My Journey through Art #13 … Beach pebbles
I used to love scavenging on the beach for stones, now all I do is photograph them.
Good morning and welcome ..
“”Painting is an argument between what it looks like and what it means” -Brett Whitely
When we moved from Melbourne to Phillip Island, which is just over the bridge from the mainland, most mornings I would go for a walk along one of the beaches collecting shells and stones, and over the years when holidaying around Australia or overseas many more were collected.
We had a tank down in the backyard and I surrounded it with a variety of rocks and stones that I had picked up, but when we moved back to Melbourne that is where they stayed. I’m not sure what became of that collection as the people who bought our property ended up putting up a big shed which meant the tank was removed. I often think that those stones could have come with us, even if they just sat along our sideway until I found the ideal spot for them.. Oh well, you can’t look back.
We have been to Tasmania several times, and twice having come across on the ferry we have stayed in Devonport. The beaches there have masses of colourful stones, the only other place I have seen anything like it is in England, at my favourite beach, being at Brighton on the South coast. The photo below was taken by a friend, whom I’m sure won’t mind that I used her photo, it is one I hope to paint one day. And as you can see, it was snowing in Brighton the day this photo was shot.
My first painting of stones was taken from a photograph that I took in Devonport on the main beach, the second piece I’m not sure where the photo came from, and now I don’t even know where the photo is, but it was definitely something I wanted to paint. It now takes pride of place in our bathroom.
The first one below I just drew a whole lot of stones, it may look ok to some but it doesn’t really do anything for me, the stones are too regimented. The last one I painted I loved, and so did others and now it is sold.
I just love the shapes, colours and variations in stones which I feel makes them a very interesting subject to paint, and they probably take more time than anything else I have painted. I do have to make the stones look real.
The processes are many and varied, matching colours, or near enough to, getting the textures right by splattering paint, angling the colours to give depth or adding some lines or stippling, using salt on the wet paint, correctly placing the shadows, filling in the gaps with smaller stones, and adding deeper shadows or something that looks like sand.
👩🎨👩🎨👩🎨👩🎨👩🎨👩🎨👩🎨
Another place we journeyed to was Portland, Victoria. My husband wanted to go fishing so we went down to a beach which was covered in smooth black stones, but amongst them were some subjects just waiting to be photographed and one day to be painted.
At least when visiting places like this I am not constantly asking my husband to stop because I want to take a photograph.
I do remember a number of years ago when travelling around Australia, we were staying at 80 Mile Beach in Western Australia, I did my usual thing of wandering off collecting shells, and boy wasn’t that an amazing beach to do so. On my return a chap stopped and said to me, “Did you see the fish your husband caught?”, nope…. What a pity as it was the biggest fish he has EVER caught, a Threadfin Salmon. Below is an example of what they look like, it was so big we shared it with others in the caravan park.
The photos below are of the stones on the beach at Portland that I would like to attempt one day.
Once again this week I am showing you some progressive paintings, I’m not sure about you, but I find it interesting to see how the process goes.
I also find it interesting looking back at the photos and noting the difference in the colours in the painting, I guess that is due to where I take the photo, I do find the best place is in front of the window in my art room rather than at my work table, this will be a reason you see such a variance.
So until next week when you Come Away with Me on My Journey Through Art.
Bye for now
Sally 🎨
Love the stone paintings Sally, mastery at is best👍
Hi Sally, I know what you mean, when a painting is too uniform it doesn't look right. I need to fight against that when I paint. It's easy to fall into. You've done a lovely job, beautiful colours and these pictures make me think of this, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”