Monthly Archives: February 2021

Europe Endless

Neocolor II undercoat of “Europe Endless” 23.5 x 20 cm. February 2021

NOW – February 2021: There are two albums I listen to which take me straight back to Europe. They are by German group, Kraftwerk, and are from the 1970s. One album is “Autobahn” and the other “Trans Europe Express“. The first track (no pun intended) on “Trans Europe Express” is “Europe Endless“. As I am working on this drawing, the tune of “Europe Endless” rolls into my head and brakes. It is the name I will use for my title.

Luminance coloured pencils going over the top of Neocolor undercoat.

THEN – July 2018: I am in Chamonix Mont Blanc. As I walk with my camera (having deposited Matthew in our hotel room) the evening sky blackens and a thunderstorm begins. While crossing a railway line I attempt to capture the glowing station lights and wet reflecting tracks before rushing back to a dry hotel, dodging lightning forks as I go.

“Europe Endless” completed. 23.5 x 20 cm. February 2021

This seems like a fitting drawing to finish off my exhibition collection. It tells me that even though I am having an exhibition in April, it is not the end of the line, merely a station along the way. The train, so to speak, will continue on after a brief stop, forever going to new places.

I pay homage to Florian Schneider who co-founded Kraftwerk. He died last year – but perhaps he only changed trains and is continuing his journey on another line.

Meanwhile the song fades, “Europe Endless Endless Endless Endless Endless...”

PS: “Europe Endless” is a drawing where I employed my theory of UNDERCOVER WHITE to help achieve glowing colours. If you would like to know more about using undercover white in your own work, I have explained my methods in the post UNDERCOVER WHITE

Wet Verona

“Wet Verona” 21.5 x 25.5 cm February 2021

In my latest drawing I return to a summer evening thunderstorm in Verona. I so liked that storm that “Wet Verona” is my fourth drawing of it. If you compare “Wet Verona” above to “Summer Rain” below you can see that the couple with the rainbow umbrella have walked away a few paces while the lady in the shocking pink raincoat has left the scene. The colourful tourists are untroubled by the sudden downpour on this warm evening which turns them and their surroundings into a watercolour-like impression.

Summer Rain (Verona)

“Wet Verona” has an undercoat of Neocolor 1. This is the original Neocolor which is not water-soluble like Neocolor 2. Neocolor 1 feels drier to use and less slippery than Neocolor 2. In fact it feels nearer to coloured pencil whereas Neocolor 2 feels nearer to crayon.

“Wet Verona” is my 23rd piece for the upcoming exhibition “An Italian Dream”. My colleague, Clay Sculptor, Robyn Varpins is my co-exhibitor.