Ponta das Canas: rocks

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Ponta das Canas: rocks, watercolour on paper, 35.7 x 28 cm

 

 

 

 

 

Ponta das Canas: rocks- detail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ponta das Canas: rocks- detail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My walk to the sea around 10 am, Tuesday 25 October, 2022: part 2 / 4

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 My walk to the sea, part 2 / 4

 

In this second set, the streets become more urban, a little desolate even, and I feel a  disconnect with the others I pass. There are few cars: there is absence and unease. I pass blocks inhabited by the unseen. Just the presence of abandoned objects gives some sort of clue.

 

 6.

 

Street with a strange feel. 

 

 

When I say strange here, I mean I feel as if it is full of "presences". I do mean than in a supernatural sense- like ghosts or the traces of previous pedestrians. I sense something malign here.

7.

 

Peculiar looking fellow holding flower, basket

 

 

I can't say what this man is up to. The flower basket beside the blue wall is typical Canasvieiras: that is, yet another object found lying aimlessly by the side of the road. There are so many such items -mainly abandoned pieces of furniture but also odd bits of clothing (something I find unpleasant, disturbing even) - that one can't help but feel that something is going on.

 

 

 

 

 8.

 

Eruption on a pavement

 

 

The pavement has begun to disintegrate. I don't know how it has happened. It doesn't seem to be disintegrating in a way that suggests normal usage. It looks as if someone has tried to hack it up. But what is it with those pieces of tarmac?

 

 

 

 9.

 

Hole in a perimeter wooden fence
 

 

I love this peeping through thing. Who in all truthfulness can deny that they also love an occasional peep? But they, those within are inviting it. Why? Why construct a wooden fence of solid pieces then cut a little hole in it like this? Why do they want me to peep? They want to be seen but not to see the seer. 

I don't understand. 

 

10.

 

A man repairing the fence of a block, a concrete mixer/cannon in the courtyard behind

There is a fine cannon in a de Chirico painting, The Philosopher`s Conquest, in Chicago.

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My walk to the sea, around 10 am, Tuesday 25 October, 2022: part 1 / 4

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My walk to the sea, part 1 / 4

 

Circa 10 am, Tuesday, 25 October 2022: I was feeling quite well, quite relaxed I'd say, for no particular reason.

 I had, however, begun the day in a mood of moderate irritation- thankfully, somehow, that passed.

I made a decision to follow world events- principally in Ukraine and Russia, but also in China, less closely, as these events have been making me feel anxious and are, besides, beyond my control. I`ll still watch the news, but I`m standing back. 

 I drank four cups of coffee and resolved to begin this little photo- writing project.

 It`s a project showing pictures taken on a walk from my place to the sea, through Canasvieiras, a resort on the north of the Island of Santa Catarina.

 

1.

 

Empty street with, shadows, motorcycle, car, wall, sky, unruly trees

 

 

This is one of those streets you find yourself walking quite briskly down. It seems more natural to walk in the middle of the road, for some reason. You'll never see another person here. The trees have been left to follow their own desires. It all feels rather abandoned but not unpleasantly so.

 

 

 

 2.

 Smallish twig

Some twigs I feel drawn to pick up: not this one. I looked closely and found something unappealing, even distasteful, about it. Perhaps I felt, unconsciously, that I might get some kind of disease from it. In addition, I don't like rough tarmac like this. It isn't a nice surface on which to find things. Maybe if I had seen the twig on a smooth, more appealing surface I'd have been more attracted to the idea of picking it up.

3.

 Front lawn with two balls. Extensive cloud.

 

I never see people here. There are two balls. Maybe the residents come at out night and play and obscure game with two footballs? Who knows?

 

 

 

4.
 

An accumulation of twigs and other natural litter that has accumulated at the base of a harled wall.

 Again, there is something about this I find disturbing, chaotic.

5.

 

 A woman with a baby, two cars, a dog and another pedestrian. Also, a large tree.

 I do not know why but I more often see women in this network of streets than men. They are usually between twenty-five and fifty. Many are walking dogs. 

I don`t know if the lady is the owner of the dog or the baby. 

 

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Bay leaf

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Bay leaf

One thing I like about the Bay leaf is how archetypally leaf-like it is, as if designed to represent a generic leaf.

This almond shape is very pleasing, as is the way it is crossed by a soft s-curving stem. The colour is lovely, a faint olive green.  The leaf is a bit pliable but yet is brittle too. If you bend the leaf far enough it will snap satisfyingly into pieces.

There is also something a little sad about it which I also find appealing, though I am not sure why.

 Might a feeling of pity engage one positively with an object? Is it because, with pity, I feel more powerful?

 

 

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Piece of tree; my hand holding it

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A piece of a tree, length: 8 cm

 

Piece of wood, in hand

I'm not sure if this photo really conveys what is so likeable about this little piece of wood, which I found on the beach nearby.

It is how it sits in your hand, its velvety smoothness, a with a mysterious gentleness: most soothing. 

When you run your finger down it is makes a soft, dry sound, like a sigh.

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Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, forest, October 21, 2022

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Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, forest, October 21, 2022 

watercolour on paper, 28 x 35 cm

 

 

 

Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, forest, October 21, 2022, detail

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Canasvieiras, October 21, 2022

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Canasvieiras, October 21, 2022

 watercolour on paper, 24.5 x18.5 cm

 

 

 

 

Canasvieiras, October 21, 2022 - detail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Cacupe, water's edge

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Cacupe, water's edge

 watercolour on paper, 19.5 x 13.8 cm

 

 

I think I will get an A4 pad next, this size is really a bit too cramped.

 

 

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Canasvieiras, October 18, 2022, sea and sky

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Canasvieiras, October 18, 2022, sea and sky

 watercolour on paper, 35.5 x 28 cm

 

 

 

 

Canasvieiras, October 18, 2022, sea and sky- detail

 

 

 

This is the larger of the two works from this afternoon.

 

 

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Canasvieiras, October 18, 2022

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 Canasvieiras, October 18, 2022

 watercolour on paper, 19.5 x 13.7 cm

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Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, Forest, October 15, 2022

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Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, Forest, October 15

 2022 watercolour on paper, 28.5 x 36.5 cm

 

Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, Forest, October 15, 2022  - detail

 

Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, Forest, October 15, 2022  - detail

 

 

 I am happy with this one.

 

You can see from the details that I'm using pencil to sketch out the basic design first.

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Canasvieiras, sea

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Canasvieiras, sea, oil on card, 19.5 x 27 cm

 

 

 

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Canasvieiras, sea and beach, October 2022

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 Canasvieiras, sea and beach, October 2022, watercolour on paper, 34.5 x 27.5 cm

 

Canasvieiras, sea and beach, October 2022 - detail

 

 Canasvieiras, sea and beach, October 2022 - detail

 

 

 

 This paper, which is not truly a self-described watercolour paper, becomes slightly bothered and worn after being touched by about three brush touches or washes. 

It's on 200 gsm Canson paper.

 

 

 

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Stuff on a table: working in still life

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Stuff on a table, watercolour on paper, 12.7x 13 cm

 

 

 

 

Still life really is an excellent way of experimenting with art materials as well as thoughts: you work patiently in your studio, or wherever, hassle free. The elements don't trouble you and the motif doesn't change too much over a few hours.

 The sort of still life that interests me is usually quite personal. It's about the stuff lying around where I live: a kind of private documentation.

  I love many types of objects especially boxes, seeds, coins, bowls and books. I prefer objects which have a certain solidity and a clear geometry to them: eggs are wonderful. I do also like coloured fabrics, however...

 I am not fond of fluffiness. I usually find dolls unpleasant. Also, I generally do not like cuteness, as is often seen little porcelain figures.

I like the notion that any meanings that might issue from the objects depicted, and their relations, might unconsciously. I'm not excited by the formalised  arrangements of objects with their standardised symbolism that came to dominate the European tradition: the skulls, wine bottles, candles and so forth.

 

 

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Joaquina- watercolour

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Joaquina,watercolour on paper, 35 x 27.5 cm

 

 

 

 

This is on a heavier Canson paper- 200 gsm. I feel that i am getting the hang of this: having a larger (almost A3) paper means I have more space for gestural effects and that I don't overwork the painting.

Tomorrow, I'm going to go up to A3 and see what happens. I hope the sun shines as that (obviously!) makes the paint dry faster and allows easier layering.

 I feel that watercolour necessitates a kind of understanding an patience with the medium that isn't required in oils, where one can make mistakes with impunity, as the paint can always be scraped off.

I'm not sure about the but at the top centre: it seems a bit messy to me.

 

 

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Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, forest, morning, October 5, 2022

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Parque Estadual do Rio Vermelho, forest, October 5, 2022
watercolour on paper, 19 x 25 cm

 

 

 

 

 

This one is a little dense, and a bit bigger than the watercolour previous. It's on a light, 90 gsm paper.

 

I will next work on a larger sheet and try to leave more un-detailed spaces.

 

 

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