Friday, June 12, 2015

Scenes from an Exhibition

Not proud of myself that I completely baled out of my commitment to draw Every Day in May last month, but you'll be pleased to know (I hope) that it succeeded in making me realise what it was I really wanted to be doing. So I've spent the last couple of weeks with canvases, brushes and paint, and though I don't really want to talk about it yet, I am happy that the ball is kind of bumpily rolling in that direction - I'll show you when there's something finished and worth showing. 

In the meantime, the sketchers were invited to the Rotary Art Festival at the upmarket shopping centre of Hyde Park over three of the ten days that it was on for. Loads of artists exhibiting over three floors, life drawing, painting and printmaking demos, restaurants and viewing public, there was plenty to sketch. I think next time, if there is one, we should have an Urban Sketching display with explanations of what we try to do, as we attracted some quizzical and suspicious looks.
This was a group of exhibiting artists having what looked like a very entertaining lunch
 And some unsuspecting patrons at the same restaurant
where some very busy waiters were the next victims
We sat up on the top floor looking down at more restaurants and some of the people milling around the exhibition. Then an attempt to catch in colour people as they stood on the escalator coming up. Those things go much faster than you think, and everyone looks up startled to see eyes fixed upon them, so it was short-lived!


6 comments:

Polly Birchall said...

What brilliant work! Don't be hard on yourself, we all have a life as well as art.

RH Carpenter said...

Sometimes these challenges put to much pressure on!! So don't worry - glad to see these and I do hope you urban sketchers have a space of your own next time, you may gain some new members. Funny about the people on the escalator looking up and being concerned about being drawn! ha ha I guess I would have the same reaction at first and then I'd ask the person what they were doing and I'd want to see their work :) Can't wait to see what you are up to with paint, canvas, etc...

Cathy Gatland said...

Thanks Polly, trying to fit life around art at the moment - it was the other way around for so long!
Not sure when I'll post the painting activities Rhonda, it seems the more I talk about it, the less I do - and is scarier somehow than these quick sketches. The artist group and the waiters came over to see what we'd been doing in this venue, everyone else rather disconcerted or unaware!

Sadami said...

Brilliant sketches! Congrats, Cathy on EDiM!! Just I collected my work from Woman's art prize yesterday. Ahahaha, I perfectly understand your situation and me, too, sketched people an opening. I love your sketches of people. They are so lovely that convey a mood very well. I look forward to your next sketches and a post! Btw, do you swim now? Cheers, wink, wink, Sadami

Lois said...

Wonderful sketches with lots of character and movement!

Cathy said...

I love your colourfu silhouettes on the escalator!!
Yes, it would be great to have some kind of display on Urban Sketching! I'm sure people would be delighted to hear about it and see what we produce. Every time I talk about it people are very interested.
What a super sketching session you had at that Art festival! Thanks for sharing!
Can't wait to see what you are painting!