#lesleybirch21days
March-April 2020
I created my 21-day Isolation Project as a one-off event to develop my art practice and decided to make a daily timelapse film of myself at work. I decided to work in oils on paper, painting alla prima - daily paintings. The specialist oil paper is excellent - and I used mainly Arches Huile, but also Van Gogh, Clairefontaine and Fabriano - all papers for oil paint. Paintings were generally around 28 x 28 cms or 32 x 24 cms. This meant I could easily post out paintings all over the world. Once I had made the timelapse video, I then posted the film and the resulting painting for sale on Instagram. I chose to be part of the Artist Support Pledge - an encouraging intitiative at the time just set up by Matthew Burrows Artist.
What is alla prima painting?
Alla prima refers to a direct painting approach where paint is applied wet on wet without letting earlier layers dry.
In Italian, the term alla prima means "at first attempt".
Paintings created in this approach are usually completed within a single session.
Subject Matter
As it was impossible to go out and sketch from the landscape, Lesley 's project involved working from her many sketchbooks and memory of the skies, seas, headlands and weather around the coasts of Scotland and Yorkshire.
"I have to recall the feeling of the wind, roar of the sea, the shade of a dark cloud and the bits and bobs on the beach" Lesley Birch 2020
Lesley donated a percentage of sales to Women's Refuge.
Alla prima refers to a direct painting approach where paint is applied wet on wet without letting earlier layers dry.
In Italian, the term alla prima means "at first attempt".
Paintings created in this approach are usually completed within a single session.
Subject Matter
As it was impossible to go out and sketch from the landscape, Lesley 's project involved working from her many sketchbooks and memory of the skies, seas, headlands and weather around the coasts of Scotland and Yorkshire.
"I have to recall the feeling of the wind, roar of the sea, the shade of a dark cloud and the bits and bobs on the beach" Lesley Birch 2020
Lesley donated a percentage of sales to Women's Refuge.
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The Artist Support Pledge is the brainchild of artist Matthew Burrows in response to the current pandemic in which artists have found themselves without work, teaching, technical support or gallery work. Exhibitions and sales have disappeared. And, so to alleviate this stress, Matthew has instigated the Artist Support Pledge. I think it's a grand idea and I have decided to take part. It's a simple thing:
Artists put up works for sale and if fortunate enough to reach £1000 in sales, they pledge to purchase a work by another artist for up to £200. This creates a dynamic culture and market, where all contribute, whatever their level of success. This is a culture dependent upon the honesty and generosity of our artistic communities at every level. You'll find the #artistsupportpledge on Instagram and lots of work by the many other participating artists. |
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