Mills Calendar 2010 – December
St. Benets Abbey, The Broads. Watercolour 12"x18"
The inspiration for this painting was a wonderful watercolour by my all-time favourite watercolourist, John Sell Cotman of the Norwich school of painters. He painted this in 1813. Cotman was one of a number of contemporary Romantic artists for whom the “sublime” (I think what we would describe today as “awe-inspiring”) was an emotion that a painting should evoke. He acheived this time and again with dramatic architectural features set in stormy landscapes. When I found this view of the mill I instinctively recognised it as the same point from which Cotman had painted. I have a confession to make however. Although I started the painting on the spot, it was in late spring, and only when I got home did I decide to make it a snow scene. This was my idea of “the sublime.” (By the way, the version of this in the 2010 calendar does not have glass reflections on it. Copies of the calendar are available through me me at noel@noelgarner.com for £10 a copy.)
very atmospheric with the stormy landscape; it does make the subject more interesting-looking and ethereal in quality.:-)
rachel said this on November 26, 2009 at 3:48 pm |