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Thursday 20 May 2010

Secret Garden, London.

This is my first submission to the Calypso Moon Artist Movement. Our challenge was to paint our Secret Garden. I live in a very green area of London, alongside beautiful vistas of trees and grassland just a stone’s throw from the Thames River, but, for me, none of it could be classified as ‘secret’. My ‘Secret Gardens’ are the great parks of London, and they are truly ‘Great’. I have my own special corners in these elegant spaces where Londoners come to relax and absorb the beauty and because one can be so anonymous in these masterpieces, a sense of owning a personal spot becomes very real. My secret garden is really ‘secret’ so I am not telling where it is. It is a wonderfully serene corner and I have the feeling that it has been there for a very long time; nothing new, nothing cultivated; just a naturally occurring place of peace. Strangely the vista I have chosen to paint is interesting for its lack of flowers; it’s just a cacophony of greens, layered one on the other with alarming subtlety and complexity.

Depicting the myriad variations of green was something I found tough, but I had set myself the challenge of pulling off this monochromatic scene. Possibly the end result might have been more convincing in oils as I would be able to blend the colours with a bit more subtlety, but I decided to stick with my own personal challenge of learning about 'water colour and gouache' as a medium all over again, and I am finding some marvellous surprises along the way. This work took me six hours.

"Secret Garden, London"
Water Colour & Gouache on Paper - 11.5" x 11.5" (Approx.)

21 comments:

Chartan said...

A thrilling work of art Anne. As I recall greens are a special challenge are they not? If so, you have certainly answered the challenge splendidly. In only 6 hours? WOW! were you En Plein Aire? What a beautiful place it is, no wonder you wish to keep it secret. Well it is beautiful imo. Wish I could have a picnic there with you, cucumber sandwiches?

Anne C M Campbell said...

Thanks so much Charlotte! Yes, greens are difficult for me - I'm a blues kinda gal. No, not en plein aire - this was from a photograph taken in 2007, and it is a truly beautiful spot. You have read the painting superbly well if you are thinking of cucumber sandwiches!!!

Chartan said...

yes, i just keep coming back to it. it's that kind of painting <3

Anne C M Campbell said...

Thanks again!! - I am delighted you are enjoying it as I thought the exercise in monochromes might make it a little less universally appealing - but then again, what do I know? ;)

Nan Johnson said...

This design pulled me right in, and all those lush greens! Beautiful!

Autumn Leaves said...

I so love scenes like this, Anne. I wish I was sitting there under the trees myself. Green is my favorite color and I am always amazed at how well some artists can work with it, you included. This is just so beautiful, so restful, so perfect! Well done!!

Anne C M Campbell said...

Nancie - thanks for the compliment and for stopping by!

Anne C M Campbell said...

Thanks Sherry - yes, it's a beautiful spot and I am getting to grips with greens - slowly. Thanks again.

Barbara said...

I think you did a fabulous job on this. It has a great deal of depth.

Horst said...

Wonderful work of art, excellent handling of the greens, I live in Oregon and its been raining here for several months almost every day, so we have a lot of green to look at.
Horst

Anne C M Campbell said...

Horst, thanks for stopping by and your compliment. I am relieved everyone is relating to my work on the greens - they are difficult for me. Rain for several months - phew!!!

Paula said...

Your painting looks so juicy. A nice example of gouache. Solid yet still so fluid. Beautiful.

Anne C M Campbell said...

Thanks so much Paula - juicy & fluid - that really makes me happy!

Alice Thompson said...

I can understand why you want to keep this place a secret. This has such a serene and calming effect. I like the way your tree trunk curves on the right and for some mysterious reason I see an owl spirit living inside of it. So lovely.

Anne C M Campbell said...

Thanks so much Alice!

Unknown said...

Hi, I just wanted you to know what a great little piece of painting you have created. I know how difficult the greens are? You have handled them beautifully with temperature and degrees of transparency. I am so impressed with the receding reflections and overhanging limbs. Exceptional!

Dabblerteer said...

Peaceful, inviting, beautifully composed...a fine art gem.

Although red-green color challenged, your wide range of values tells me the charming story of your secret garden.

Anne C M Campbell said...

Thanks for the compliment Carrie. This one just worked somehow and the scene was very beautiful to begin with.

Anne C M Campbell said...

Thank you Bernard - a compliment indeed! Getting the values right on this one was a huge challenge.

Earthula said...

Oh it is serene. Wonderful.

Anne C M Campbell said...

Elaine, thanks so much.