Uncategorized

Darwen Tower 1, originally uploaded by David Pott.

Here’s one for all the people from Darwen, Lancashire (Darreners I think is the correct term). Its Darwen Tower from the flanks of Higher Hill with Tockholes in between.

Tenby, Pembrokeshire, originally uploaded by David Pott.

Sometimes, finishing a painting is a little bit like pulling teeth - painfully slow to the point of being seemingly endless. That was how this painting developed. Started over a year ago it has been through endless revisions and re-painting. The most difficult part was the sea itself - getting the just the right transparency of colour to make the depth of water look convincing was very difficult.

Now the painting is finished I’m actually quite pleased with it. I’ll never forget how difficult it was but, hopefully, the difficulties I had with it are not apparent to the viewer. I think its important that paintings look spontaneous and un-laboured, even when they are anything but!

Jonathan Jones writing in the Guardian (’A painting is worth a thousand moving images‘) stirs up a hornets nest of comments by asserting that the still image (painting and photography etc) is inherently better than video art. He feels that there’s too much video art in galleries and that too often it recycles the ideas and images that are better server by the film and TV industry.

As an artist I find one of the greatest pleasures is working directly with pigments on the physical medium of the canvas, an option that is denied to the video artist. By extension, one of the things I enjoy most about viewing art is the sight of the physical surface of the canvas - perhaps ridged and pitted with paint, brushstrokes and finger prints. And perhaps that’s why video art doesn’t work for me - it’s too far removed from real life.

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!

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Winter Beeches 3, originally uploaded by David Pott.

Here’s the same scene as the one below. This photo was taken today, January 5th.

Its always amazing to see the same scene in different season or in different lighting effects. These tow scenes were taken many months apart, but huge differences would have been seen if I’d taken one photo at 8am and another at 4pm.

Beech trees at Tigers Clough (Spring), originally uploaded by David Pott.

Here’s two version of the same scene - one taken in the spring (this one) and one taken today, in the Winter

Rivington Reservoir, originally uploaded by David Pott.

An october sunset bounced light off the surface of the water and lit up this oak tree from below and above. After a wet summer this autumn has been suprisingly dry, as you can see from the low water level in the reservoir.