Same, Same but different- Explore three ways

This week I focused on landscapes.  Once again using on my surname Lane, with each artwork to depict a Laneway. The thought behind this challenge is my personal journey through life. The laneway of my life has not always be bright and cheerful and a straight clear road.  Through my life there has been many cross roads, hard decisions and hard times.

My first drawing was influenced by Vincent Van Gough early pieces, where he showed a fascination for the creepy, eerie forms seen in some old trees. he seems to be exploring the trees form, which is heightened by their bleak and barren background (The Eclectic Light Company, 12th November 2015).

My second piece was influenced by both the cubism style of by Georges Braque and the landscapes that are simple and rich in coloured of Ted Harrison’s.

The cubism movement in art began in France in 1907 that is characterised by the use of geometric planes and shapes. The consist of interlocking shapes and geometric planes are examples of cubism.   This painting prompted art critic Louis Vauxcelles to mock it as being composed of cubes which led to the name of the movement (Chilvers and Glaves-Smith, 2009).  Cubism marked a major turning point in the whole evolution of modernist art. Above is an excellent example of cubism by Georges Braque.

Ted Harrison’s style of the landscape is simple and rich in colours. Ted’s art depicts beautiful nature to make it look colourful and vibrant. The use of vibrant balanced colours aim to take the viewer to a world of happiness and joy (Lil Creative Kids, August 9, 2016). The paint is flat and plain. This is a technique that I have personally not mastered.

The third piece was influenced by David Hockney and Grace Cossington Smith.

Hockney paints each scene in vivid colours: spring dominated by the season’s abundant greens and yellows. Hockney’s demonstrates his fascination with examining the same place at different times of the day and the year (Curiator, 2016). Relevant for this challenge same, yet different. I like how he used in this painting the different tones of the same colour to highlight details and how the road is the focus of the painting.

Grace Cossington Smith was an Australian artist and pioneer of modernist painting in Australia and was instrumental in introducing Post-Impressionism (Hart, 2005).  This painting show the olive green and sienna colours of the Australian bush, depicted in a style where the brush strokes are visible, made up of many similar colours. I have tried to consider the use of blending shades of colour to add depth, detail and texture like that displayed in the above painting. 

Number 1: Lead Drawing

This drawing is to symbolise some of the hard decisions in my life during some dark times. I have tried to bring in the eerier and creepy elements in Vincent van Gogh’s earlier pieces by experimenting with the dramatic effect and contrast of the black on white and all the shades of grey.  I focused on capturing shadows and have even tried to make the shadow of the tree to depict a hand reaching out over the ground and over the pathway.  The mountain and the rocks are close to the road.

On reflecting on this drawing, it is important for me to recognise the past, as it has helped to shape the person I am today.

Number 2: Painting

My 2nd piece is a painting and experimenting using cubist landscape on one side and a a simple almost childlike version on the other side. The idea of this piece (which I don’t think is clearly highlighted) is that anyone journey can be both jaggered and forever changing or smooth and straight. Both are part of the same road, it all depends on how you look at life and at times things outside of ones control. The cool colours are the mountains and grass and the warm colour is the laneway and the sun.
I experimented with cubism on one side of the painting, and aimed to contrast with smooth and simple on the other. However, I don’t think this was effective. My 6-year-old daughter told me that my painting is of a volcano. I can see why she thinks this. I need to practice my painting skills.

Number 3: Coloured Drawing

The aim of this drawing was to contrast with the first piece. Instead of dark, this pictures aim was to be bright and cheerful. The laneway is coloured like the yellow brick road, or the golden path. This is to represent a course of action taken believing that it will lead to good things.
The mountains are in the background far away. The road is clear heading in the one direction. The trees are alive and full of life, with a wispy non-threatening shadow. A chair waits for a passer-by to take time to rest. I have focused on trying to blend different colours to give texture and more detail to the tree trunk, the mountain and int bright green grass.

References:
Chilvers, Ian; Glaves-Smith, John. (2009). A Dictionary of Modern and Contemporary Art. Oxford University Press.
Curiator. (13th August, 2016). Late Spring Tunnel, May 2006 by David Hockney. Retrieved 27th March 2019 from: https://curiator.com/art/david-hockney/late-spring-tunnel-may-2006
James, B., Grace Cossington Smith, Craftsman House, Sydney, 1990, p. 111.

Hart, D. (2005). Grace Cossington Smith, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
The Eclectic Light Company. (12th November, 2015). Trees in the landscape: 5. Vincent van Gogh and swirling cypresses. Retrieved 26th March 2019 from https://eclecticlight.co/2015/11/12/trees-in-the-landscape-5-vincent-van-gogh-and-swirling-cypresses/

Lil Creative Kids. (August 9, 2016). Ted Harrison’s Style of Landscape. Retrieved 26th March 2019 from: http://www.lilcreativekids.com/ted-harrisons-style-landscape/