Falling into Autumn

Writing doesn’t come easy to me; I find it hard enough to share my paintings without having to talk about them. I’m the artist standing on my own watching others seemingly at ease chatting about their work. So, excuse me if my first attempt at blogging is clunky and awkward! 

As the season turns from Summer to Autumn, it’s not unusual to assess your life, your environment, work etc. Maybe it goes back to a new school year, maybe it’s the endless build up to Christmas or maybe it’s just a natural reaction to the changing light and temperature. 

My paintings have been full of light and shade, acid greens and myriad blues over Summer. The heavy skies and falling deciduous leaves change the way the world looks. The overhead sunlight and the deep violet shadows of Summer have gone, giving way to a diffused light. There is a wonderful line in Megan Henwood’s song ‘Painkiller’ - ‘underneath a silver mackerel sky’, which itself probably comes from Betjeman’s ‘Devonshire Street W.1’.  It’s a perfect description of leaden skies that hang over the countryside like the discoloured fleece of my dog’s blanket.  

Some days the sun makes an appearance but it’s slowly becoming the apathetic glow of Winter. We’re told that going outside is important, to ward off bugs and the gloom of poor mental health. When all you want to do is snuggle up with coffee and cake in front of a nostalgic film, it’s hard to feel motivated but I’m looking for the positives of the season. 

The technicolour leaves after the first chilly nights, the brilliance of a bright day after rain, the new glimpses of distant hills or houses hidden in Summer behind a cloak of green. The spirits that are free to roam in the darker days, bringing the thrill of traditional ghost stories told between now and New Year.  The warmth of the fire in a local pub, Sky Arts Portrait Artist on telly and snuggling with my dog on the sofa.