A CLOSER LOOK.

 

I’ve been right up close to the painting this past fortnight with reading glasses on and small brushes for detailed work. The subject is inspired by those wonderful 17^th century botanical Dutch masterpieces that became popular around the time of tulip mania. No flower has carried more political, social, economic, religious, intellectual and cultural influence. The tulip reigned supreme throughout Europe during the extra ordinary events of the 17^th century.

I once hoped to buy a pair of these botanical painting at a house sale down in Cornwall. I was encouraged by the auctioneer’s estimate of £500-£1000, but could see there would be competition. I looked at my bank account and decided I could go to £9000. On the day of the auction, the price rose quickly to £3000, and then stopped, so I prepared to raise my hand. Someone else joined in and off it went again, faltering at £7500. Still I could not raise my hand as yet another continued the bidding. It passed my limit but I wasn’t taking any notice of that and at £12000 was prepared to take a chance. Thankfully it took off once more and didn’t stop till they were finally sold for £23000, a bargain for the person who had the funds and satisfying well beyond my resources. So, having an aversion to anything other than the original, I must now paint my own in homage to what I could never have afforded. I’ve incorporated all manner of bulbs that includes corms such as cyclamen and anemones and will add some insect life before completion.

Although I admire such detailed work this is not at the exclusion of more abstract and loose brush work. A point in question is a large oil that I have known since childhood by Thomas Hunt.

It always took pride of place in my parent’s house and now it graces mu parlour wall. A suitably romantic vision of a highland glen with cattle it also displays a wonderful technic in foreground work which I like to call clean off the brush, and here close in you find the painterly abstract quality of the piece. Just as much a joy as the fine controlled illustrative brushwork of the 17^th century.

LIGHTING THE WAY.

 

I left the studio late the other night. On moon-lit evenings there is no problem in negotiating the fifteen meters walk along the back of the barn to the back door. However this night it was pitch black so I was relying on familiarity to guide my passage. It led me to turn one step to soon and collide with the granite corner. No harm done but thought it about time I add a torch to my shopping list. Just as I did this the following morning I immediately crossed it off. Why was I contemplating buying a battery operated plastic light when I already had a perfectly good lantern.

I came across the lantern some thirty years ago on the west coast of Ireland, when as an antique dealer I was buying furniture. When I asked Simon Quilligan how much he wanted for it he looked perplexed. I’d already spent several thousand pounds with him and a broken box lantern had no real value. “Sure you can take that as a present” he said and for the next twenty five years it hung from a wooden peg in the stairwell of my house in Brittany, complete with candle but never lit. I had repaired the tin funnel and made a door for the back but this summer I decided it needed a further going over, so replaced the broken glass and added a reflecting mirror on the inside of the door. It was packed into the van for my return to Lewis and now, at last it could be put into service. My perfect pre-electric torch, that has the added benefit of warming your hands as you carry it.