"At The Souq" ( Unfinished ).
The beginning of a collection of paintings.
When a Private Preview approaches no matter how large or small the event I usually find it very hard to settle. With so much on my mind with a cottage renovation I feel my imagination is all over the place at the moment when it comes to painting.
Last night I took a large piece of watercolour paper and covered it with a blue wash for a sky. Then I started adding violet mountains on the upper right corner. I had a wonderful vision of Scottish highlands and thought of a friend who loves painting skies. It had been such a busy day and the sun had shone all morning. I had looked at the light hitting my English countryside surroundings and thought of how soft it was compared to the light I witnessed when living in Dubai or visiting Morocco. I thought of the hustle and bustle of market scenes we had witnessed from travelling all over the world.
I looked at my quiet blue violet wash . I couldn't resist my next action. I literally loaded my brush with vibrant sunshine shades and threw the pigment at the paper watching bursts of vibrant red and gold push the cool colours out of the way. The effect was incredible. In front of my eyes magic happened as the peaceful Scottish lake scene immediately turned into a busy market scene. I could sense the ochre buildings half hidden by stalls with make shift ancient coverings. I imagined people sat on the ground displaying wares hoping passers by would stop to buy. I longed to be there. To take in the aroma of herbs and spices once more.
I could see ladies dressed in abayas enjoying the day and casually strolling through the narrow souq lanes. In the distance I could easily depict men in white dish dash making decisions of the day. I imagined the sounds and feeling of life where ever you looked.
All that is left of the initial scottish highlands is a small section of purple and blue which now could be buildings behind the market scene. You may notice them if you look at the above image. The normally black abayas are hit by strong sunlight turning them into glowing reds and golds. The scene is full of life,energy and a sense of movement.
Without even trying to add detail faces are already appearing in the distance and fugures also.
Abstract figures and "ghosts" of people not there but appearing in the distance.
Can you see the young arab boy in white on the left in the above close up of my souq scene? Or the face of the arab gentleman on the far right looking down at his hands? He is almost disappearing off the edge of the paper.
Magic can happen when we pick up a brush. Here I turned away from a simple landscape to a market in a hot country at the simple change of direction in colour placement.
Our imagination is a wonderful gift.
We all see so differently and where I see figures others may simply see colour or nothing at all.
In spirit I am in Dubai but in a heartbeat I could be anywhere in the world.
All via my brush.
Wonderful isn't it!
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