Bent Flower 1: Tulip

 

Tal R says something along the lines that amateurs are right when they choose subjects that are rejected by serious artists. Flowers, say. It helps bring the viewer into the work. “Oh its a flower. I know flowers.” It enables them to take the first step on to the dance floor. But the trick is to bend your subject towards what you are trying to say.

When we did a whole term on flowers in Eric Gaskell’s class, I was delighted. I’m not a person who is naturally in sympathy with flowers, so I relished the opportunity to get to grips with their colourful blousiness.

During that time I learned two things about flowers:

1. Most of them are twisted and deformed, just like the rest of us;

2. They move. So you can’t hang around too long when making your drawing.

For Warwickshire Open Studios this year I decided to go back to the drawings I did that term and use some as the basis for some prints.

This tulip is the first one. A flower tortured by me looking at it. I think I’ll manage at least one other before next weekend is out.