A Winter Window Of Summer Sun

Oil paintings by Marcel Gatteaux in the window of the Rowley Gallery throughout January, shining their warm colourful light on a cold grey Kensington Church Street. A winter window of summer sun. Continue reading “A Winter Window Of Summer Sun”

Frames of reference

Scenes From The Lives Of The Saints

A small collection of work by Chris Kenny in the window of The Rowley Gallery

Paintings in gouache and ink produced in Provence over the last five summers, each initiated by the biography of a saint, extending the Instagram @twigsaints project.

Constructions employing found materials – cut hardback book covers and twigs – that act as dynamic three-dimensional drawings provoking a range of associations without adhering to any explicit subject.

Chris Kenny has work in many collections including the British Museum, the V&A and the Museum of London. He is currently exhibiting at Mucem in Marseille.   Continue reading “Scenes From The Lives Of The Saints”

Frames of reference

The Colour Of Memory

The entrance to the Pierre Bonnard exhibition at Tate Modern is a portal through a giant detail reproduction taken from his painting The Garden of 1936. It’s perhaps his best painting. It’s the one that most draws me in, most like a garden itself with it’s abstract disposition of marks and colours, it reminds me of paintings by Patrick Heron and Gillian Ayres. And there are other paintings here that bring to mind Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Howard Hodgkin, David Hockney. But before all of that, we’re straightaway into a red gallery with ‘hot’ paintings of Bonnard’s mistress, full-frontal nudes and a post-coital bedroom scene. The gardening comes later. Continue reading “The Colour Of Memory”

Frames of reference

Remaking Landscape

We just received a wonderful gift in the post. A message from beyond the grave. Before his death in January last year, John Hubbard had been putting together what he liked to call his self-curated retrospective; a collection of images with commentaries from his diary gathered together in a book celebrating his lifelong devotion to painting. Remaking Landscape is a thing of beauty. Continue reading “Remaking Landscape”

Frames of reference

Livres De Poche

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Barjac brocante, hot day

Dear Chris, I’ve just got back from Le Gard & Ardèche. Here are some sketches from my trip. I bought some old Livres de Poche paperbacks and painted on the pages. I like the quality of the paper. Hoping all is well, good wishes, Chris. Continue reading “Livres De Poche”

Frames of reference

MuCEM

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Musée des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée

MuCEM was opened in 2013 as part of the Marseille Capital of European Culture celebrations. The museum is dedicated completely and totally to the Mediterranean, to its history, civilisations and its culture. It’s all about the life that has developed out of the Mediterranean from its earliest histories to the tensions and conflicts of our own time. Continue reading “MuCEM”

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Le Jardin des Fleurs de Poterie

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This summer we decided to drive to the south of France. My brother Anthony and his wife, who hails from Nice, my wife Criselda and I took two cars down to Gattières, a village perched overlooking the River Var, in the Alpes Maritimes. Catching the earliest Eurotunnel from Folkestone allowed for a leisurely drive through Northern France, Picardy and the Champagne region. We were heading for an overnight stay in Corps near the pilgrimage site of Our Lady of La Salette in the Alps, before continuing our drive on the Rue Napoleon through Grasse and on to Gattières. Continue reading “Le Jardin des Fleurs de Poterie”

Frames of reference

Arbres

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This beautifully balanced oak tree, poised like a signpost to everywhere, stands beside the D15 road from Gordes just before the village of Murs in the Vaucluse region of Provence. We discovered it last summer as a result of an earlier trip to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Continue reading “Arbres”

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Forêt Des Cèdres

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One day last August, looking to escape the heat of Provence, we found some welcome shade in the Cedar Forest on the Petit Luberon ridge above Bonnieux. The forest was planted in the 19th century to rehabilitate an area damaged by intensive grazing. I’m reminded of The Man Who Planted Trees though I’m sure this forest was not sown by just one man alone. Continue reading “Forêt Des Cèdres”

Frames of reference

Cicada

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In this bleak midwinter please excuse me while I indulge in a few holiday photos. Here’s a glass of light to brighten these dark days and to toast 2014. It’s from Rue Des Roues – the heat of Provence and the din of the ever present cicadas, like constant car alarms hidden in the trees. In France the cicada is called cigale and so is the local beer. Cicadas are difficult to see but after a few glasses of Bière des Cigales they’re easily spotted. Continue reading “Cicada”

Frames of reference