SAT 7 JUNE
Over the past few months, I've been looking again at all the paintings in the 'Porthleven' series, and reworking the ones that are hidden away, that I don't exhibit or show to galleries or submit to competitions. 'Porthleven 28' and 'Porthleven 52' are two i've recently reworked, paintings I left too early.
I'm much happier now with 'Porthleven 28', opening up the space, and simplyfying the painting. Now there's a delicious tension between the strong curve on the left and the squared off 'frame' on the right, formed by the white horizontal and the purple brushmarks rising vertically across the yellow. The sharp yellow edge is now more ambiguous and intriguing, both in front of and behind the surrounding paint.
I now know not to trust first thoughts. My ideal today is much simpler, purer: making choices and eliminating the superflous to reveal the essential. In the new version of 28 the thin central curve is exquisite and critical.
'Returning to 'Porthleven 52', a new clarity of design and colour re-establishes the narrative of the magical and dynamic relationship between the clock and the disc of the moon. 'My painting is finished when I rejoin the first emotion that sparked it' Matisse
I rather like this clocktower! In the new version, rather than being alien to the painting, the pink is integral, the left edge mirroring the profile of the clocktower and the white and linear triangles at the bottom of the painting. I've always loved the heavy blue-black drawing in this painting, even stronger now.
