absence

I have been thinking a lot about the critique that Ernest gave at the AGM. One of the paintings he showed was of his sons bedroom just after he had left home and married. Apart from its technical brilliance it showed clearly those feelings that every parent knows so well. He and Cath talked about the importance of putting oneself into the painting and I have been musing over our 'competitions'. How would it be if we had an emotion to put to our themes? Perhaps a 'wild' or a 'soft' or a 'polluted' or 'overdeveloped' Devon landscape, maybe a 'futuristic' or 'modern' or 'olde world' architectural landscape. Figure or portrait showing 'age', 'loneliness' or 'joy' or togetherness? etc etc

Perhaps then we could move away from technical skills, ( and usually won by the same people) and open up to those having something to say but still exploring their media.

Just a thought.