Eynsham Gods

Wrecked; a new painting

2012-01-06T09:26:00.001Z

The start

This is the last planned piece for the Osney Island Exhibition. I have painted the island using the concept of Shakespeare's 'Tempest' as a metonym for the island. In one of my visits to the island I watched two long narrow boats navigated by a Stag party jam their boat across the Thames when they started off in the morning. Clearly their blood alcohol levels were still high.

So I used this event to bring my Morris dancers on to the island as the Mariners and Nobles landed on the island in 'The Tempest'. My out line drawing was printed out to the canvas size; in pieces as the canvas is bigger then a sheet of A4 paper. This was then traced onto the canvas using graphite paper. I have found using this method has speeded up my productivity.

tracing and inking

You can now see the tracing and where I've started inking in with an indian ink pen. I am a little alarmed at how dark the ink lines are but I wanted to be freer with my use of paint this time.

Inked

I've only inked in parts of my painting that needed accuracy. All the rest I am happy to paint as I go.

Oxford Road Sketch

2011-12-10T11:20:00.001Z

Oxford Road in Eynsham at Night

Wow! I have found designing a painting of sodium light difficult. This will be part of a series of paintings of Eynsham on canvases sized 17.7 x 12.7 cm. Painting to this size means that details need to be limited but kept tonally accurate. The points that the client was most interested in were the pools of light on the sinuously curved road. The night sky above the trees on site was still blue in colour but the road which was most strongly lit by the street lighting seemed to be in variations of oranges to brown. So the plan now is to start painting this after Christmas. I am finishing of the last few small canvases for Osney before Christmas. I use my one downstairs living room as a combination sitting room and studio so I need the clean up so there is room for the Christmas tree and visiting guests. :0)

A New Commission

2011-12-07T22:10:00.002Z

Oxford Road, Eynsham at night

One of my collectors has commissioned a night time view of the Oxford Road in my village of Eynsham. This is my first attempt of capturing a night time view complete with orange sodium street lighting. It needs some more thinking about. Tomorrow I shall have a hard look at some of John Atkinson Grimshaw's night time paintings. http://www.johnatkinsongrimshaw.org/

2011-11-15T17:43:00.000Z

Christmas Eve 2011

Eynsham Morris are, once again, playing a starring role in my Christmas cards. The first man on the left is Mark but I am unsure of the names of the other two ... answers in the comments please. The cards will be on sale during the Eynsham Art's Group 'Winter Exhibition', November 26 to December 4. Email me for larger orders.

Eynsham Morris Dancers

2011-10-24T22:21:00.000+01:00

Eynsham Morris Dancers

Another drawing ... I am thinking about my Christmas card for this year.

Stuff from drawing Book

2011-10-16T23:25:00.004+01:00

'The Goose Girl'

A sketch of Millet's Goose girl from my drawing book. I have been collecting pictures of all sorts on Pinterest. However I have been asked to remove pins because of "explicit nudity". I think I will choose not to use a site with sad ideas of censorship.

Mural is finished!

2011-10-12T11:47:00.001+01:00

Mediterranean Window Mural

I do have to varnish tomorrow. A lot of things were simplified because painting in a corner led to weird body contortions and not being able to paint skillfully.

So things to remember for next time:

Do not paint into a corner.
Do not climb over cupboards
Climbing increases the time it takes to finish a commission.
Contortions slow painting speeds down.

... otherwise it was good fun.

My painting projects

2011-10-11T08:40:00.000+01:00

The last month has been busy. I have been painting small canvases for the exhibition next year's Oxford Art-Weeks exhibitions. You can see some of them above and can follow progress by following the 'An Osney Island Masque' link in the side bar. the rest of my time has been painting the 'mural' project that was started last year but stopped due to problems due to poor practice by the painter that prepared the wall. Photos will be posted when I have finished. Hopefully this week

2011-09-10T09:00:00.000+01:00

Newland Close, Eynsham

'Newland Close'

oli on canvvas

17.7 x 12.7 cm

Lorna Marrison

A commissioned view from a valued client.

Postcard from Home

2011-08-11T14:28:00.002+01:00

St Leonard's Church and the Market Cross, Eynsham

St Leonard's Church and the Market Cross, Eynsham
Water colour on paper
27. x 19.5 cm
Lorna Marrison

Postcards from Home

2011-07-25T12:21:00.001+01:00

Ian Sheppard, Eynsham Morris

The Sin of Gluttony is FinishedGlutton

2011-07-16T09:00:00.001+01:00

Gluttony

'Gluttony'

30. x 25. cm

Canvas, acrylic, oil

Lorna Marrison

Gluttony is described as over indulgence in food, drink or intoxicants. Here we have a more modern take on the idea by having a vampiric psychic who drains from her fellow dancers their youth, beauty and colour. Here they dance on the shores of the river Styx waiting for Charon to ferry their drained souls to the under world.

The Sin of Greed is Finished

2011-07-13T16:25:00.000+01:00

Greed

'Greed'
30. 25. cm
canvas, acrylic, gold leaf, oil
Lorna Marrison

Greed is defined as the extreme desire and pursuit of wealth, status and power. So this guy with his immobile face, hidden eyes and whopping big gold ring and a hat that is more like a crown feels dangerous. He has power and knows how to use it.

So apologies if he is really a family man who donates to charities.

Post Cards from Home

2011-07-07T08:58:00.000+01:00

Dave Russel, Eynsham Morris

Gabriel the Archangel

2011-06-25T17:03:00.001+01:00

Gabriel the Archangel

'Gabriel, the Archangel'

30. x 25. cm

canvas, acrylic, oil,

Lorna Marrison

Still continuing my series of the sinners I now present Gabriel the Archangel played by a Eynsham Morris dancer. Gabriel is often painted as a mortal man. Traditionally he blows a horn to initiate the 'Last Judgement'. Here the accordion chord instead of calling for 'fresh men' sound the end of times. This chord is symbolised by the sound wave on the horizon. His body holds back the chaos.

Job Application

2011-06-18T13:54:00.000+01:00

Lorna as Designer

I graduated in 2000 with a 2.1 graphic design and illustration but for family reasons was unable to apply for a designer job. I am angst ridden on writing a cover letter for a job as a junior designer at the OUP in Oxford. So instead of writing I thought of the more unconvential idea of doing it as an illustration saying something about me. My cv tells them about my skill sets but I feel the cover letter is suppose to say why 'they' should employ you.

My reality is that I am a fat middle age women who needs a job and whose greatest talent is being able to think outside the box but suffers from lack of confidence.

So do you think sending in an illustration is a good idea.

Postcard from Osney Island

2011-06-16T10:03:00.000+01:00

22 East Street

Postcard from Osney Island

2011-06-06T19:31:00.000+01:00

21 East St, Osney Island, Oxford

I have been invited to exhibit at 'The Punter' on Osney Island in Oxford for Artweeks 2012. A big thank you to the landlord Tom Rainey.

The Sin of Pride is finished

2011-05-29T11:32:00.001+01:00

Pride

'Pride'
30. x 25. cm
canvas, acrylic, oil
Lorna Marrison

Pride is the desire to be more important or attractive then others. This dance by the Armaleggan Morris shows them strutting like beautiful cockerels showing off their plumage to their hens. Morris dancers are serious attention seekers.

The Sin of Sloth is Finished

2011-05-22T21:53:00.000+01:00

Sloth

'Sloth'

canvas, acrylic, oil

30. x 25. cm

Lorna Marrison

Well, it's amazing how just a little more effort and one more glaze has made all the difference. My son also kindly spent more time trying to get a a good photo of the painting.

Wrath is finished

2011-05-15T10:15:00.001+01:00

Wrath

'Wrath'
canvas, acrylic, oil
30. x 25. cm.
Lorna Marrison

Wrath is uncontrollable anger or rage.

When showing this painting to family and friends I realised that other people interpret this image differently. The signs for wrath here are personal to me. Starting with the red acrylic toned canvas. Red signifies extremes for me and in this case blood and passion. I allowed it to penetrate all the paint. If you click on the image to enlarge the men you will notice that they are sightless: the one by his blank glasses and the other by not having a pupil. This signifies the lack of direction or understanding in their rage. Finishing with the closeness of their faces and the raised stick/weapon.

Exhibition Time Spring Exhibition 2011

2011-05-08T09:54:00.000+01:00

Spring Exhibition 2011

First exhibition of the year for me. I am exhibiting OUT at the Eynsham Arts Group members exhibition. Note that we are holding an open preview evening on Friday the 13 between 6-8 in the evening at the Bartholomew Rooms in Eynsham. This is a chance to talk to me and other artists of this very popular local group.

This exhibition is on at the same time as the local ArtWeeks exhibitions in the village. There will be a ArtWeeks Art Trail map available from us and other exhibiters.

OUT
Click to enlarge image

The Sin of Sloth is NOT Finished

2011-05-05T10:50:00.000+01:00

Sloth

In preparing this image for blogging I realised that the painting and especially the hat needed some glazing. This is a example of how looking away for a while, looking through a mirror of photographing allows for a fresh perspective.

Sloth means spiritual or emotional apathy ... not just being lazy.

Post Cards from Home

2011-05-04T10:41:00.001+01:00

Four Morris Men and a Maid

The Sin of Lust is finished

2011-05-03T09:00:00.002+01:00

Lust

'Lust'

canvas, acrylic, oil
30. x 25. cm
Lorna Marrison

Lust is the continual desire for carnal pleasure which can become violent and self indulgent.

When Eynsham Morris dance a stick dance it is rhythmical and violent but when Armaleggan Morris dance their stick dance it is gentle and lewd. So this guy is personifying a combination of these dances and expresses the extremes of lust. So to save mine and his blushes I will leave the rest to your imaginations.

Post Cards from Home

2011-04-28T09:00:00.000+01:00

Three Morris Men

Postcards from Home

2011-04-27T09:00:00.000+01:00

Tanners Lane

The Sin of Envy is Finished

2011-04-23T19:21:00.008+01:00

Envy

'Envy'

canvas, acrylic, oil
30. x 25. cm
Lorna Marrison

I started on 'The Angel and the Seven Deadly Sins' in January. It has been a bit of a slog working on eight canvases at once. I think I have improved my productivity as a result because I could move on to the next canvas when paint needed to dry. However, I have looked at this painting for so long I can no longer decide if it 'works'; so the down side of working like this is that you loose freshness of perception.

'Envy' is the resentment felt when you think the other person has something you lack. The joke here is that both dancers are played by Martyn Royper who dances for both Armaleggan Morris and Eynsham Morris

Postcards from Home

2011-04-20T16:51:00.000+01:00

Mother's Day flowers

Post Cards from Home

2011-04-16T09:00:00.000+01:00

An Oxford god
Ashmolean Museum

Goden Feverfew

2011-04-12T09:00:00.000+01:00

Golden Feverfew

Post Cards from Home

2011-04-08T19:10:00.000+01:00

Spring

Post Cards from Home

2011-04-06T18:52:00.000+01:00

First Warm Day

Postcards from Home

2011-04-04T09:00:00.001+01:00

Two Morris Dancers

Post Cards from Home

2011-03-30T09:00:00.000+01:00

Morning Tea

Post Cards from Home

2011-03-27T09:00:00.001+01:00

Red Lion, Eynsham

Post Cards from Home

2011-03-23T16:28:00.000Z

Garden Tulips, Eynsham

Post Cards from Home

2011-03-20T09:00:00.001Z

Market Cross, Eynsham

Post Cards from Home

2011-03-13T09:00:00.002Z

Post Box, Bartholomew Rooms

Postcards from Home

2011-03-06T08:49:00.000Z

Eynsham Square,

Underpainting and drawings for SINS

2011-03-01T09:00:00.000Z

Underpainting and drawings
Click to enlarge

Starting on the left is a Eynsham morris dancer depicting the Archangel Gabriel who has often been depicted as a mortal male. Traditionally he blows a horn to start the end of time and the 'last judgement'. Here he will play the accordion. The sequence for the sinners is lust, sloth, gluttony, envy, pride, greed and wrath.

The plan is for the paintings to go from being tonally light (good) all the way to dark (bad) for wrath. I am surprised at how long it is ... yes I know maths is not one of my strong points. I like painting a series as it allows me to explore all aspects of an idea. Morris dancers are good archetypes for the abstract ideas and I have loads of source photos.

Post Cards from Home

2011-02-25T22:32:00.002Z

Queens Street, Eynsham
Ink & watercolour postcard

St. Leonard's Church, Eynsham
ink & watercolour postcard

Gluttony, a further graphite study

2011-02-18T09:00:00.001Z

Gluttony, a further graphite study

Gluttony

2011-02-17T09:00:00.001Z

Gluttony

Why it's gluttony will be revealed with colour. I need to sharpen this composition yet.

Greed

2011-02-14T09:00:00.001Z

Greed

This guy looks scary to you?

My scanner died last night so I had to photograph this drawing. It takes about 6 hours for each drawing to be completed. I regard drawing as thinking time, not just about light and shade but what I want to say in the picture. Starting this one I was just thinking about the bling he was wearing but as it progress I found that this character was sucking the light and colour to himself. So he will join Wrath at the dark end of this series.

Third Time Lucky for the DIY

2011-02-11T15:05:00.000Z

Out the Back at the DIY

Well, this is the third time painting on gold for the DIY and I think it is good.

OUT Installation

All the paintings for the OUT series are now finished. Whew! You will be able to see them on exhibition in May.

Voyeur

2011-02-08T15:01:00.001Z

Voyeur

Voyeur
canvas, acrylic, oil
18. x 12. cm
Lorna Marrison

The last Rays of Light

2011-02-04T14:56:00.000Z

The last Rays of Light

The Last Rays of Lightcanvas, acrylic, oil
18. x 12. cm
Lorna Marrison

Sloth

2011-02-01T09:00:00.000Z

Sloth

This one started in my drawing book but I moved it into Photoshop when I was overwhelmed with detail. When I am not sure putting in detail is my first recourse but after many re drawings the expression was right but the tatters coat was a distraction. Looking at the background now I think I may remove it in the painting. Click too enlarge and see his face ...

Pride

2011-01-29T16:35:00.000Z

Pride

This guy was really strutting as part of the dance. He was like a cock bird displaying for all to see. The tatters coat is difficult to interpret as I do not want to show each shape but do want to get the idea of it being plumage.

I got a tin of Derwent 12 soft graphic pencils awhile back. I am disappointed in them. They range from H to 9B. The leads from 7B to 9B are broken and the wood shafts started to split after the third sharpening. My favourite for drawing are the Conte graphite sticks. Even the HB makes a smooth line and is easy to sharpen.

Lust 2

2011-01-25T18:36:00.000Z

Lust 2

I think this one is better. I had to develop the sketch further in Photoshop.

Lust 1

2011-01-24T16:09:00.000Z

Lust-1

Having done this drawing I do not like this composition. Time for a rethink.

Wrath 1

2011-01-20T20:57:00.000Z

Wrath 1

This will need redrawing to refine the composition and to get the lighting right as there is an awful lot of reflected light to sort.

Envy

2011-01-17T09:00:00.001Z

Envy

Interesting that envy is the resentment that the 'other' has something that they lack as here the same man plays both parts by dancing for both sides.

Autumn's Crown

2011-01-14T10:25:00.001Z

Autumn's Crown

Autumn's Crown
canvas, artificial gold leaf, acrylic, oil
18. x 12. cm
Lorna Marrison

This was a painting that flowed off my brush. I used gold leaf for the circle of leaves that are framed by the tower of St, Leonard's church and then they were painted with the same colours as the other leaves. What you can not see in the photo is that they glow against the darkness of the tower. Painting over gold leaf means that there is more light being reflected back through the paint. I like it.

Spirit Dancer

2011-01-10T09:51:00.000Z

Spirit Dancer

Spirit Dancer
canvas, acrylic, oil
18. x 12. cm
Lorna Marrison

Food Gate

2011-01-04T09:24:00.001Z

Flood Gate

Flood Gate
canvas,artificial gold leaf, acrylic, oil
18. x 12. cm
Lorna Marrison

I have grown up, having an extensive view of the Cherwell valley, using the expression "the floods are out". Here you are seeing the floods from the river Evenlode in late winter.

The start of a new Morris dancer series of paintings

2010-12-31T12:31:00.000Z

I am on the last few canvases for the "Out" series and hope to start blogging them in the new year. I am waiting for paint to dry so I can glaze.

The new series of paintings working title is "The Morris Angel and the Seven Deadly Sins" which is way too long a title so must come up with a snappier one. All suggestions gratefully accepted. The sins will be played by 'Armaleggan Morris' who with their decorated faces will allow scope for depicting the sins and the angel will be from the 'Eynsham Morris'.

I am using shadow in this drawing to depict the idea of wings. The trouble was that it started of as a thumbnail on a page with another drawing and developed to the point that there was no more room.

Dawn over the Newlands

2010-12-11T21:57:00.001Z

Dawn over the Newlands

Dawn over the Newlands
canvas, acrylic, oil
18. x 12. cm
Lorna Marrison

Rainbow over the DIY

2010-12-03T09:00:00.002Z

Rainbow over the DIY

Rainbow over the DIYt
canvas, acrylic, oil
18. x 12. cm
Lorna Marrison

This is a very pretty paining but I wish I took better photos.

Burns Night at the Queens

2010-11-30T14:54:00.002Z

Burns Night

Burn's Night
canvas, acrylic, oil
18. x 12. cm
Lorna Marrison

This painting is just finished so there is a lot of shine. I could not sign it on the front because of the composition so I signed it on the back. Do you think that is acceptable?

Flood gate updated

2010-11-22T19:30:00.000Z

Flood Gate

Well ... having slept on it I have decided to go with my older sketch. I have coloured it using Photoshop trying to keep the bleached colours of early spring.

Floods are out!

2010-11-21T20:17:00.002Z

Floods are out!

Think I like this version better:

http://eynshamgods.blogspot.com/2010/02/flood-gate.html

'Dancer playing the accordion'

2010-11-16T17:53:00.001Z

Dancer playing the accordion

A pencil drawing developed further in Photoshop. When the Morris dancers are in action it is all about look at "us". This dancer when he plays is concentrating so hard that he is so oblivious, for a few minutes, to the world around him that he becomes out of this world.

Dawn over the Newlands

2010-11-11T19:41:00.000Z

Dawn over the Newlands

A pencil drawing of a view that few in my village will have seen. I lived as a child in a large house with good views over the Cherwell valley. I miss this high view here in Eynsham so I have married my past with the present by looking out at a real view through a fictional window.

Rainbow over the DIY

2010-11-11T15:59:00.000Z

Rainbow over the DIY

This is a pencil drawing cleaned up in Photoshop. It has way to much detail for the small canvases. I am going to try again with a drawing and crop closer.

Burn's Night Colour Study

2010-11-08T09:36:00.000Z

Burn's Night

I scanned in the pencil drawing and coloured it with in Photoshop. I really seem to have this thing about using both hot and cool colours in one picture. It is very difficult to resolve. Looking at the study I will keep the violet for outside the window but mix it into the colours within resulting in more browns.

The Framer is Out

2010-11-02T11:28:00.000Z

The Framer is Out

The Framer is Out
canvas, acrylic, oil
18. x 12. cm
Lorna Marrison

The framer is 'out' as you can see by the 'in' sign. This another view of 'Rose Cottage' and a view that will soon be gone.

Morris Man in the Co-op

2010-10-30T11:22:00.005+01:00

Morris Man in the Co-op

Morris Man in the Co-op
canvas, acrylic, oil
18. x 12. cm
Lorna Marrison

I have pushed myself to drop detail and allow for more abstraction. I am not confident that I have got it right yet.

Going out on the Witney Bus

2010-10-27T11:05:00.002+01:00

Going out on the Witney Bus

Going Out
canvas, acrylic, oil
18. x 12. cm
Lorna Marrison

I have painted out the bus symbol on the stop sign as I felt it was a 'detail' to far. What do you think?

Burns Night at the Queens

2010-10-24T15:51:00.000+01:00

Burns Night at the Queens

Pencil drawing for the next canvas. There is frost on the window and we are on the outside looking through the window at the warm convivial glow within the Queens.

I have tried very hard to simplify the scene and to get it on the small canvas I shall have to go further. I will make more frost also.

The Emporium in Eynsham

2010-10-15T09:24:00.008+01:00

The Emporium
canvas, acrylic, oil
18. x 12. cm
Lorna Marrison

I have only Just realised that I have not posted the finished version of this painting. We will soon go into the long dark and it is good to remember that there will be Spring days with cherry blossom again.

Mediterranean Window Mural Mess

2010-10-01T21:44:00.002+01:00

Mediterranean Window Mural

Heather has asked for a sunny Mediterranean window mural in her kitchen and approved the above Photoshopped mock-up. I drew a same sized cartoon, rubbed charcoal on its back, and spent six hours crouched on top of a kitchen work surface tracing a transfer. This was uncomfortable and boring. So today, with a sigh of relief, I carefully pulled the low tack tape off and the egg-shell paint started pulling off the bare plaster in bubbles. The decorator had slapped the paint onto the plaster without putting a size on first. I am now seriously concerned about durability. I will talk to Heather tomorrow about our options. Yes ... I am pissed off! I should have not assumed anything.

Rose Cottage-finished

2010-09-16T19:46:00.001+01:00

Rose Cottage
Acrylic, oil paint on fine linen canvas
Lorna Marrison

Rose Cottage is now finished. House portraits are always exciting because of the implicit need to include a narrative. Helen has asked for her companion pets to be waiting for her by the gate. So Pythius has leapt up on the gate and there is Harvey to the left and the charming Buster on the right but unbeknownst to them there is a little black kitten waiting to be discovered. Can you find him?

Leaving on a Witney Bus

2010-09-14T12:29:00.001+01:00

Leaving on a Witney Bus
Pencil, coloured in Photoshop.
Lorna Marrison

I have to confess that I was hearing John Denver singing "I'm leaving on a jet plane" in my head whilst drawing this picture. If "Eynsham is the centre of the world" then leaving on the bus will be out. It will be one of my 'OUT" paintings.

Morris man 'OUT' of context in the Co-op.

2010-09-07T16:59:00.001+01:00

Morris man in Co-op
Pencil, coloured in Photoshop
Lorna Marrison

The 'OUT' here is that he is not dancing on the streets with the team but lined up on his own at the tills in the Co-op. Do I hear a collective groan out there? If this was a larger painting I would have put the other people in the queue with him but I wanted to get more of the store in the picture. I have developed the pencil sketch in Photoshop using colour selectively too emphasize his isolation. Next step is to paint it on the canvas.

Morris man in the Co-op

2010-08-29T12:38:00.000+01:00

Morris man in the Co-op

Pencil drawing for the next canvas in my 'Out' series. So how is it 'Out'?

Colour

2010-08-26T12:14:00.001+01:00

I have yet to get a good photo with my camera. I think it is because I wear vari-focal glasses. So, as always, I will wheel out my talented son with his better camera for a good photo at the end.

I have reached the 'step away from the canvas now!' moment as I need to let paint dry. I want to add the pinks next because I am worried how they will deal with the naples yellow I used on the stone. Painting is like controlling a class room of unruly children and making them work as a harmonious whole.

Carnival Morning

2010-08-21T17:06:00.010+01:00

Carnival Morning
canvas, acrylic, oil,
18. x 12. cm
© Lorna Marrison

Carnival morning being celebrated early by being 'out' in the bar of the Red Lion. :0)

The DIY on gold

2010-08-19T14:40:00.000+01:00

This is better then the last one but has still not worked. Sigh! I will leave it for a while and try for the third and last time another day.

Getting there

2010-08-16T12:05:00.000+01:00

I have now moved on to oils mixed with medium. I am reasonably pleased with progress and am looking forward to using colour and opaque passages.

Tracing the drawing to the canvas

2010-08-11T10:28:00.001+01:00

Jackson's Art has sent the custom sized canvas and I am impressed with it's quality. Joe went the extra mile to get this for me. Good service always gets me as a returning customer.

The refined drawing was scanned and enlarged in Photoshop to the size needed. I am glad that I do not have to grid up a drawing anymore. However, I hate tracing an image because whilst it is accurate in outline it dies as a drawing; for less complicated pictures I prefer to draw direct. I am now painting the greyscale or grisaile under painting in acrylic paint which allows me to organise the darks and lights in the painting. When I am happy with this under painting I will continue in oil paint.

Work in process for Rose Cottage.

2010-07-31T19:25:00.000+01:00

I should have stopped painting this morning as I have lost the freshness of the water colour paint. I have decided a lot about the painting with this study so will try again before committing to the canvas. I am still waiting for it's arrival.

House and garden

2010-07-26T09:21:00.003+01:00

Recently my friend, Helen Peacocke asked me to paint a 'portrait' of her house as it was going to be obscured by infill buildings on her neighbour's land. I offered the above two sketches for her to choose from.

She asked for version 1 cropped to the top of the chimney and to just below the cats. She then described how she would like her pets included in the painting.

She liked the above drawing but 'Pythius' her companion dog asked to be slimmed down slightly.

The ratio of her chosen view is not a standard canvas size so I phoned Jackson's Art after getting confused by the measurement sizes for ordering in their catalogue. I found 'Joe' to be very helpful and hopefully the canvas should arrive in a week's time.

I plan in the next week to refine the drawing and print it onto watercolour paper for colour studies. My printer uses 'DuraBrite' ink which is vastly expensive but as it is both water proof and light proof allows me to paint over the print with watercolour paints.

Washing up finished

2010-07-20T18:03:00.001+01:00

Washing up is finished
canvas, acrylic, oil, artificial gold leaf
18. x 12.
Lorna Marrison

This started as a straight forward painting of a friend's kitchen sink. The more it developed the more I wanted to move it into anther place. So the coolness that reminded me of the unused big kitchen of my childhood home slowed time down and the view through the window has become the long gone Eynsham Abbey.

Jill is the face of 'Out'

2010-07-01T10:09:00.002+01:00

'The Face of Out'
Canvas, acrylic, oil, artificial gold leaf
18 x 12 cms
Lorna Marrison

I like this one. Allowing the strokes to show is strong and powerful. Jill's crown of the word 'Out' is in the gold leaf but it's shine caused it to bleach out in the photo.

Newland Street

2010-06-24T19:24:00.001+01:00

'Newland Street'
Canvas, acrylic, oil
18 x 12 cms
Lorna Marrison

'Remembered coolness'

2010-06-21T09:50:00.004+01:00

'Remembered coolness'
canvas, acrylic, oil
18. x 12.
Lorna Marrison

I like seeing the light out of the darkness. Here I pushed the colour cool colour inside and then warm bright ones in the outside. The houses on the other side of the street are in shade and I had to really struggle to work out how to have 'warm' shade. Do you think it works?

Edit. Have re-photographed the paintings.

Morning bread

2010-06-17T11:04:00.003+01:00

'Morning Bread'
Canvas, acrylic, oils
18 x 12 cms.
Lorna Marrison

Could not bear to leave it at a failure so I am posting this one early. Once again a bad photo but the excuse this time is that this painting is all about the colour of the lights. In the photo the nuance of colour in the highlights refused to show but in the painting I did manage to get it so the 'inside' was different from the 'outside'.

Edit. Have re-photographed the paintings.

A failure

2010-06-16T09:28:00.000+01:00

Painting on the gold leaf for this picture has not been a success. First mistake was not having the canvas vertical when painting. The gold reflects the light back most beautifully through the paint but I painted the canvas at a 45 degree angle so when I straighten it ... whoops ... a mess. Second mistake was not thinking about paint transparency/opacity. I should have constructed the inside using transparent colours allowing the glow to show through the paint and used opacity for the outside allowing the gold to be unpainted.

So I have quit on this painting and will retry later.

Lamp at the Queens

2010-06-11T13:12:00.003+01:00

'Lamp at the Queens'
Canvas, Acrylic, oils
18 x 12 cms.
Lorna Marrison

I think this is finished. I am pleased with the warm/cold lights on the mugs and like the distorted view of the dancer as this is where my attention was focused. The blobby shine marks on the shade is the light reflecting off the wet oil and when it is dry I will attempt a better photo.

Edit. Have re-photographed the paintings.

"Got it"

2010-06-09T14:37:00.002+01:00

I have found that sleeping on a problem often improves my success at solving it. I have admired the verve and movement of Maggi Hambling's portrait of 'Bacon' at the Ashmolean Museum, She uses thick paint to move paint causing it to mix as she goes. I shall step out of my comfort zone and attempt a confident thick mark making and learn ...

Communication

2010-06-08T18:52:00.000+01:00

Some studies still on the theme of 'OUT'. This lady who lives in Eynsham walks slowly to the Co-op everyday using her walking frame and often going on to the Red Lion for a morning coffee. She is sitting there watching the Morris Dancers. I am thinking about using the word 'OUT' as part of the painting but think I have a way to go before it works.

'Terra Nova'

2010-06-07T10:02:00.000+01:00

In 1200 Abbot Adams of the Eynsham Abbey, as a speculative builder, built Newland street with a wide road for a market. These houses still stand.

I am showing you the under painting of one of these houses. I stand in the future looking out on to the past and seeing a couple of Benedictine monks admiring the new estate.

Memories and Myths

2010-05-28T17:28:00.001+01:00

I am showing you the progress of my paintings today and I think I need to explain something of my thinking behind these. Eynsham is a large urban village but my inspiration is modified by my memories and emotions. I am not painting 'views' that are commodities to be owned but the sense of a place and belonging. This first one is based at the Queen's Head on the May bank holiday and the Morris men have come to dance. It's showing isolation ... a peep through the corner of the window ... through barriers of mugs, people's backs, glass and light. Red is the colour of celebration as the Morris men are dancing the first day of dance and of blood that was once shed at this time to the gods to ensure a good crop.

Here is the main passage way of the DIY and I have come in from the bright sun. My eyes are struggling to adjust to the darkness here. The walls are hung with many 'treasures' of which I can only see the highlights gleaming but I can see easily to the wood store out the back. Yellow is the colour of my first depiction of the sun when I was a child. It was the colour of gold when drawing the treasure chest that the pirates found. So I have experimented with covering the canvas with artificial gold leaf and then painting over it. My hope is that the highlights and the sunny exterior will shine as a result.

This green canvas is the joy of seeing fresh growth, sun and blossom and having morning coffee with the doors flung open. The trio in the yard also shows my memories as a child of the sense of release that the springs brings. Gone is the prison of cold and hiding in doors and time speeds up as a result. Even as an adult I find that time flows like a mountain river from the spring equinox down to the autumn equinox.

Orange is terracotta colour in the pottery around the corner from me. Here I am standing in the coolness of what was once a forge looking out onto a sunlit street. This time my eyes have adjusted to the cool darkness and the sun burns the details from my vision. I smell the coolness of the stones and in my head I am standing in the victorian stables of home feeding kids (baby goats) from a bottle.

This modern Eynsham kitchen is cooled by the violet. This coolness places me in what was once the big kitchen of my childhood home. No servants to give life there anymore but closed shutters but at the same time I am standing in the 'now'. This belfast sink is a reproduction and there is an Aga for a small modern family beside me and not the great coal fired range that was dulled with rust.

Indigo is the colour of the new Bakery in the Eynsham. No memories but a glorious day with fresh bread waiting to be eaten at the next meal.

Warm Weather

2010-05-23T20:56:00.000+01:00

It's very hot and my house is hot. BTW when it's cooler.

The beginnings

2010-05-17T20:21:00.008+01:00

I am trying to be more productive by painting multiples of these small canvases. Drawing straight to the acrylic painted canvas with charcoal is fast as it is quite easy to rub out wrong strokes but the 18. x 12. cms size means that I reach the need to stop and wait for paint to dry quite quickly.

... is this a syndrome?

2010-05-12T12:53:00.000+01:00

I find that when drawing in public that some people make a point of getting in my line of sight.

Drawing this guy was delayed by numerous people including another artist standing in front of it.

This one was easier as he stands on a very high stand but staff members rally tours in front of me on how fab the new Ashmolean is with out a second thought.

Wow! I am a tetchy artist some days.

'OUT'

2010-05-03T09:53:00.005+01:00

'Leaving'

Canvas, acrylic, oil, imitation gold leaf

18.0 x 12.0 cms

Lorna Marrison

I have really enjoyed painting the small canvases of the last series. So this one is the first one of the new series 'OUT'. Here I will be meditating on the theme of going out from an interior to the outside. I will still be using the village of Eynsham as my inspiration especially my patch.

'Eynsham Doors' arranged on a panel

2010-04-25T20:12:00.000+01:00

The doors are all arranged and I think they look grand.