Carol Hill’s demonstration evening Tuesday 22nd November 2016 –Review by Paul Lockton
Tuesday night was for me full of surprises. Not least because I had expected the routine and mundane – desolate farm scenes in winter are surely not the most edifying or cheery. But instead I found myself inspired and eager to learn from a most accomplished artist and one who is also an undoubtedly brilliant art teacher. Yes, I’d love to be in her class!
Carol Hill knew Derbyshire Dales landscapes and for two hours re-created it’s rustic secrets, even if those were captured in the dubious splendour of a run-down farm one misty, cold autumn morning.
The presentation began with a detailed verbal explanation of the scene and of her use of a quite limited water-colour palette (limited for me who likes to make full use of colours). Lesson 1: to use colours selectively and mix colours on the canvas. Lesson 2: try painting dry not wetted (helped by the use of pre-stretched canvas) all intelligently blended on the canvass not mixed in the palette!
Working steadily progressed down the page helped by some diligently sketched pencil lines, and members saw emerge a gem of a picture in under two hours. Carol’s finishing touches featured the clever use of light and shadow of a lightening-struck tree in the near foreground and at the end her generous donation of the finished picture for the Club to auction for Rainbows. Thanks for everything Carol!