So in a very British way, the weather has been a big distraction from all things Covid this month….just as well maybe! For those not so familiar with UK weather, it is nit usually particularly extreme, but we have had a lot of rain and snow in the north of England. I mention this because this year, more than most getting out into the countryside and feeling the weather, has felt really important. I’ve also noticed how much my work is influenced by the colours I see around me-this should not be a revelation given pretty much all my work is landscape derived but I’ve been a bit slow on the uptake!

I started 2021 work-wise as I always do, with a review of recent work and some time thinking about what I want to do next…I have to admit that I actually made a pretty slow start, and felt more than a little artist block. Still, I took my own advice and mooched around in the studio, tidying and sorting before trying some no pressure sketchbook ideas….and before long, I had a series of ideas for possible paintings.

I keep a bunch of painting notebooks; nothing flash, just cheap sketchbooks with hard-backs so they are tough and durable…and can take the punishment of studio life!

You can see the sort of thing I mean in the photo above…they are absolutely not beautiful but incredibly useful and a really vital part of the way I work. Here, I’m looking at groups of possible paintings and how they might work together. I’m thinking visually about how compositions might develop e.g strong diagonals in some of the examples above. I’m also making notes about colour palettes, and often adding dabs of colour or even trying out small samples of technique. These are basically ideas for paintings with notes about how I might make them.

At the same time I’ll be working on small scale tester paintings, either on paper or in a sketchbook-the little video above takes you through a few recent sketchbook pages so you can see the sort of thing I mean.

The sketchbook page above was the starting point for my first new painting…I really liked the strong vertical and horizontal geometry, which was created by the unusual viewpoint and the way the upright of an old post came together with the horizontal line of distant landscape. This particular landscape has lagoons and channels with overflow water, still pools, floating pontoons, stakes, scrubby trees and shrubs and loads of reeds. It’s an extension of the paintings I’ve been working on in the various lockdowns, based on the Staveley wetlands.

From the sketchbook image, I began to transfer the idea onto a new 61cm square canvas, which I’d prepared with around 4 layers of gesso. The top right image is about blocking in the main elements of the composition, areas of colour, and tone.
In the middle image, the canvas has softened and developed using multiple opaque and translucent layers. The bottom image is a close up of a small section, showing some of the range of techniques used:-

• Translucent over opaque-glazes made using a satin glazing medium; I mostly use Golden.

• Opaque areas applied over dry glazes.

• Some fine dry brushed details.

• S’graffito marks which add a sense of movement and textural detail.

  
  

The finished canvas above, combines the feeling of a landscape geometry; of a tension between horizontal and vertical, with a much looser depiction of the watery landscape, with its reflections and quirky light. It is as yet un-named, but I’m working on it!!

This painting has a baby brother….which I’m still working on. Still some things to resolve, but continuing with the idea of channels of water bringing light and reflections across the land.

Next I pulled out some further small studies to develop, same area but this time moving away from the main lagoons into areas where the landscape is still dotted with small ponds and gullies filled with water… the little video below shows some of the development of these pieces!

Well that’s what I’ve been working on this month! I really hope you enjoyed seeing what I’ve been up to, and having a peak behind the scenes!

I’m focussing on making at the moment especially given all the uncertainty about future in person events…we’re hoping that North Yorkshire Open Studios might be able to go ahead as a physical event, so planning is already underway for that. I’m also planning another block of work for a summer show, but more of that soon. In the meantime, if there is any work you would like to know more about or purchase, shipping is still possible even in the UK’s current lockdown, so do get in touch, via the contact page.

*Oh and it is the last few days to sign up for my newsletter…all my subscribers new and existing will be entered in a free draw to win a small painting study in acrylics and line, signed and presented in an archival window mount ready to frame.

Until next month,

Keep in touch and take good care,

Jo x

*All text and images copyright Jo York 2021