Well Tim it was wonderful to meet you last Fri evening at the opening of the SOC Exhibition. I returned the following day + spent time + space, looking at your works.
For those that have not had the good fortune to see Tim's work in the 'flesh' I thought that I would share my experience of the show.
The thing that I had not appreciated, having only viewed Tim's pieces here + on FB, was the scale of the pieces. At least half of the pieces must be around A1 size. Many of them are watercolour, which I was stunned by, as I can hardly control that medium on A4!!
There's an awesome oil of waxwings that caused quite a stir on the opening evening, people were amazed by the branch that appears as if it's actually growing out the canvas, an incredible achievement. A limited colour palette sets the waxwings of beautifully with the wee flecks of red + their defiant attitude being the real interest.
I loved the power in the charcoals + their frames just set them of beautifully. The 'tutorial' that Tim posted here of the shags on the rocks, is up + framed, quite stunning; you wonder how the birds can stand on those slippy rocks. There are further charcoals with crashing powerful waves + flying birds all viewed from the sea towards land. The charcaol expreses the cliff formations with such solidity + yet the waves are so fluid, quite amazing to have this powerful contrast.
As many of the pieces are quite large this really draws the viewer in + makes them feel part of the experience, you can almost hear the waves crashing, the terns screeching, eiders cooing, smell the seaweed + the thrift on that lovely warm early summers day.
There as a wonderful contrast of styles so there was something of interest for all tastes. Some of the pieces have a wee bit of blurb that Tim explained was particullarly relivant to that experience - the watercolour of the white gyr, stunning the wonderful pale colours contrasted so well with the purle of the heather but was still muted by the dry moorland grasses of late winter, or the balshy whitethroat which was in a bed of nettles + flowering thistles seeing of some warblers, these pieces are incredible, the size alone makes them powerful pieces but the fluidity of the watercolour just swishes the eye around + makes you smile without thinking.
Many of you will be familiar with Tim's sea birds but the pieces that made you look the most were of the wee birds, wrens skuttling through butterbur just caught in the light under the large leaves, yellow-browed warbler where you spotted the right hand bird thought that was the bird, only to discover as you spent time loking at the wonderful watercolour leaves that there's another wee bird over to the bottom left of the piece. As for the sharpie of the goldcrest - well words fail me + if I had a pic of it thats what I'd put here!!
I've always loved the sharpie pieces, but in real life, wow - their 'life' is infectious. The colours have a brightness that is as if they are all painted just after a shower of rain has passed, with a kind of freshnes you can almost smell, with that lovely bright light. Wonderful bright 'smiley' colour that sit so comfortably with the flowing black outline. These are generally smaller than A3 pieces. None the less they pack an exciting informal punch + tell the most wonderful stories.
There are some of Tim's fav subjects that I have not mentioned, the eiders which sit on water or rock + tempt you to join them. Wigeon all tucked up on the shore in the evening sunlight. Hares sitting beside golden plover in a spring field.
This was an exciting + invigorating exhibition, that if any of you have the chance to see is well worth a wee trip!!