This painting is done from a childhood memory. Every summer we went back to my Grandma Bowen’s home in Swansea and we would often go on the tram to the Mumbles lighthouse. I am very proud of my Welsh heritage; its dramatic landscapes and stormy seas continue to inspire me.
I used acrylics for this painting, which I don’t use very often. You have to work very swiftly with acrylics as they dry so quickly, which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage.
This is a monoprint using oil based printing inks which are rarely used today for health reasons as the fumes can be quite overpowering. Water based inks are so much better now so it is not a problem, but sometimes health and safety can be a barrier to creativity! These chrysanthemums are drawn from life and are the lovely, blowsy varieties which you don’t often see now.
Another painting of flowers from the garden, using thick paint and thin paint. I was clearly running out of art supplies at the time and in the absence of white paint used silver instead, which makes it more atmospheric.
Initially I thought it might be too flamboyant but I have reviewed this opinion after seeing the gorgeous paintings by Douglas Farthing in the winter exhibition at Mandells Gallery on Elm Hill in Norwich, where I currently have two paintings on show.
Diana Lamb 