'City of Glass 9- Fiction & Fact' - latest

Frustration!- this is so difficult to see.  I was hoping to be in a larger studio but it hasn't worked out.
Nevertheless, this is exciting challenging stuff trying to make this work as a diptych and read as an open book.  There is a beautiful symmetry and linkage between the curves of Riverside Park on the left painting and the curves of the east side of Manhattan in the right painting. The line where the 2 paintings join is so powerful. The piece needs a building, a Tower of Babel- there is the suggestion of one, with the ziggurat shape in the left painting but I might make more of it. The large tall vertical on the right side of the left painting represents Central Park but I'm thinking of introducing a similar sized block up the left side of the right painting so that the blocks read as the Twin Towers, exquisitly divided by the physical divide of the paintings. The painting needs a strong unifying horizontal- I'll make the pink horizontal of W100St pop up from behind the towers and either cut across Manhattan in the right painting or go behind, cutting the space and de-flattening the painting.  The pink dot is no longer an issue- it is an incident in the whole. The lines of dots/perforations will work better when they are more regular and properly lined up.

Still have the option to split the piece into 2 paintings- would welcome any comments about how it's working as diptych (or not)

'City of Glass' Series at Modern Artists Gallery, Reading

2nd February - 16th March 2013

 

 

 



 

If you missed the chance to see the 'City of Glass' series in London, the first 8 paintings in the series are now showing at the Modern Artists Gallery until 16th March. The gallery is in a beautiful spot at Whitchurch-on -Thames, not far from Reading and a close drive from the M4. http://www.modernartistsgallery.com/index.php

 



'City of Glass 8'- The Red Notebook' (& Penzance 9)

 

  

Ashley is now back in the studio working on the 9th painting in the series. No doubt there will be big changes this week - please keep the pink dot on the left! See post below.  We are still trying to contact Paul Auster, the author of 'City of Glass', anyone have any suggestions, or even better an email address?!!

 

A big thank-you to the gallery director Peggy Brodie who has championed Ashley's work over the years.

 

 

 

'City of Glass 9 (Fiction & Fact)' - work in progress

 

The painting is getting closer after a week in the studio but the balance is not right yet between freedom and control. There is not enough range in the paint, not enough movement or precision.  At this stage, the idea- finding the letters of T..H..E..T..O..W..E..R..O..F..B..A..B..E..L..in the streetmap of New York- is stronger than the execution.  I found my 'R' at last! I do like the spaces towards the edges though, flanking Manhattan. Not sure about the palette either- for the first time in many years in places I have used a tube-black instead of my own mix and those areas seem a bit dead. I'll put a coloured glaze on top and also use a glaze to break down and soften the edge around Manhattan.  There is also the problem of familiarity/similarity but I am sure this will go away when I work the on the the left side of the diptch -(the 'fiction' side, with the letters formed by Stillman's walks in the novel)  The piece will read as an opened book, fiction and fact side by side.

 

It is a curious phenomena- the painting looks stronger online than in reality.

Just Released - Our Painting Holidays for 2013

 Following 2 highly successful holidays in 2012, we are delighted to announce our Painting Holidays/Courses for 2013.

15 - 20 April & 23 - 28 Sep 2013

 

The concept remains the same, a unique opportunity to work with Ashley spending 2 days  on location in Cornwall’s stunning coastal landscape followed by 2 full days developing the painting’s and ideas further in a studio set in a sleepy village high on Bodmin Moor.

 

 

 Prices start from £360 and include:

• 5 nights accommodation
• 4 full days tuition
• 1 to 1 tuition
• Group critiques
• All lunches
• Ferry trip to Polruan
• Celebratory evening meal

 

'The Artist 'magazine February 2013 edition, features 'In Conversation with Artist Ashley Hanson',  see link for editorial  http://www.painters-online.co.uk/Features/In-Conversation-with-Artist-Ashley-Hanson/_ft344_mg13

  

 ‘Ashley’s concern as an artist and teacher, is to unleash the emotional response to the subject matter that enables the painter to take risks, discover a ‘personal colour palette that excites’, and to provide the fresh vision of Britain’s natural beauty that places him within the long tradition set by the masters of the landscape genre.’

Quoted from February 2013 edition of ‘The Artist’ magazine by editor Dr Sally Bulgin

 

 

New for 2013

 

• More cottages - giving lots of accommodation options depending on your budget. Hire your own cottage, get together with a group of friends or make new friends sharing a cottage.

• Option to go on the course and source your own accommodation if you prefer.

• Non particpants welcome.

To Book or for More Information:

Contact denise@ashleyhanson.co.uk or call 01208 77656

See also www.ashleyhanson.co.uk for detailed information

 

Limited to 16 places, book early to guarantee your place.

 

 

Comments from our Previous Holidays

Thank-you so much, both of you. Ashley is a very good tutor and such an enthusiast that it is completely contagious. I am buzzing with picture to paint in my head, like I never had before...it is almost a waste of time to sleep! You were both so generous with your time and care...very memorable and can’t wait to come down to Cornwall again!

Jane Crane September 2012

 

Thanks to this experience I have been jettisoned into a new confidence about myself and my work and I know I shall be doing more painting in the future. My abstract has been hung in our living room by my husband, who wouldn’t hang anything up in our room if he didn’t like it.....so it must be good!

Susan Emms April 2012

 

I didn’t know what to expect—but I have been delighted that it lived up to its title ‘Freedom in Painting’ - suggesting that the painting comes first, it dictates the subject matter. Its been very useful for ideas for future work. Ashley’s a very passionate, selfless teacher. He tries to get into the mindset of each student and find out what they want to achieve. He really gives of himself. Excellent.

Kate Newington April 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas from Ashley & Denise

We would like to say a BIG thank-you to all of you who have supported us in the last year, come along to the workshops, painting holidays and exhibitions and also to those of you who have followed Ashley in his most successful year to date.

Our last 2 workshops were very well received . From the feedback of  the 'Drawing & Painting the Life Model' workshop, it seems that everyone enjoyed the experience and would like to do something similar soon: we have St Breward Village Hall booked for Sat 23 Feb & Sat 1st March, so pencil in the dates, more details to follow early in the New Year!

 

Painting by Hunter Graham

Ashley's most recent 'Freedom in Painting ' workshop in Canterbury Christchurch University was once again a full house with 16 artists. The workshop began with explorations into colour and as always there were a new set of challenges.




Colour & Balance Explorations taken by Claire

This time everyone was asked to think about the word 'Libra' in advance of the workshop as a means of investigating the idea of balance/imbalance in painting. Everone worked really hard and some interesting work emerged by the end of the second day. Here are some shots of some of the paintings in progress.



Photo by Claire Bliss














 




Painting by Rosemary Graham

Painting by Catriona Campbell



Next year's Holiday/Course' Freedom in Painting in the Cornish Coastal Landscape' to be released vey soon, watch this space!

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year with best wishes from Ashley and Denise.

The Discerning Eye and Next Workshop Update

Ashley was delighted to have 'Charlestown 7' selected for the prestigious ING Discerning Eye exhibition. Six judges, a combination of Artists, Collectors and Art Critic's were invited to make individual selections for this exhibition. Each group of work is hung separately giving the impression of six individual exhibitions. Ashley's painting was chosen by Gerald Walker, CEO ING Commercial Banking UK, Ireland and Middle East.

 

The show continues at the Mall Galleries, London until 25th November.

See link for more details http://www.discerningeye.org/exhibition/intro/intro.php

 



Ashley will be hosting his popular 'Freedom in Painting' workshop once again at Canterbury Christchurch University Mon-Tues, 17- 18th Dec 2012.

 

Bring an open mind, explore the language of colour and the possibilities in painting. Ashley will endeavour to challenge and inspire you with his expertise of colour, oil paints, technique, mark-making and composition. His aim is to help you take your painting further and find your own ‘Freedom in Painting’. Ashley always has something new and inspirational to offer. This workshop is suitable for students and artists with some experience in painting.

 

Some comments from students on his last Canterbury workshop:

 

"Thank you for your time, patience and marvellous guidance over the last couple of days in Canterbury. Really helpful and great ambeince too."

Margaret Anderson

 

"Thanks to Ashley I had the confidence to enter the painting that I produced at his workshop into Whitstable's A1 Open Art exhibition" http://bit.ly/Na5IJc

Catriona Campbell

 

"I usually work using a lot of detail, this course helped to loosen up my style and helped me to approach painting from a different angle"

Wendy Buckland

 

 

TO BOOK OR FOR MORE DETAILS Email denise@ashleyhanson.co.uk or call 01208 77656

Photo's of PV at Canvas and Cream Prize Winning Show

Thanks to everyone who came along to the PV of 'Landscape in Flux'.
A great turn out, a great evening  and a terrific show! It was very exciting to see all the paintings from the 'City of Glass' series together for the first time . 




Ashley and Susan

'Graft ii' and 'Graft i' by Susan Eyre 

 

My fellow prizewinner Susan Eyre's work is both exquiste and enigmatic and although our approaches to landscape are very different, the work complimented each other.

 

 

 

Thank you to everyone for your positive feedback and a special thank-you to Joanna and the team for all their hard work in putting the show together.

 

 

'City of Glass 5 (Truthville), and City of Glass 4 (Hope Falls, hope falls...)

Gallery Shot

 

'City of Glass 8' and 'City of Glass 7''

The show continues until 20 Nov, Thurs - Sun open 10am - 5pm

See link for more details http://www.canvasandcream.com/events/landscape-in-flux-canvas-cream-art-prize-winners-susan-eyre-and-ashley-hanson/