Post 20 - Studio

- Empiricism is the start of the imaginative journey...

Back in the studio I started re examining my en plein air paintings and drawings, looking at the differences between my tone on tone colour blocking and more drawing/paintings

Sally Barron

Isle of Wight 2023

Gunnera Plants

At the end of my stay in England having been painting en plein air, I then did a days drawing at the NATIONAL GALLERY LONDON.

Anyone can borrow a chair to sit and draw but must use a non-liquid medium. Having done a copy of Bacchus and Ariadne by Titian during lockdown, I went to draw from the real thing…but it was removed from its usual place for a new exhibition. Instead I copied the Poussin in the next room, and upon my return to NZ discovered Leon Kossof’s copies and etchings of the same subject! I had known about Frank Auerbach’s drawings and paintings during a residency for the National gallery, but had forgotten about Kossoff.

I have always loved his ‘Childrens Swimming Pool, Autumn afternoon’ 1971 which someone described as a painting about noise…

Anyway it makes me think about the senses, driving my paintings, touch, sight, sound etc

2020

Salt Barron

Building texture and background

Sally Barron

copy from reproduction (lockdown)

Copy from Titians Bacchus and Ariadne 2020

Titian 1520-23

The National Gallery

Bacchus and Ariadne

Poussin

Triumph of Pan

1636

Leon Kossof

Etching after Poussin Triumph of Pan

Triumph of Pan

From Original

Sally Barron

2023

I had also been looking at Cecily Brown’s work as she draws from art historical references, literally drawing every day from reproductions, and says “Ive only really understood a painting once I’ve copied it”

At first this seems different from the en plein air, drawing from a static image but the process of looking and total absorption in the exploration of the composition etc leads to the same stimulation - all knowledge based on experience derived from the senses.

Good insights into her current practice.

https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/cecily-brown-death-and-the-maid

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/cecily-brown-met-museum-art-history-references-2277258

re thinking again about drawing as a very important part of my practice - they are part of my process, inchoate, leave things in an unfinished state, visualisation of observation. I draw to open things up, and question.

I re read Walter Sickert “Drawing is the thing”

there is a certain ‘ennui’ about his work, quick lines then re working with emphasis, then spatial emphasis, grid then paint. (I can use projector or draw on tracing paper and use to try out ideas like cartoon collage Doig)

People who’s work I can look at further

Amy Silman - her drawings are enlarged, printed out, loosely painted over

Anne Ryan - she collages, cuts out and punches through

Luci Eyers - Painting from Greek paintings

drawing during lockdown 2020

Sally Barron

Colin McCahon

Sketchbook