Really interesting to see John’s sketchbooks on display in the exhibition (stacks of them!), and note that they bear little comparison to his subsequent paintings.Continue Reading
ArchivesFebruary, 2015
23FebJohn Virtue Seascapes
Saw John Virtue’s Seascape paintings over at the Towner art gallery in Eastbourne. Very powerful, maybe more so given the usual scale that he works to. There were some smaller works on paper, that at least you could get through the front door but, sadly, I don’t have £6,000 pounds to spare. I find black and white images far more arresting and dwell on, much more than colour.Continue Reading
19Feb
One of the walls inside the Alhambra. The Arabic carvings begun in the 14th Century, are incredibly intricate and are said to have 10,000 inscriptions, many of them being repeated, such as: “There is no victor but Allah”, “Rejoice in good fortune, because Allah helps you.” Some are only single words like “Happiness” and “Blessing.”Continue Reading
17FebGranada
Fantastic weekend in Granada, not only sampling wonderful tapas, wine and beer of course, but a chance to visit the Alhambra. Breathtaking in its scale and the overwhelming low-relief wall sculpture and tile work. Decoration everywhere. The setting does help, with the snow-capped Sierra Mountains as a backdrop!Continue Reading
