June 2008

I stumbled on Sydney Padua’s blog today. Sydney is a London-based animator who with a geekish knowledge of cat anatomy. He’s recently been leading some courses in cat anatomy for animators and has published some of his exquisitley drawn course notes on the web. They’re fabulous - lively, brisk and full of cat-like energy and inquisitiveness. Animators like Sydney have to observe their subjects even more intensely than we artists - every gesture, every nuance must be right.

I love to paint these little seascape paintings. I paint them with bright, jewel-like colours to banish cloudy skies. Click here to buy Small Seascape No3

Sleepless at 4.30am and watching the light slowly growing through the bedroom curtains, I decided to make the most of the day and get up early to go for a walk in the countryside around Rivington.

By 5.00 I was outside, toast in hand and completely alone save for the occasional car. With my usual foresight I remembered to bring a sketchbook but forgot to bring any pencils.

But the effort was worth it - total peace and a sense that no-one else was awake.

Anne Enright, writing in the Guardian’s Review section today talks about the act of not writing two book in the last 12 months. She was apparently averse to the risk of writing the books, and failing to achieve the standards she sets for her novels. Memorably, she says:

Its a bit like not having sex with someone because you really fancy them

I know what she means in relation to the creative process (I’m saying nothing about the sex). I have a mental list of paintings I’d love to start, but that I’m afraid are too complex, too dependant on atmospheric conditions and seasonal changes. In some cases the paintings rely on technical abilities I do not feel I possess, or equipment I do not own.

So the list of paintings remains in my head, where each painting is potentially perfect, unsullied by being created - its getting them out of my head and onto the canvas that’s the problem!