Forgotten Places opens May 5th

So, except for a couple more things to organise the show is pretty much finished. Next Wednesday is the big day. Robert Hollingworth is so kind to give an open speech on Wednesday night as well. Tuesday evening I will be on Radio PBS with Susan Buret between 7 - 8pm.

The Saturday after Albert Street Galleries are having an open day, which is a great opportunity to view the work of a number of Galleries involved.

Their is a load of my shoulders because the work is finished, but I am also very excited about starting on my new projects and keep the momentum going. Lots of great ideas I can't wait to start working on.

First lets see what the feedback is of this show.

The Water Wall

"Rust Never Sleeps", Water colour on Arches paper, 30 x 85cm

Have just worked on a series of water colour paintings. Must say I really enjoyed doing those. It's great to be able to paint in a more direct way. A more emotional and direct response. The acrylic paintings are labour intensive and a different experience to work on. They grow slowly and are more predictable.

"Closed Curtains", Water colour on Arches paper, 30 x 85cm

With the water colours I really wanted to focus on objects, in the landscape, rather then the landscape it self. Often the landscape and it's aura is created by man made objects. Those that are discarded, now live their own life.

"The Wedding Car", Water colour on Arches paper, 30 x 85cm

"The Two of Us", Water colour on Arches paper, 30 x 85cm

"Lullabies gone Forever", Acrylic on Canvas, 50 x 80cm.

Two more weeks to go and two more paintings to finish. This one I have just finished and is titled, "Lullabies gone Forever". I came across this place and got a very strong feeling of when I was a child, back in Holland. The whole place was enclosed by fencing, with remnants of a house in the middle. I wish I could get inside and get some of those memories back. Perhaps it was a sense of being home sick. As a child child I spend many hours in the country, usually on my own, walking trough the forest and I remember to be perfectly happy. I loved the birds, studied them and recording their songs. I must have been about 10 years old.

My Grandmother who lived nearby used to make us wet our pants laughing with stories of my Mother and her sisters and brothers. Stories about wartime and how the Germans stole their bikes fleeing Holland at the end of the War. Great memories and every time I go back to to Holland I will visit the area. The House she lived in has been sold and just isn't the same anymore. I wish I could go back in time and revisit but there is this invisible border that stops you from doing so. "Lullabies gone Forever" is a painting that depicts exactly that feeling.

Some pics of the area I grew up in. A small town in the East of Holland called St.Isidorushoeve and later on Haaksbergen.

The Hidden Garden

Two more finished paintings and very happy with "The Hidden Garden", which was first titled " Quick, get dressed, before your father sees us". The feedback wasn't great and took the attention away from the actual painting. It reminds me a lot of my first paintings on Felt. Great contrast and depth and gives the feeling that the viewer is the one hiding.

The images aren't great of colour, struggled with the camera to get a good representation. Should leave that up to the professionals!

The Hidden Garden, Acrylic on Canvas, 200 x 100cm.

Three more weeks before the opening and feel I have improved on the last show. Started thinking about what is next, to avoid the "post exhibition blues". Having ideas floating around about picturing old legends, stories, historic events. Following trails, etc.

Love the old botanical drawings and perhaps will work on water colours for a while.

"Where the Shadows Play", Acrylic on Canvas, 120 x 180 cm approx.