Like most I suspect, our 2020 holiday plans have already been thrown into disarray. Earlier in the year our much anticipated trip to Valencia was cancelled, as was my masterclass with Alvaro Castagnet, and our regular camping jaunt to France has also had to fall by the wayside.
This isn’t to say that I’m not desperately looking forward to a holiday though, something that I think is evident in this most recent choice of subject:
I came across the image for this latest painting some time ago when I was searching for palm trees. That particular search first led to these two palm tree paintings of Cartagena, in Spain.
Palm trees, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain (a) 
Palm trees, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain (b)
This latest painting came together quite quickly and I’m pleased with the sense of bright hazy light and the dry brush rendering of the palm trees.
For me however, this painting will always be characterised by the contrast of this quiet tranquil scene and the domestic meltdown that was going on in the background. As I endeavored to paint this idyllic view, my daughter was having a rather volcanic tantrum!
I love the idea that people see watercolour painting as this delightfully delicate, quiet and serene pursuit. The truth meanwhile can often be one of much gnashing of teeth, foul language and the type of background distractions that one might more commonly associate with some form of civil unrest. I appreciate that this might not be everyone’s experience – but it’s often a fairly accurate representation of mine!
As much as this painting may be the type of destination I’d ideally like to be visiting this year, I’m sure my imminent camping trip to Dorset, with thunderstorms forecast, will also be fabulous!
12 thoughts on “That holiday feeling…”
Painting with other people makes a difficult job well nigh impossible. The only person I would take is my wife who likes to sit and read while I sweat it out.
Sorry for such a tardy response Graham – I’m a bit all over the place at the moment! I’m hoping that painting in the middle of all manner of domestic trials and tribulations will better equip me for my rare forays into plein air painting but I’m not sure when I’m going to get the chance to test this theory out!
Hi John! After having lived in WS Florida for some 20 years (Where we had a really great Art Guild which I miss) I also miss a great variety of palm trees not that I’m back ‘up north where we have beautiful REAL trees. On a whim and procrastinating from dealing with a ‘commission’ to paint a particular landscape, I’m taking a brief break from WCs to PLAY with printmaking again using Gelli plates! I was doing real printmaking for a number of years but finally sold my press which my husband designed and had made but my son got sick of moving it every time I moved…so this brief respit from WCs but now I have an idea for combining the two. I managed to make a miniature BOOK (2 1/2” square) from my first attempts. I found it great fun and hope to do another one before I go back to WCs It’s totally abstract and a relief from what I was doing, with LOTS of COLOR! I always enjoy Wednesdays when I get your weekly blogs and it’s so nice to see a few different ones like these!
PS I feel these ‘diversions’ are excellent ‘refreshers’!
Hi Margery and thanks for this – I quite understand about ‘diversions’ being excellent refreshers. It’s a little bit how I feel about the DIY I’m having to do at the moment! Hopefully I’ll return to my painting with renewed vigour and enthusiasm (well we can but hope!)
Wishful thinking.
Volcanic tantrum.
Putting paint and words to paper.
Well done.
Last night I posted – now lost – to say have a great holiday and make sure you take enough source photos to keep you going for a few more lock-downs. I also said I was too hot to write any more. This morning it’s much cooler and pouring with rain but I’m still not going to write any more…
Have a nice holiday and make sure you take a lot of source photos to see you through the coming year or two! I’m too hot to write any more…
Hi Rob and thanks for this! Expect to see lots of wet and thundery watercolours in the year ahead then! It’s been stifling of late hasn’t it! Far too hot for me to be able to lift a brush!
Great paintings. 👍
Hi Jean and thanks so much for this – much appreciated!
Love those palms, John! and yes, I hear you about desperately wanting a holiday! Hope you get some awesome weather for your camping trip – Enjoy!
Thanks so much Hilda – hope you also manage to get a holiday/break of some sort too!