It's been a while since the last Window Work post, but I'm still hanging on doing them. Maybe not as intensely as before but it is still an ongoing practice.
There seems to be a lot of dogs in this one. There's no real reason for that – I don't think there's been an increase in the dog population or number of owners round here recently, but they've just come across as being a bit more exciting to 'catch' than people trudging up and down the street. They're (the humans as well) all in the usual Paynes Grey watercolour – I'm not sure that'll ever change – and I'm still using the Pentel Aquash I was using in the last 'Window Work' back in September last year.
It's always interesting when preparing these Window Work posts. There are sheets and sheets of these – all A4 copy paper (100gm Premium here) – and as a mass, these sketches blur into mostly not very good, a bit rubbish, and downright awful. Very few jump out as good or useful at the time. However, when the most promising are selected and assembled together – away from the herd – they can reinforce each other, and bring each other 'up' a bit. Which is interesting. Over the decades I must have spent thousands of hours doing these – beginning with sketchbook window drawings from the family home in the mid 1970's. After returning to painting (and drawing - difficult!) in the late 2000s, I picked up the habit again. At some point I started numbering these sheets, and the most recent of the drawings above are the bloke with the milk cartons and the lower right dog (sheets 1147 and 1146 respectively. Sheet 1148 is on the go but still to be filled (not looking great, by the way). Unfortunately, when I began numbering them (forgotten why) it never occurred to me to date them, so I can really only track time passing by what seasonal attire these myriads of unwitting models have on them while they pass by. It doesn't really matter though, as the whole exercise is about practice and keeping the Eye – Brain – Hand link greased.
Now, I have some news to share. I've just taken work down to the Open Eye gallery for a 'showcase' show; a smaller event rather than a big roomful of paintings. These are mostly small pieces (click here) done over the last few years that haven't been shown live on the wall before. The main event is a whole barrage of John Bellany's work, and there are ceramics by Pauline Cumming, and furniture by Tim Stead. I think it will be a very interesting ensemble, and it might be worth a look, and even a pop-in, if you happen to be in Edinburgh between 27th June and 18th July.
And having said all that and delivered my message, I'd like to say that I really quite like the very minimalist and blobby dog second from the lower left...
