19th January 2023 - with Frances

I was really sorry not to have been able to come to Eye this morning, as I had been looking forward to Frances' themed session, but the icy weather conspired against me. Still, it looks as though those who made it had an interesting and absorbing time.  In fact, Sally P said, 'We were so engrossed in what we were doing that Frances had to mention it was coffee time and even then, we didn't all get up and rush to make a drink!'
Here is Frances herself explaining -
'The idea today was to analyse composition starting with Hackney’s statement, “all painting no matter what you’re painting is abstract in that it’s got to be organised. No matter what the illusion created, it is a flat canvas and it has to be organised into shapes.”
Everyone was given a copy of a painting by a well known artist which had to be traced in terms of the lines of the composition...diagonals, verticals, horizontals and thus turned into an abstract composition using one colour with a variety of tones. This gave food for thought as to the use of lights and darks in compositions as well as shapes.
Following this some of us showed our own works with which we were dissatisfied and the group gave advice in the light of what we had been thinking about. I promise to work on my painting and hopefully bring the improved version along next week!'
Here you can see everyone hard at work.

And these are, respectively, Sally P at work on Piero  Della Francesco's Annunciation, Gill and her version of Stanhope Forbes’ 'The Seine Boat', Maggie-Anne's analysis of George Henry's 'Noon', Sandra with the challenging painting by F.C.B. Cadell,  'Interior: The Orange Blind'.

Ian started a painting on holiday, a seascape of the Northumberland coast, which he has sent as his contribution today.

Here is Harriet's work from this morning.

And Jackie has sent work from this morning and also her recently made woodcut and prints of geese grazing.

Here are Diana's contributions: Her work from this morning - the original and the geometric shapes made from it, and two she brought in that she was dissatisfied with, but has decided were OK after all.

I used a photo of London Street in Norwich, that I took quite a long time ago, as the base for a drawing, and rather less successful, painting (not shown).

More changes to the Winter Programme - Jill is taking over for Rachael on 2nd February, see the Winter Programme page.
Don't forget about the Chairman's Project - Elements - see the reminder on the Stop Press page.
It would be nice if it warmed up a bit, but I hope you all stay warm, regardless.  Noreen is in charge next week, so don't forget to send your work to her.