Paintings for Reflection
Hello, I'm Eloise Saggers and I am the assistant manager at Collins and Green Art, and Julia has very kindly asked me to be our guest blogger for this week. I am delighted to delve into my journey with art and how it inspires me in my everyday, from paintings I handle at our gallery to pieces I studied during my undergraduate degree at The University of Edinburgh and my Master's at The Courtauld. I believe art belongs to everyone; your opinion of art is as justified as anyone else's, regardless of whether you have studied art or not. Here, I wander through my journey in art as well as some of my favourite themes and the artists who made them.
Paintings Which Caught my Eye
One of my first memories of art was a sticker book my mum bought me as a child from the National Gallery. In it, there were stickers of the different famous paintings in the gallery by artists such as John Constable, J.M.W Turner and Pablo Picasso. Surprisingly, the artist who caught my attention the most at around 8 years old was George Stubbs. Despite not being interested in horses, unlike a lot of 8 year old girls, I was amazed by his painting of his prize horse 'Whistlejacket'. Fascinated by his ability to expertly capture the movement, light, and shadows of a moving animal at a time when photography hadn't been invented, my mum took me to the National Gallery to see the life-size painting in person. This was the moment in which I was really hit by the power that art holds; its ability to capture sheer talent and transport you to a time and subject you haven't ever encountered. What still strikes me about this paintings is the horse's expression; notice his crazed, reflective eyes. What a painting!
'Whistlejacket' by George Stubbs, c.1762, oil on canvas, on display at The National Gallery, London
Art I Grew Up With
Growing up in rural Devon, I didn't often get to go to the big London art galleries. However, North Devon has a long folk art history which I saw all around me growing up, and admittedly took for granted. One such tradition was scgraffito pottery; Barnstaple, my hometown, was known for its pottery in the 19th and 20th centuries. This technique involves etching patterns, mottos, and illustrations directly into the clay to create a charming, rustic effect. The delightful local art gallery and museum, The Burton at Bideford, has an excellent collection of these treasures which can be seen here.
An ornate Scgraffito jug from the R.J. Lloyd Collection, Burton at Bideford Museum. There is a hint of Grayson Perry's pottery style here.
I also grew up around the atmospheric rural black and white photography of James Ravilious; his bucolic scenes of country life were very familiar to me decades after these were taken. Looking like something from a Thomas Hardy novel, Ravilious photographed Devon locals tending to their animals, managing their land outdoors as well as more intimate scenes of families in their humble cottage kitchens. I've been in some of these houses myself and they still look the same today.
Photograph of Archie Parkhouse, James Ravilious
'Pancake Day, Dolton, February 1974', James Ravilious.
Paintings of People in States of Reflection
When I was a teenager, I found a big book on 'Great Artists' in our bookshelf ; an illustrated guide to different famous artists throughout the centuries, with a self portrait of Van Gogh on the cover. Admittedly, I didn't always read the annotations, but I was really struck by the paintings of 20th century American artist Edward Hopper. The theme of his paintings can be described as expansive portraits of people in middle America staring into spaces in states of contemplation. I think what entices me about his paintings is how they draw out feelings of empathy from me; who are these people? What are they thinking? Is this what I look like when I'm looking at a painting, in a state of contemplation myself?
'Morning Sun', Edward Hopper, c.1952, Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio, USA.
I recently visited the Whitney Museum of Art in New York for the first time, a gallery which holds many of Hopper's paintings thanks to the gallery's focus on the American industrial age in the mid-century. Many of his paintings are isolated portraits of people in somewhat empty, simple settings. One of his works which stuck out to me upon my visit was 'Morning Sun', pictured above. Here, Hopper's wife is in a pink dress sitting on a bed looking out the window towards industrial, city buildings. I love how his paintings evoke an emotional response from me despite their seemingly simple compositions. As viewers we can't help but wonder, what is this woman contemplating about? Is she merely feeling the sun on her face in the morning, or is there something more interior and introspective at play here? Hopper manages to paint the interior of someone's home looking out, while we as viewers look from outside, in.
An artist who shares this quality of reflective portaits, and is also closer to our shores, is the much-loved David Hockney. Particularly, his painting 'Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)' features a man in a red jacket to the right of the painting in a reflective and contemplative state, gazing at the man in the pool. Similarly, the subject of their interaction is left completely ambiguous, allowing your own thoughts and anticipation of the swimmer to insert itself in the figures' minds.
'Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)' by David Hockney, 1972, private collection, Christie's Images Ltd. 2018.
Studying at Edinburgh
After discovering a selection of artists who I still cherish today, I began studying History of Art and English Literature when I was 18 at the University of Edinburgh. The city was beautiful, exciting, and very far from home; the National Gallery of Scotland was one of my favourite places in the city where I would take breaks from my studies and bask in their vast collection. I would also go over to Glasgow from time to time to see the brilliant Kelvingrove Art Museum. Upon my visits I encountered an art movement which I hadn't seen before my time in Scotland; the work of the 'Glasgow Girls and Boys' from the early twentieth century. Named for their studies at the Glasgow School of Art, artists from this movement include Sir James Guthrie and Margaret and Frances MacDonald. I love how their paintings are a cross over between the gritty and the bucolic and how they are of a world which seems far older than their time.
'A Hind's Daughter' by James Guthrie, 1883, On Display at the National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
Collins and Green
Working here at Collins and Green has really opened my eyes to how paintings belong in the home, and the way in which we are drawn to certain paintings often with no apparent explanation. Regularly, we have clients who really surprise themselves with which paintings they are drawn to in our studio. One of my favourite aspects of this job is gathering a sense of what a client is looking for, which tones and colours suit their tastes, and what style and size of paintings will suit their space.
I love researching the paintings we have in stock here at Collins and Green Art. It is particularly rewarding when I resurface information about artists which have been lost to history, particularly paintings by women Scandinvian artists. Here are a selection of artworks we have in our collection which I really enjoy:
'1950's Interiors' pair available at Collins and Green Art, click the image above for more information
I really love this pair of 1950s interior drawings with their interesting diagonal perspective, of the rooms which are filled with mid century furniture and design motifs. The hanging staircase, green plant, and the bedside tables affixed on the walls all show elements of interior design which were popular at the time and are becoming increasingly fashionable today.
'Orange Lilies in a Red Vase', attributed to Pontus Löberg, 1935-2005, click on the image for more information
The bright, contrasting colours of orange and purple alongside the beautiful, ornate vintage frame really draws my eye to this painting. The artist clearly had a well trained eye for colour and perspective; notice how the lines emitting from the vase in the background creates a clear focal point.
'Still Life with Watermelon', lithographic print, signed Luís Almer
Going with my bright, vibrant theme, this lithograph is certainly a statement piece for any home. I love the playful combintation of a watermelon, apples, and grapes on a space age style white fruit bowl which contrasts with the electric blue tablecloth. The shutters in the background add an extra dimension and again appeal to my interest in interior motifs.
Final Thoughts
I like to think that we cultivate a certain subconscious taste throughout our lives which informs what we find beautiful or exciting. I find myself enjoying styles and approaches to art which I previously dismissed, finding new ways to appreciate art as well a, rediscovering pieces which have shapes my tastes today. I can't wait to see where my art journey will take me in years to come.
