Headland - a new etching

Headland   etching 6x6cm   ©2018LisaLeQuelenec

I love the super strong contrasts of light on the ocean that you get after a heavy downpour and the energy and exhilaration as you wait in anticipation for the next bout to come. So inspiring, even though it can make your eyes ache for the relief in the shadows.


This etching is available on Etsy at Seaside Studios UK.

Seas of Red

Poppies   acrylic ink A3 sketchbook page   ©2014Lisa Le Quelenec

It has been a very good year for poppies in my garden, there has been a lovely display. They are particularly beautiful when they are back lit from the sun. I have found it particularly poignant that the blooms were so many and lasted so long during this time of the 100 year anniversary of the start of World War I. Of all the things that I have seen and heard in the media about the commemorations this installation by ceramic artist Paul Cummins has been the most moving and beautiful to me so far. It is something I would love to see.

To buy a poppy and support six service charities register your interest here.

Morning Glow

Morning Glow   20x20cm  acrylic on canvas board   ©2013Lisa Le Quelenec

Painting has been sloooooow the last week. Even though this painting is just a small one it has been a battle of wills trying to capture the soft hazy light. The warmth in this piece is my wishful thinking for a warmer spring than we have experienced so far this year. It can't be long now.... can it?

A new year and a new WIP

stage 1

stage 2

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a lovely time this holiday season. I've had a lovely break and feel raring to go. 

With no pressing deadlines coming up in January I have decided to take a little time out for experimenting and play. During December and most of November I had so many ideas flitting around my head and not enough time to explore so I'm rather looking forward to this month. January is still so cold and dark and feels decidedly flat after the glitz, sparkle and excitement of December what better way to cheer up the month than to hole up in the studio and play.

In the spirit of experimentation I thought I'd start this years posts by sharing a wip. This piece has been inspired by a walk in the New Forest, I wanted to capture the feeling of walking through the dense trees, their thick canopy overhead, into the bright light of a clearing. The word that kept coming to mind on this particular day was 'gloaming'. Whilst not strictly correct the lack of light in the thick of the forest can often feel like dusk.

Stage 1 - I began with a quick pencil drawing lightly plotting the shapes of the trunks and then adding oil pastel to this which would act as a resist to the watercolour layer that was to come. I scratched back into the oil pastel with a sharp pencil adding in the markings on the birch trunks. The watercolour stage was rather fun, soaking the paper and adding lots of dilute paint, tilting the board and letting gravity have it's way, encouraging back runs. Whilst the paper was still very wet I added some trunks very lightly with the side of a pencil. The extra pressure on the paper was sufficient to give a subtle tone indicating but not over stating the trees presence against the brightest light.

Stage 2 - Building up the trunks with a mixture of coloured pencil and acrylic. I scratched into wet and dry paint enjoying making marks and building up the darker tones, adding in highlights here and there. Then I took stock - the painting felt a little too warm and didn't have the cool and damp feeling that I associate with the forest, I need to shift the colour temperature. Also the left hand side needed more trees to counterbalance the weight on the right.

Stage 3 - More trunks but with less detail on the left, I made these darker in tone to balance the weight on the right. I added light glazes of a phthalo turquoise mix to cool down the temperature which got progressively stronger towards the right away from the light source into the denser trees. With a dry brush and acrylic paint I've added the suggestion of foliage from the forest floor. Finally to contrast against the cool blue greens I've added light touches of cadmium orange (I was feeling reckless, I wouldn't normally use this colour but it felt 'right' in this painting.) I'm leaving this piece here and will return to it next week with fresh eyes.

Stage 3 Forest Gloaming 21x28cm mixed media on paper  ©2013Lisa Le Quelenec

Finding the right title - elemental

Elemental II   9x9cm mixed media   ©2012 Lisa Le Quelenec

I did a lot of thinking about a title for this series of tiny works. In my sketchbooks are lists of words, ideas for titles, hurriedly scribbled notes made whilst in the middle of a painting. None of these seemed to fit. Quite a few words came to mind but none seemed to capture exactly what I was aiming for. I started to look at dictionary definitions which helped to clarify in my own mind, in words, what it was that I want to say. I often find titling work the hardest part of the creative process, to articulate the idea and to be succinct can be a big challenge. I want to give the viewer a clue as to what I am aiming at without dictating to them how they are supposed to respond. I find this is a tricky line to walk.

Elemental was a word that I had kept coming back to, below is the definition of  'Elemental' as an adjective from  http://oxforddictionaries.com

 
'forming an essential or typical feature; fundamental... related to or embodying the powers of nature... (of an emotion) powerful and primitive...'


How do you title your works? Do you find it as hard as I do? Do you think titles are important? Maybe you think that all that needs to be said is within the work itself? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Elemental III   9x9cm mixed media   ©2012 Lisa Le Quelenec

 

Silver birch moon

 

Silver birch moon   30x40cm acrylic on canvas ©2012 Lisa Le Quelenec

Although my last visit to the New Forest was during a perfect summer day it did inspire me to return to an older theme of the forest lit by the full moon. This seems to be a series that I am not quite finished exploring yet. The strong back lighting of the trees and capturing the depth of space keep pulling me back to explore further.

This painting will be amongst the works I am exhibiting at the Hayloft Gallery in Christchurch from 7th - 20th September. A percentage from all the sales will be donated to two local wildlife charities. Do pop along if you are in the area and support this worthy cause.

On a summer breeze

Swallow sketches on A4ish paper - pentel brush pen ©2012 Lisa Le Quelenec

Every day for some weeks I have been treated to the most breath taking aerial display from some fair weather friends whom I eagerly await every year. This year is the first time I have tried to sketch them. Up high and gliding - so far so good. Up close, flying low and zipping across the garden not so good. Wow they are super fast!

I thought I'd 'cut my teeth' on a painting of the swallows gliding
and work my way up to a closer up to a closer view. I think a lot more practice sketching is in order to be able to do them any justice from closer quarters.

Summer Breeze acrylic on paper 15x10cm ©2012 Lisa Le Quelenec

On a summer breeze II

On a Summer Breeze II acrylic on paper 38x38cm ©2012 Lisa Le Quelenec

A partner painting to the one I posted about in February which you can see  here  both of these paintings are included in an exhibition of my work at The Artists Centre, New Milton, Hampshire until 28th July.

On a summer breeze

On summer breeze
Acrylic on paper 38x38cm
©2012 Lisa Le Quelenec

This painting has been a little difficult to photograph. I can't capture the colour, there is lots of broken colour with five different blues dry brushed and glazed on top of a warm neutral ground. The blues have been built up in many layers and the painting has a kind of shimmer to it. The birds are painted some on top and some embedded into the blues.

Yesterday I finished a book  of short stories that I have been dipping in and out of since Christmas. I rarely read fiction these days as normally I have my nose buried in art books but this is an exception. Tove Jansson is one of my favourite authors. I first discovered her work as a child when I was a big fan of the Moomins. Then later, as an adult I rediscovered her work when I read  The Summer Book   which has become one of my all time favourite books - EVER. It is absolutely enchanting and I am impatiently awaiting the next book to be translated. (Art and Nature is out 7th June 2012 published by Sort Of Books ).  I think it would be worth learning Swedish to be able to read her books in her language despite the translations being so good. If only there was the time... Information about Tove Jansson can be found  here .

'That there can still be as-yet untranslated fiction by Jansson is simultaneously an aberration and a delight, like finding buried treasure.' (Ali Smith)'

Sorry I digress.... it wasn't until I finished the last page and closed the book that I had a real light bulb moment. Just check out the cover! Was this subconsciously the nudge that started this series of paintings? How come I didn't notice before? Have you ever had this happen to you?

Flying High

You may remember a little while back a sketchbook page that I posted of lots of studies of gulls flying. What followed from there was a small watercolour painting of gulls flying over the sea. This idea/theme had been churning over in my mind for quite some time now but I was unsure how to proceed and the watercolour hadn't quite stated my intention. Quite a few thumbnails and variations followed and below are the first two paintings in a new series.

Flying High I
6x8inch acrylic on paper
©2012 Lisa Le Quelenec

Flying High II
6x8inch acrylic on paper
©2012 Lisa Le Quelenec

It is always exciting to see the first glimmers of a new series of work come to fruition. With no horizon, land, sea etc distracting the eye there can only be a focus on the light, movement and scale. I've a hunch that these will develop in a more semi-abstract way as I work. These first two are small in scale and I have begun work today on the next piece which is a larger format.

Both of the above paintings are available in my Etsy store  here  and  here and come presented in a textured white mount.