Wednesday 2 February 2011

Introducing Vivien Blackburn

sunset, Penwith, oil in sketchbook

I'm really looking forward to this postcard exchange with such a great group. Thank you for the invitation :>)

About me: I can't remember a time when I didn't draw - one of my earliest memories is, aged one, posting drawings (scribbles) to my father when he was in Gibraltar, looking for accomodation so that my mother and I could go out to join him.

In my youth I lived in some beautiful places including Cornwall, Malta and on the Moray Firth in the north of Scotland, so, though it may have scrambled my education a little, it almost certainly led to an early feeling for light and landscape.

I went to art college on leaving school, completed my Foundation Year, didn't continue on to the Diploma years - did a few different things - art was on a back burner - then married, had 2 daughters and didn't go back until they were at senior school. I then did my BA in Fine Art as a mature student. It's never too late :>)

This is some of my sketching, the first few are all Cornwall

Sam, evening, silver sea, watercolour/mixed media in sketchbook

Moorland Farm, Penwith, watercolour/mixed media in sketchbook

Lanyons Quoit, charcoal, in sketchbook

Someone commented earlier on about the clean neatness of Albrecht's sketchbook - mine are, I'm afraid, messy ones! I work in all sorts of media - oils, watercolours, lots of mixed media, charcoal, pastel, pencil, acrylic ..... etc etc etc- so loose oils may follow a detailed close up study of something in pencil in my books, followed by watercolour, mixed media, charcoal ,ink - anything goes.

Wild Day, Sennen Cove, oil


Approaching Rain, Mawgan Porth, charcoal and coloured pencil, in sketchbook


Charlestown, Cornwall, watercolour/mixed media, in sketchbook

I particularly like to paint or draw water - the Cornish coast has to be top of the list but canals, streams, rivers tool

Wild Day, Sennen Cove, pencil, in sketchbook analysing the movement of the waves


The Old Packhorse Bridge (very old), Aylestone Meadows, charcoal, in sketchbook


Frog Island, Leicester, in large A3 landscape sketchbook

I don't often do industrial landscapes. This is part of a series of sketches of local waterways that I intend to revisit.



Cardoon seedheads, in sketchbook, pencil

And .... sometimes it's nice to change scale and observe something closely. I found the spiky dry scales vs the fluffy insides of these cardoons fascinating to draw.

I unfortunately have arthritis and asthma. so my walking distance is limited but it is essential to keep moving so sketchercise is great as it will encourage me out walking, sketching and sharing the results :>)

I like to work plein air soaking up the atmosphere, feeling the wind. smelling the vegetation, getting the mood of the day and seeing the colours as the light changes - it is so much better than a photograph, fixing all this in my visual memory, the feelings, smells and memories come back when I look through old sketch books.

Well - my first postcard went out at the end of January so hopefully it's winging its way to Martin. And I'm really looking forward to the first one dropping through my door :>) and following the progress through the months.

10 comments:

Felicity Grace said...

Beautiful collection of sketches, Vivien!

Africantapestry and Myfrenchkitchen said...

I left a comment earlier, Vivien and it just disappeared!
So glad I can do another exchange project with you..we had so much fun the last time. I enjoy seeing all these examples of your work again, as I always enjoy all your art experiements AND completed works!
Ronell

Making A Mark said...

What a great set of sketches.

I know as a veteran of these postal exhanges you'll be producing some special postcards for us all!

Albrecht Rissler said...

Great work Vivian, Your lovely schetches reminds me of beautiful trips I've made to Cornwall. Rain in art, very rare in art history and not easy to realize... Albrecht

Pat said...

Your work is lovely and I so enjoyed reading all about you. This is going to be a great project.

Desiree's Designs said...

Its so good to get to know you better, I love your work and look forward to getting a card from you!

Charlene Brown said...

I agree with Albrecht -- rain pictures are special, and yours are wonderful. Now we're all going to want one! But I hope your weather isn't such over the next few months that you do end up producing a series of fantastic rainstorm cards!

vivien said...

Thank you for the lovely welcome everyone - and like Ronelle I'm really looking forward to this exchange and seeing work IRL :>) Our Flying Pictures group project was so much fun.

Bridget Hunter said...

Vivien - I really enjoy reading about and seeing your work - its so direct and captures the essence of the scene. Admiring your sketches in your intro.

Joan said...

I love finding work by friends in so many spots. You gave a great sample of the kinds of sketches you do...one more lovely than the next!