"When I look at paintings I am not sure what I am looking at."; a comment I have often encountered from all sorts of different people over the years.
As a professional artist who has looked at paintings for decades I thought it an idea to address this with an art appreciation group by presenting and explaining some of the ways paintings are created and also how artists think. I hope in so doing to introduce things for people to consider when looking at art beyond just the image depicted.
Of course the whole thing is very subjective, so it would be good in time, once everyone has gained the confidence to voice their own preferences, that we can discuss various paintings from all periods much the way a book club group discusses a selection of chosen books. This is not though intended to be an art history group.
As I am away from Hawkhurst quite frequently the meetings will have to be on an ad hoc basis. In the times I am away I will leave the group with a selection of paintings to look at that I will talk about at the following meeting. I will try to find time after the meetings to send out an illustrated précis of the talk to everyone, so missing a meeting will not be an irretrievable loss.
When: 1st Monday at 14.30 (Contact Group Leader to confirm).
