I finished a first edit of the Winter Series video yesterday, so for those of you who haven’t yet heard the music that inspired the paintings, here it is!
Winter Series video – music and images
1 Reply
Tag Archives: winter landscapes
Winter Series preview
The Winter Series preview evening was wonderful – convivial, atmospheric, and I couldn’t have wished for more interesting and engaged attendees! There were many familiar faces and quite a few new. For my small studio space thirty people was quite a crowd, but it worked, so I’ll definitely be holding more of these.
Six of the series have now sold, so if you’re interested in buying you can see which are still available Here.
In a few days I’ll post the video of images and accompanying music so people can see the inspiration behind the paintings.
Also, see ‘About the Winter Series’ below for more info about inspiration behind the project and the images that inspired Atzi’s music compositions.
Because we wanted to keep the lighting atmospheric – just firelight, candles and few hidden lights, conditions for photos and films weren’t ideal. Also, so that people knew which painting the music corresponded to, I showed each painting on a computer screen while Atzi played. This meant my hands were busy with a remote clicker and I wasn’t free to take photos, but I’ve included a couple of blurry photos above and below to give an idea…
A huge thank you to everyone who showed up, what a lovely crowd and an enjoyable evening, I’ll be holding similar events every few months and look forward to those!
The open days continue until the 3rd Dec’. 12:30 to 6:30pm daily. All info on ‘Open Studio Events’ on menu at the top.
About the Winter Series …
Cello Atzi Muramatsu. Paintings Rose Strang.
The idea behind this collaboration was simple; twelve pieces of music inspired by winter, composed by Atzi Muramatsu, to which I’d respond with twelve paintings inspired by Atzi’s music.
We decided it would be more interesting if I had no knowledge of the specific ideas or images behind Atzi’s music, other than the theme of winter, which he’d reveal at the end (more on that below).
As we began to work on the series it proved to be a challenge – we’ve collaborated since 2013 but usually Atzi improvises music in response to my paintings, or we respond separately to a shared theme, so this was a new way of working.
Creating twelve completely new music compositions, then editing them down to two minutes each was quite an undertaking and commitment for Atzi, who was already working a full-time schedule. I found the series challenging because each piece of music is distinct, so I felt each painting had to be a new subject (usually I create variations on a visual theme). I could have made life easy by creating simple, quick sketches in response, but I wanted to immerse myself in the music and paintings, and hopefully create something quite different.
It was only towards the end, when I was putting the finishing touches on the last painting, and Atzi was making final tweaks on his music, that I began to see a story emerge in the paintings. Subjects in the paintings repeated – ice and snow of course but also home, fireplaces, storms, sun, moon, constellations and ships at sea. The images seemed archetypal.
Some years ago I took part in writing groups, where we learned about ‘The Hero’s Journey’ – the idea of twelve stages which, if applied to a story, lend it a form or drama we all recognise and respond to. At the time I was resistant to such a formulaic approach! But it chimed with my feeling about the paintings – the idea of a mysterious story behind the series. While some of Atzi’s music pieces felt formal or purely physical in inspiration – icy, stacatto, cold and spacious for example, others had a sense of drama, impetus and emotion.
I mentioned this to Atzi, who revealed that his source of inspiration had in fact been the forms of snowflakes observed under a microscope. Every snowflake has a unique crystal structure – he described how some appeared ugly or threatening, some like beautiful ice palaces, others reminscent of human forms. But although this was Atzi’s starting point, inspiration from his own life began to inform the evocative emotions, mood and atmosphere of each piece.
Although I’ve responded directly to each music piece, there’s no right or wrong way to ‘read’ the paintings, music, or both combined, I hope they’ll spark the imagination and emotions of listeners and viewers. Winter has traditionally been a time for storytelling around the fire to while away long dark evenings, so it feels right to show our work in a house rather than formal gallery, around an open fire with mulled wine.
Websites and contacts
Rose Strang https://rosestrangartworks.wordpress.com/ Email: rose.strang@gmail.com
Atzi Muramatsu Website http://www.atzi.co.uk/ Email: info@atzi.co.uk
Winter series – post 6
‘Winter 2’. Mixed media on 10×10″ wood panel. £150
‘Winter 1’. Mixed media on 10×10″ wood panel. £150
‘Winter 8’. Mixed media on 10×10″ wood panel. £150
A definite feeling of progress at last …
Above are the latest pieces for the upcoming Winter Series exhibition (info Here) which is opens in just 9 days!
As mentioned in a previous post, the challenge of this series is that I’m trying something new; responding to twelve two-minute pieces created for this project by composer and cellist Atzi Muramatsu, but also I’m finding it a challenge because each piece of music is entirely distinct, so with each painting I’m exploring a new theme as opposed to variations on one subject.
With nine days to go, and half the works finished, I’m finally getting into the swing of things. It was particularly enjoyable to paint the figure dancing in red velvet by firelight, this one ‘painted itself’ as they say. That’s partly because I took photos of myself in a red velvet dress for reference. That’s much easier because the proces is mimetic. The first thing you learn as an artist is to copy. It’s much more challenging to create something abstract and from imagination.
A couple of photos the painting in progress (I might take out the smaller figure, or make it recede a bit more).
‘Winter 1’, in response to the first piece of music, was quite difficult. The music itself felt like a meandering descent, and at the same time very cold with a sense of space. I tried several epic-style paintings looking from a height down to a frozen valley but they just didn’t work. This descending waterfall, which leads the eye down to a ship frozen in ice, seems to fit the mood.
The running snow hare was the immediate image that sprung to mind when listening to one of the pieces where the cello style is speedy, scratchy, scittering and staccato (to use a musical term!) also springing, just to add another word starting with ‘s’.
Below is the ground-work for a portrait of Atzi playing cello, in response to a Baroque-style cello piece. This monochrome sketch onto grey ground is a very traditional approach – I wanted to try a traditional technique so it feels in keeping with the 17th century music style. I’ll gradually build up more complex tones, then overlay with colour glazes, followed by some impasto highlights.
I feel I’ve earned a short break now, so I’ll spend the rest of the day relaxing before the Edinburgh Art Fair preview which launches this evening. I have four works in the show, hosted by the Limetree Gallery (at Stand D11). All info Here
Winter Series – day 4
New paintings for the winter series from today above. The two small black paintings were in response to a sombre piece by Atzi. More info about the Winter Series project Here.
Below, some more work on the previous paintings …
In progress..
A couple of paintings in progress.
The square one on the right is a snowscene where I’ve gone a bit Auerbach (in terms of impasto anyway!), the other is a work I started which wasn’t working, so I messed it up a bit, and I can now see it will make an excellent composition of a winter squall from the edge of snowy Salisbury Crags (on the right looking down onto Edinburgh – I won’t add too much detail but definite suggestion of rooftops, castle outline etc).
These paintings are for my upcoming exhibition – Snowscapes, which will be at Gayfield Creative Spaces on the 8th, 9th and 10th December from 12 noon to 8pm daily. (mulled wine on Thursday from 6 to 7!)
All info here – Snowscapes
Winter exhibition
After some fretting and decision-making, I’ve found the ideal space for my upcoming winter-themed exhibition, which I’ve decided to call Snowscapes
More details (map etc) to follow tomorrow, but this will be a two-day exhibition on the 8th and 9th December, open from 12 noon till 8pm both days.
The space above is Gallery II at Gayfield Creative Spaces in Edinburgh’s Gayfield Square.I dropped in today to take these photos, and I was enchanted by the light and gnarly wood beams, which will form a perfect backdrop for the winter series I’m working on.
This will include fifteen to twenty wintery subjects in semi-abstract highly textured style – monochrome winter birches, snow-laden trees and roof tops, I’m also going to paint wildlife – herons on icy ponds with their beaks tucked into their feathers and perhaps some snowgeese.
I find the colours and light of winter enchanting, and I have a wealth of mental imagery to draw on, also my love of Northern renaissance landscape art, and the quality of light captured by Dutch and Flemish artists of the 16th century.
I’m really looking forward to this series, and I think it’ll be popular as it will include paintings from as small as 3×3 inches up to 18×12.
To celebrate the wintery mood I’ll be serving my own home-made mulled wine on the 11th and 12th in the gallery between 6 and 7pm!
Winter Landscapes
A few winter landscapes in progress today – I’m just waiting for these to dry then I’ll be adding more texture and light tomorrow.
I’m creating a whole series of these new works and will exhibit them in November at the Hill Street Design House, Edinburgh, and at Portobello Market at the end of November. (more details to follow)
Also, in the next two days or so I’ll be launching the charity art prints series for Lindisfarne. Details are tbc, but 25% will most likely go towards the Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast European Marine Site, which helps conserve the landscape and wildlife of Lindisfarne as part of its remit.
I’m full of admiration for these organisations, which mostly rely on donations from the public to help conserve our landscapes and wildlife, which is so important for the entire ecosystem, especially in the light of today’s news about the endangerment of the Puffin and Turtle Dove population. It’s good to be able to contribute in a small way through my art print sales!
In the meantime you can view the Isle of Eigg Series and Bass Rock art-print series on this link –Prints for Charity
Rose Strang Artworks 