Chris Fothergill’s BLOG
Recent commissions, urban sketching and creative projects
Monday 17 May 7.30am at the bus stop Perugia
Well, last night was good value. After two more beers at the ‘Bar Olympia’ I was best friends with ‘Salvatore’, an enthusiastic local who engaged me in conversation; his English not much better than my Italian but we were helped by the girl behind the bar who had... read moreSunday evening in ‘Bar Olympia’, near Perugia
..and the usual fun and games to the start of the trip. What did I expect? Why to arrive in sunny Italy, find a bus from Perugia airport to the main city centre, thence to get a bus to the ‘Perugia Farmhouse Backpackers Hostel’ as directed to on the website. Then... read more
Departure
Sunday 16 May At the airport (Stansted) Security checked, breakfasted, and texted to next of kin. On finishing my breakfast (in Frankie and Bennie’s) the Italian waiter commented “It’s good you are flying this morning; the airport is due to close again at 5o’clock... read more
Impressions of the Cities of Umbria
Sunday 16th – Monday 24th May 2010 This was inspired by the purchase of an old book by the same name, written by Edward Hutton, and published by Methuen, in 1905, with 20 colour plates taken from original watercolours by ‘A.Pisa’. The book was found by chance in an... read more
Sketch of the Week
Old folk sitting on a bench in Cirencester today! I took a surreptitious photo but was spotted by the old chap with glasses. The two ladies on the right were having a good old chat while waiting for the bus. And why not? I painted this first just with a brush, and... read more
Architectural Sketch of the Week
These two ‘cottages’ are not actually within the Cotswolds, so it’s brick and brown tiled roofs, but they’re rather smart, and sit in nice sized plots. The development is still only just past the planning stage, so the building hasn’t yet started, but I’m pretty... read more
St. Andrew’s Church Chedworth
At last a sunny day that is warm enough to lure me out into the open air with my paints! I don’t mind a bit of outdoor sketching with a pencil when it’s freezing cold in the winter, but sitting on a painting stool for a couple of hours trying to abstract my mind is... read more
Summer’s Morning in Northleach
Monday April 19th…. Summer’s morning at Northleach – a watercolour painting by Chris Fothergill This is surely the finest view in Northleach, showing the southern aspect of the Church which its magnificent porch and windows. The setting from the top... read more
The Joys of Outdoor Painting
Hills Near Gretton, Winchcombe, Glos. It was a bright, brisk March morning first thing, and the sun streaming through the kitchen window lured me out to paint ‘en plein air’ as they say. I packed the thermos and paints, and headed for Hailes Abbey – somewhere local,... read more
Architectural Impression of the Week
It’s a row of three cottages in Oxfordshire, being tastefully converted, which presently is a building site. My job is to paint it for the brochure, so in go the hollyhocks, and spring flowers! Rather cheerful painting this in a cold mid-March. I hope they like... read more
Early light, Santa Maria della Salute, Venice
Busy with artist’s impressions last week, but I managed to get going on this oil painting, which is as yet unfinished. I love the freedom of oils, and the subtlety of tone and colour, but I’m not very experienced with them. A mysterious subject such as this is perfect... read more
The Oldest Clock in Venice
I finished this little painting on my 50th birthday, last week; appropriately enough as it is very much to do with the passage of time. The clock is reputedly one of the oldest in Venice, on the church of San Giacomo de Rialto, which is just behind the Rialto market.... read more
8 Patio des Naranjos
As soon I walked through the 14th century Moorish arch into the Patio de los Naranjos (Court of Orange Trees), a feeling of peace descended upon me. I’m not prone to these things, but water from a sculptural stone fountain played in the middle of a walled garden, set... read more
San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice
I finished painting this watercolour today; there’s a bit more fiddling about with the gondolas in the foreground, but it’s finished in the sense that it’s now best left alone! Am I pleased with it? As much as I ever am with a painting. It’s... read more
Use of masking fluid in watercolour
I’ve started a painting this week in my ‘classic’ watercolour style! By that I suppose I mean that the painting is carefully composed, with a preliminary pencil sketch (not shown here) to work out tonal values, composition and atmosphere. I love this... read more
7 La Mesquita
Showered and refreshed, I emerged back on to the street, bordering on to the railway sidings that my modest hotel overlooked, in what was clearly an unfashionable quarter of the city. Just as when you bang your head for long enough against a wall, it’s lovely when you... read more
6 Cordoba
From an early age, the sound of the Classical or Spanish guitar has had a profound effect upon me, evoking moods or even memories, of places to which I have never been. I am not talking of the rhythms of Flamenco, but rather the more restrained music of the classical... read more
5 Plaza d’Espana
The first day had been a great success by my standards. My first painting was not a disaster, and I had two other drawings under my belt, which I liked, and could later paint from, in the studio. Giddy with my success I hopped out of bed the following morning, and... read more
4 Torre del Oro
Endless souvenir shops, outdoor cafes and warmly inviting streets provided displacement activities that carried me to that time of day when its too early to go home, but its too late to start much new. My ramblings had taken me to the banks of the Guadalquivir river,... read more