Friday, December 09, 2011

On Wilmington Square

On Wilmington Square by Liza Hirst

I finally managed to get my act together and paint outside! And as my friend René predicted, it was a great experience. I had never done this in a city where people keep going by, looking at what you're doing and was a bit nervous about it. Mind you, I did choose a spot without too many passers by. I could concentrate well and am not unhappy with the result.
Btw, I decided not to post the other sketches I did a few days ago - just weren't good enough.

oil on wood panel - Öl auf Holzplatte - huile sur plaque de bois
15 cm x 15 cm / 5,9" x 5,9"
Buy it here

Liza Hirston

8 comments:

Sheila Vaughan said...

Hi Liza! Hope you are settling in ok. It's a big shift from the south of France and you are very brave to paint outside here at this time of year. I like how the bit of autumn orange foliage at the top left lifts this painting and makes it sing!

Liza Hirst said...

Hi Sheila! Yes, the orange was definitely necessary, otherwise it would have been quite a dull picture.
Thank you for asking - we are slowly but surely settling in, although things aren't exactly developing as fast as we had hoped. But we LOVE being here! In regard to painting outside, I felt brave myself, but already the next day I couldn't face it and I truly admire painters like René for their devotion! Will have to find another solution, I think, although I haven't given up the idea altogether yet. Btw, your latest portraits and photo-painting montages are fantastic!! I like the poetic titles, too. Maybe we can meet up sometime?

Sheila Vaughan said...

We'll have to have coffee next time I am down in London - (which is not very often I'm afraid). Maybe Olha will be free too.

René PleinAir said...

Just keep at it Liza, it's well worth it, not only for the scene, your health and for your courage but also for your work, the loose touch is already showing ;-) Once your going outside more regular you will look for spots to paint all the time, and recognize that certain spots are more for certain moods then others, ... you make mistakes in those choices as well sometimes and destined to return home pissed off but that's all in the game of painting outside, knowing that sometimes (and you will getting better on that)your on the right spot at the right time in the right mood, and then the magic will happen that the painting will paint by itself. This is a very nice first try Liza, the one point I am regretting, is that I wasn't there with you, ... but again please, please keep at it, ... at least once a week ;-)

Liza Hirst said...

Hi Sheila, please do let me know when you come to London again. How far is it for you? It would indeed be great fun, if all three of us could get together. We are planning to visit Olha in the gallery she's exhibiting at tomorrow.

Liza Hirst said...

Dear René, I so much appreciate your support!! And feel honoured that you take the time trying to enthuse me for plein air painting. When I was living in France in our house in the middle of nowhere, it was no problem for me - nobody there,no long walks to a suitable point etc.
I guess I just have to get used to it and your pushing definitely helps a lot! Thank you, my friend! If anything, I'll try to do it at least once a week, in order not to disappoint you. How's that, eh?

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Liza,

A beautiful painting. I am not a plein air painter, but so admire people who paint that way. Good for you.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxBarbara

Liza Hirst said...

Thank you, Barbara! I don't think I will ever be a real plein air painter, but its an interesting challenge to try it.