I will be putting a solo show on in London at the Royal Watercolour Society Galleries, just off Trafalgar Square in September.
I know it is early to be sharing this with you all. However, for this solo show I want to take you all on the journey of making my show. This will be through a monthly diary about the making of my show, videos, blogs and my new YouTube Channel.
For those of you who follow me regularly know that I like to paint for a solo show every other year or so. I like the big challenge of painting to a theme. Really getting engrossed in a large body of work. It focusses the mind. You get into another whole dimension of mental awareness of your painting when painting a large body of work.
I will be painting in the two mediums that I use; both oil and also watercolour. Most of the paintings will be painted plein air. I will, however, also create larger works in the studio using the plein airs as a base. If you came to my last solo show “Constable’s Walks” you will know that I do paint large and small.
This time round I thought it would be good to create a short monthly diary blog alongside my actual painting and prepping for the show. The diary blog will be posted on my website. Alongside the blog, there will be videos of my work and progress during each month. I have also created my new YouTube channel where you will also be able to follow my journey to the show. The aim is to give a flavour of what I will have been doing each month in the making and run up to the show. Here is my January video diary.
I hope you all enjoy following me on the making of my show over the next few months. I am very excited to be having you along with me on my journey. And hope that you will all support and engage with me as I progress.
I have been thinking about the shape of the show, the theme of the show and how I will want to present my work. It’s an evolving process. However, I do know I am incredibly excited about the theme I have chosen. I have been inspired by Camille Corot for a long time. Corot painted The Four Times of Day in about 1858 to decorate the Fontainebleau studio of his fellow artist Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps. It is the largest decorative cycle by Corot to remain intact. The charming panels show four landscapes representing Morning, Noon, Evening and Night. My aim is to paint around the whole cycle of the day, focussing on the atmosphere and the light. From this, the theme of painting across all times of the day is going to be core to the show’s body of work.
My work is always observational and based on atmosphere and light and the mood the of the place. So, I feel this theme will be really inspiring for me. I aim to paint nocturnes, dawns and at any time right across the 24 hours of a day. The show won’t be location-specific, which is great. I don’t plan to visit the same locations at different times of day – or I might! The aim is to create lots of freedom to paint where and when I like. The result will be lots of atmosphere generated from each of the works and every location. I am very excited about the work I will be creating and I hope you are too!
I am a landscape painter however this will also include some of my urban scenes as well. I have been developing these recently and have been drawn to landscape within the urban scene and, of course, the energy, light and feeling of an urban location. And in reality, it can be hard to find a landscape devoid of urban elements these days.
The show is going to be titled ‘Times of the Day.’ This is the working title. It may change, but for now, this is my goal for the next few months.
I hope you return to follow me on my painting journey to the show!
If you want to stay connected with my news and updates, then please click here and share your email address with me.
Thanks all for now and I hope you will enjoy being part of my journey to the show!
Lucy x
Location: Royal Watercolour Society Gallery, 3-5 Whitcomb Street, London
Dates: 7th September to 15th September 2024