’t painted to commission,
although recently I have been
producing illustrations for a book
for which I am also co-author. I use
social media, Facebook and Instagram
specifically. I don’t really post enough
on them, but I do think they are very
powerful for visual artists, Instagram
particularly.’p Red Door, Port Isaac, watercolour and collage on paper, 11 3 10¼in (28 3 26cm).
‘Wharves are one of my favourite subjects; watercolour is great for achieving textures that suggest rock and concrete.’TALinda Saul
studied computer science at university
and worked in the IT industry for many
years. She is an exhibiting member
and vice chair of the Reading Guild of
Artists and has exhibited at the Royal
Watercolour Society Contemporary
Watercolour Competition, the
Discerning Eye and the Sunday Times
Watercolour Competition.
http://www.lindasaul.co.uk