Friday 4 March 2011

Moon over Bath

When we were dreaming up a title for Her Indoor's exhibition late last year, I sort of insisted that it should be: 'Her Indoors - Paintings, Drawings & Watercolours', because - despite the fact that she only had a few watercolours to show which were done years ago, it sounded like a much classier title than 'Paintings & Drawings'.

"But I've hardly got any watercolours", she said, worrying that she would be advertising herself under false pretences. I told her that - technically - the title was correct, so she should stop worrying.

Of course, she didn't stop worrying, and set about painting some more of them as everyone else worked like mad to get the show (which comprised of over 100 pictures - most of them framed) together on time.

During this time, she re-discovered how much she likes the very immediate and speedy activity of using watercolour, and now the show is long over, she has been finding the time to produce more of them, and the bad photo above (which does not do it justice at all - sorry) is one of two that she made this week.

Normally, she spends weeks on one oil painting, but these - by necessity - have to be completed in one sitting, and I think she enjoys seeing results appear so quickly. There is always the danger with watercolour, that the painter relies on the 'happy accidents' that will always occur when flooding the paper with washes of thin paint, and lets structure and form go out the window as a result. What I like about these of H.I.'s is that - true professional that she is - she has never lost sight of the original vision in every one she has made. She has not hit a bum note yet, and I don't think she would ever let herself do so. Each one is a little jewel.

20 comments:

  1. Actually, there was one 'happy accident' in this picture which she decided to keep. She was washing the brushes out near the painting, and clean water splashed onto the sky of it, reminding her of stars. She could have washed them out, but decided to keep them as they worked well!

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  2. I know it sounds a little like "selling out" but this painting would make a lovely greetings card......
    would she consider "doing" me one?

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  3. She has - in the past - looked into having some of her images produced into cards (we have a friend who runs a greetings-card business, but has been bogged down by illness and family bereavement), and it turns out to be a bit of a minefield.

    If you have the right outlets, you can tick along on a trickle of money from sales, but the set-up is extremely expensive, and only people like Andrew Brownsword (what a name - I'll say no more!) of Hallmark Cards (he lives in Bath, btw) makes any serious money from it.

    When you say 'do you one', do you mean a repro or a painting, John?

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  4. lol just a card.....lol have you seen my overdraft?

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  5. That painting is BEAUTIFUL...
    touched my heart.

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  6. I love the softness of the painting and the colours- the stars look like they were meant to be ! Talented lady-her indoors !

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  7. That is gorgeous. The sky looks like a kind of silk. The colours are beautiful!

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  8. That is lovely. The colour wash of the sky does look like silk - it would make a beautiful fabric.

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  9. Have you seen mine, John? (overdraft, that is - you dirty bastard).

    The rest of you lot are thinking of 'batique', but I'll pass your comments on to her. She will be pleased, I am sure, and thanks.

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  10. Yes, it does look like silk batik, and I'm a great believer in happy accidents.

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  11. does she have site where we can see more?

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  12. Yes, Grouch, I've posted a link above for you to click on (www.jackieharding.com)

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  13. I am awaitng your further waspish comment on my blog thomas!

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  14. How funny - I just visited it, then thought better of leaving one, John. It was going to be something along the lines of... no, I still daren't say it. Suffice to say that I had conjured up a euphemism to do with what you really had been doing - more 'Carry On' mullarky.

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  15. I am waiting for your smutty inuendo thomas!

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  16. She has such a delicate touch, and is absolutely brilliant with her color choices. Love it.

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  17. Tom, Somehow I passed by this lovely picture, but I thoroughly understand why some would be thinking silk batiq as that was my first thought as well.

    Any home or space would be lucky to have such a stunning piece gracing it.
    Ann

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  18. Thanks Ann - I'll pass your comment on to H.I.

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