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That elusive 3 %

Artist to Artist ~

Surprise, Hermione 24.10.17
Surprise, Hermione 24.10.17

last 3 % ~ found it for “Surprise ! Hermione”.

The #Hermione painting is an imaginative interpretation, not an exact study. so here is the updated picture, enjoy.
Artist to Artist, responding to my special friend of many years, David Folley, in his own right an artist of extraordinary talents and knowledge, wrote to me about “Surprise ! Hermione”.

Something I did not realise until this morning is just how rare my “Nelson and Trafalgar Collection” is.

It is an unrepeatable collection, I can never pass that way again and whe are in the extraordinary situation of having the core of the collection intact, unsold except for 2 paintings.

I suddenly realised what a unique opportunity this Nelson and Trafalgar Collection  offers serious collectors and investors.

I thought David Folley’s comments sufficiently provocative, along with my revealing response, to be worth sharing here and on my blog as of general interest and particularly interesting for some of my fellow artists who follow these posts, who may also wish to contribute to this subject at the heart of which is a question all artists ask themselves, “When is a painting finished?”

A confession, in the case of “Surprise ! Hermione”, I have been feeling very anxious about the result.

I’ve tried to push my limits to their limits and beyond, as I often do, in this instance including by boldly using colours I find ‘difficult’ because of my daltonian plus eyesight.
Thus a big thank you to one and all who have ‘like’d this painting and to those who have commented.
I’m quite surprised “Surprise ! Hermione” has been so acclaimed; the audience is just as important as the artist, thank you one and all.

I was very surprised when last night a friend and colleague for whom I have the highest respect, wrote to me  “Surprise! Hermione” – Love it!!!!!!! Real atmosphere – love the gun blazing as it clears the smoke and the energy of it cutting free of the shroud. Awesome! – you have outdone yourself again!
I was also impressed by the accurate assessment of the ‘action’, weather, wind, ship’s course, by Chris Fagg; at that point I began to think just maybe I was getting “Surprise ! Hermione” ‘right’.

Surprise ! Hermione, detail 24.10.17
Surprise ! Hermione, detail 24.10.17

David Folley wrote : “You know my feelings on that 3% you keep searching for! If this image is your 97% that’s it mate… job done! Search no more on this one. I believe this to be your most painterly marine work to date; working within the French landscape has broaden your brushes calligraphy and enabled you to create an extraordinary expressively charged painting which I’m sure will be quickly snapped up by your dedicated crew of collectors. All I can say, great job and looking forward to the next expressive marine painting rendered in the same manner“.
My reply is ~
I suppose in a way that searching for the often illusive last 3 % is built into me, compulsive and in part but by no means exclusively, a Jewish characteristic.
To me it is as important in it’s way as the first search, for the ideas, objectives and inspirational vision that leads to a new painting.
I find the last 3 % can be as spontaneous as simply pausing and making an instant picture or as difficult as trying to find odd socks ~ odd socks, the humour and profundity of odd socks, that being a subject much discussed with among others and in particular, my fellow painter Linda Winter and her man, Michael Baker.
This is built into me as part of my own insecurities; which I try to turn to my advantage, the old British thing, the steady ‘Thin Red Line’, looking fragile yet unbreakable, never accepting defeat.
I’m not looking for perfection, just the best job I can do in the time available.
Certainly as David Folley puts it, working within the French landscape has broadened your brushes calligraphy and enabled …”, my work over many years in and around The Painting School of Montmiral, lead by Francis Pratt, had enabled me to identify and begin to understand, to explore qualities in my painting in a manner few artists are able to.

There simply is no one else like Francis Pratt, nowhere else like his school in the picturesque, inspirational, hilltop bastide of Montmiral, ~ thank you Francis, mentor and friend.

Time methinks, has to be an important factor for any painting. When someone enquires about a commission my three first questions are about time ~ when do you want it, subject ~ do you know what you want, if not would you like me to guide you, and cost ~ do you have a budget in mind.
Some of you who read these posts known better than most people who see my work, know how concerned I am with my choice of colours.

Surprise ! Hermione, detail 24.10.17
Surprise ! Hermione, detail 24.10.17

This is in part because of the very odd colour experience my eyes give me.
All made more difficult as sometimes that last 3 % is very elusive, sometimes it is revealed, as in this instance with “Surprise ! #Hermione”, rephotographed here, quite quickly.