Tijucas

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 Tijucas, a late morning in July, oil on card, 21 x 24.3 cm

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Tijucas, dunes, scrub, oil on card, 20 x 24 cm - unavailable

The sky  in Tijucas has this dense thickness, even on winter days, This enforces the sense one has of the place as being utterly lost, as do the weird, seedy residents. It reminds me very much of the Isle of Sheppey, that peculiar and desolate part of Kent.

The first painting revisits a scene which I depicted a few years back. It is a great pleasure to revisit places, to see how one responds anew. Both pictures are very much under the influence of Boudin.

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Tijucas

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Tijucas, in the afternoon, oil on card, 17 x 21.5 cm - available

This picture was damaged by the framer at the left and right sides

From Tijucas, that strange place which seems permanently shrouded in fog. 

The air smells of burnt caramel.

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Biguaçu, popular housing

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Biguaçu, popular housing, oil on card, 16 x 18 cm   SOLD

It threatened to rain, and even began to drizzle slightly, but I continued nonetheless, thus exemplifying that often forgotten virtue: persistence.

The light here and up in Tijucas further up the coast always seems flat and bright and fresh, and although it is squalid with rubbish strewn here and there, I feel content working there- when I am left in peace, that is, as the locals seem particularly keen on conversing with me as if I have just arrived from Mars. The British tactic of responding slowly "umm umm", hoping they will take the hint, to their conversational gambits seems only to encourage them.

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I have been looking at pictures of India and it seems to me that it might be perfect for painting, with such lovely colours and the general jumble sometimes so incredibly lively and picturesque. 

I detest crowds and filth and disorder, but perhaps a smaller city would be tolerable for a couple of weeks? As it is very cheap there, perhaps I could go for a few months, visiting several such cities and get a solid body of work together. It is a point of some annoyance to me how superficial my trips so often are.

 The main thing would be to find a cheap flight...

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Tijucas

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Tijucas, kite flying, oil on card, 16 x 18 cm  SOLD

One from this unpretentious coastal town, which I love for its the odd light effects you get there,caused by the way light is reflected from the river. The beach front is rather messy, alas, but children fly their kites: always a delightful sight.

The picture plays with some aspects pinched from the Scottish Colourists: a certain deliberateness of application and a  pastel palette.

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Tijucas, sea, January

Tijucas, sea, January, oil on card, 18 x 16 cm -  -unavailable

Tijucas is a small town, just north of Florianópolis, which features some stunning neo-classical buildings. It stretches out along a river leading to this estuary The light is very fine and I will return.

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This is the first picture of the 2015 which I hope will be a confident year: one always hopes to find a new, radically different approach, but the most successful changes are usually gradual, often involving somewhat painful reflection. 

I am blessed and curse with such a variety of  beautiful views here: I say cursed because often the best pictures come from motifs that are less immediately attractive, but which force one to consider and invent to a greater degree, as well as taking one away from picture-postcard obviousness. However, visiting such places can be dangerous and is certainly unpleasant.

 In Brazil, such motifs include the strange interzones between city and country with their miles of squalid housing, repair years, rubbish dumps and general dilapidation.

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Tijucas, landscape

Tijucas, landscape, oil on card, 14.7 / 18 cm - unavailable

Hot hazy day, making for uncomfortable driving.

Again, in a larger format.