Amazing paintings. (1 Viewer)

Paul S. Hartley

Well-known member

• Aug 21, 2008

• #1

Hello,

I recently posted a link to some of the artwork by Ron Kingswood, an artist I admire greatly for his strong compositions and novel use of space. It occurred to me that many of you will have favorite artworks by artists old and new, well known and obscure.

It would be very helpful to open up a discussion regarding why a particular piece of work affects you so much - maybe the composition, colours, the species, the posture, the place etc...

Obviously we would need to see the picture or have a link to it.

So to start things off (hopefully):
I propose 'The Clearing' by Ron Kingswood see http://rosefredrick.com/Clearing_painting.html

This is an amazing painting which I love for its apparent simplicity. The composition is bold, stark, deliberately imbalanced and very successful. The eye is drawn to the bird and there is nothing to distract except the openness of the cold landscape. The solid dark shape reminds you that nature is an abstract form, full of bleak mystery and wonder.
Although this is not a 'view down the 'scope' for even through the 'bins it retains intimacy. For me, the picture evokes that sense of 'first sighting' we are all familiar with.

Id love to hear from anyone else with a favorite painting. And if Ron Kingswood is reading this - Ill send you my address so you can forward me the picture for Christmas!!

Hope to hear from some of you soon.

Paul H.

 

timwootton

Well-known member

• Aug 22, 2008

• #2

Here's my favourite painting (wildlife, anyway). I remember first seeing it in Birds, I think and wondering how on earth anyone could make such a simple scene so intriguingly beautiful. . . a couple of decades on and I still think the same.

 

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Dave B Smith

Well-known member

• Aug 23, 2008

• #3

Tim,
I've also seen that painting (or one very similar) and found it incredibly beautiful with its very quiet tones.

 

Paul S. Hartley

Well-known member

• Aug 23, 2008

• #4

Hi Tim,

That is a particularly sensitive painting - the vegetation is handled brilliantly; who was the artist? Lars Johnsson? I particularly like the wonderful contrast between the warm sienna of the snipe and the blues of the autumnal / wintry environment.

Paul H.

 

timwootton

Well-known member

• Aug 23, 2008

• #5

Sorry - of course I should have said. Lars Jonsson.

 

peter mathios

Well-known member

• Aug 23, 2008

• #6

I honestly don't know if I could pick one favorite, but here is one that sticks out. I may post a couple of times as I think of more...

 

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EliS

Well-known member

• Aug 23, 2008

• #7

Cannot sleep. So why not search for amazing paintings? So far managed to re-find a wonderful piece of an magellan goose by Chris Bacon. There's something delicate and intiquing in the piece. The goose seems so vulnerable - and real. Not to mention the beautiful light, limited colors and the relaxed pose of the bird.

http://www.chrisbacon.com/images/w_Light Waves.jpg

Elina

 

christineredgate

Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th

• Aug 23, 2008

• #8

Yes,Tim,your shot posted ,a Snipe?,is just perfect.I went to our local art exhibition last night,and saw a couple of lovely bird paintings by members of the local art group.Perhaps one could look around nearer to home.

 

Woody

Well-known member

• Aug 23, 2008

• #9

Ooh, tricky. I'll have to think about that one as there are so many.

Mike

 

dantheman

Bah humbug

• Aug 23, 2008

• #10

christineredgate said:

. . . your shot posted ,a Snipe?,is just perfect.

Click to expand...

(. . Woodcock. :t: ). And pretty cool . . in a very warm kind of way.

Paul S. Hartley said:

Obviously we would need to see the picture or have a link to it.

So to start things off (hopefully):
I propose 'The Clearing' by Ron Kingswood see http://rosefredrick.com/Clearing_painting.html

This is an amazing painting which I love for its apparent simplicity. .

Click to expand...

Very stark. Like the environment itself I guess. Evokes the scene well in its simplicity. 'Modern Art' involving wildlife, why can't the rest of them try it!

 

peter mathios

Well-known member

• Aug 24, 2008

• #11

Here is another by the aforementioned Lars Jonsson. It's similar to the Bateman I posted, but something just gets to me about low light and waterfowl. Maybe I'm cheating by posting more than one, but this is a fun topic and I can't wait to see what other people post.

 

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Paul S. Hartley

Well-known member

• Aug 24, 2008

• #12

Oops - Lord knows why I thought that was a snipe in the Lars Johnsson painting! The Chris Bacon painting of the Megallan Goose is exquisite, the light is brilliant - almost Biblical! Im not familiar with Chris Bacon's work - I will look out for more. Many thanks Elina.

Paul H.

 

jomo

Well-known member

• Aug 24, 2008

• #13

I'll second the goose, Elina. Bacon's my absolute fave -- he posted a study on his site recently, similar idea, of a peep and its shadow, brilliant! I went to a show of his last fall, spent hours with my nose inches from the wall and still couldn't figure out how the 'ell he does it! He and Jonsson both, masterful with light.

I've got two to post. The first, a simple piece by Thomas Anderson -- more detailed than his usually somewhat stylized work, but it was one that I just couldn't stop looking at for weeks. There's something about the abstractness of the heron and its black and white markings, with that one red eye peering out (one of my all time favourite bird renderings). The second need not be this specific piece, as pretty well anything at all from Jim Morgan would do, but it showcases his ability to render sunlight on snow as no one else can.

 

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Strandman

Well-known member

• Aug 25, 2008

• #14

Striking how all of the faves on this thread show such restrained use of colour- yet birds themselves carry so much colour.

I'm a bit leary of scanning published work, but I guess at this resolution and in this thread its fairly for the purposes of criticism and review. Here's my all time favourite- often with an Ennnion its the originality and ambition of the original idea that sets it apart, even before pencil has touched paper. But then there's the composition, the drawing- those birds top right are so sophisticated and bear in mind he was operating in the pre-digipic age. Then there's the colouring. Rich but restrained...

 

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EliS

Well-known member

• Aug 25, 2008

• #15

Jomo - it was from one of your posts actually from which I found Chris Bacon. It was quite honestly love at first sight when I opened that web page and saw the amazing way in which he renderes detail and light.

Love that night heron. Just look at that eye. And the Jonsson's woodcock. Achingly beaufitul.

That Ennion piece is amazing. Never seen such behaviour by waders (with the exception of phalaropes).

Great thread. Such a joy to see other people's favorite pieces of art.

Elina

 

Paul S. Hartley

Well-known member

• Aug 25, 2008

• #16

Ed K - thats a truly amazing painting and many thanks for posting it. I love Eric Ennion's work and it you make an important point about the era he was working in. Ive never seen this picture before - its classic. How can anyone get that many birds so right?

You also make a great point about the subdued colours used by these great artists. Im going to see if I can find something really gaudy over the next few days!

Paul H.

 

nickderry

C'est pas ma faute, je suis anglais.

• Aug 27, 2008

• #17

haha, glad you got there first Ed, saved me scanning it myself - that was the one that sprang to mind straight away for me!