Art for Real
"When you get the opportunity.. plant your feet and just look" Just back from viewing the International Watercolour Masters exhibition at Lilleshall Hall, Shropshire. You'll note in the photo above that my jaw has dislocated from the wonder of it all. Looking at the original work of artists reminded me how limited social media can be for viewing and showcasing art. I like instagram, it's good for inspiration and making connections, but it does not fulfill me. I am frequently overwhelmed, compulsive and shallow. In the gallery I plant my feet and spend time with each painting. I feel a deeper, more intimate interaction going on. I observe the paper, its surface, the paint and how it has moved there and shifted here, the marks defined by brush and, er, not brush. The layers, the depth, the light refracted there, absorbed here, how this becomes abstract, how that pops with sharp explosive colour. Everything showcased with utter clarity in the absence of lens and screen...