Saturday, March 27, 2010

Can you help me to choose two for the RA selection committee?

Okay, here we are. I have quite a few paintings but have decided to include just five. Out of the five, three have to be discarded...but which three?

I think these have been on my blog before but in an unfinished state and to be honest, the others are either not quite finished or not as good as these.

I've reworked this entire painting...trees, tables, foreground, removed lettering, putting two people back in (romance), the background less white...the whole thing much looser and a lot warmer and sun-kissed.

Completely re-painted the background of this 30"x24" to be indistinct...also the boats and foreground.

I sold the original 15"x15"of this one but decided to paint another but just the boat and a different size. I got the idea when I cropped it to use as my blog banner. This one is a lot bigger at 24"x18". It's a bit dull here. The colours are more vibrant in the flesh so to speak.

I've done a lot of work with this one to make the figures noticeable but very loose. I love the lack of detail.
I've re-worked this 24"x24", the foreground, people and other bits...


The other paintings will appear here each week as I finish them to satisfaction.

Thanks for your help!

19 comments:

  1. My vote is for the first two. I am certainly no trained art critic, but I enjoy paintings that inspire me to step inside and become a part of the scenery. The first two especially do that for me. I want to sit at one of those sidewalk tables and feel the sun through the trees. I also want to splash barefoot in the water near the boats and follow that water trail to see where it goes.

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  2. Oh Ken, this is going to be very hard for you to decide on, because I can't say which is better from a judge's point of view. I can tell you which I like the most - the second and the fourth one - but that does not mean that the others are not good, just that my particular likes were those.

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  3. Hi Randi
    The two people at the tables were actually there and we sat by them to rest our weary feet from a long hard walk around Paris. We wanted to dodge the Sun really, and the dappling through the trees was a lovely sight and feeling.

    Hi FF
    Thanks! I like the fourth myself. It's a bit bland here, but looks quite sharp and busy in reality. The scene was of the Tuilleries in Paris (not quite sure how it's spelt) and I particularly like the lack of detail.

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  4. Randi...I forgot to say that on the second painting (Cornwall) Bev and the Flinns were waiting for me to take the photos of the beached boats and although I would have liked to have splashed barefoot around them, in reality I was jumping over the water bits in my best trainers trying to keep my feet dry. Perhaps next time!

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  5. I liked the second one, Ken. Loved the way those boats had a sort of drunken lean to them, as if they are saying 'Gosh, so glad to have a rest'. Also like the fourth. So light, and vibrant, reflecting the busyness of that place. I could feel the energy of the people.
    So well done you.

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  6. I know nothing about art except what I like and I like number 4 then number 1.
    The others are all great too but that would be my choice of the best.
    Good luck.

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  8. Ken,
    I want to say that #1 and #2 are very much my favorites, appealing to me for much the same reasons they appeal to Randi. What would move #4 into the top spot for me is some point of detail to focus on. Joan, on the other hand, likes #4 best, precisely for its lack of detail. #5 is her second choice. (And she's the painter in the family.)

    smiles,
    rb

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  9. I came back for a second look and clicked on the pictures - hoping to enlarge them. Shame that I couldn't. You really do have a talent, Ken, and I hope that one day you can be doing this full time professionally (as in earn your crust from it, not that you are not painting professionally already - if that makes sense)

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  10. Hi Ken, beautiful art. I would say number 1 and 2, what a shame you cannot take all of them. Best wishes Blu.

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  11. Bonjour Ken,

    Je ne m'y connais pas beaucoup en art mais je préfère les tableaux 1 et 2. Philippe, mon fils,préfère les tableaux 2 et 5. De toute façon ils sont tous très beaux.
    Amitiés, à bientot en France.
    Marie-José

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  12. Hi Everyone
    Thank you so much for casting your votes. So far no.1 has 5; no.2 has 7; no.4 has 4 and no.5 has 2.
    Tomorrow I'll count up the rest of the family votes and let everyone know what's going.

    Bonjour Marie-José, it's so nice to hear from you again. It sounds like Philippe is home again...has it really been that long? I look forward to hearing all about it.

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  13. Really hope this isn't too late to count, Ken, but my favourites (what do I know?!) are nos 1 and 4 - especially 4. It's so restful, even though it's such a busy scene. But they are all amazing - I'm always in awe of your work.

    Jo x

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  14. Just in time Jo.
    I'm just about to count up.

    You are way too kind.

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  15. The Cornish boats are 1st and remind me of many happy hours at sea off the South coast of Britain
    and painting No 1 takes me back to St Jean Du Mont in the Vendee this painting captures the essence of French way of life. 2nd I like the others as works of art and I think you have a lot of talent and I hope your dreams come true, good luck for the future Ken

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  16. Hi John
    Thanks for your comments. I'm at work at the moment but will add a few more words during break. Good to hear from you.

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  17. John,am I right in saying that when you left RAAS you went to sea? Weren't you also looking at a French property?

    I'm going to have a last attempt to get Nigel Grainger and Percy Mason to a school reunion next year. Would you be up for it...considering I haven't seen you since 1968?

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  18. Too late now, but I love numbers 1 and 4.

    =)

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  19. A perfect choice Sue. Let's hope the judges think so too. Thanks for taking the time to drop by.

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