2013-03-15

Watercolours

Yesterday, I had a minute to spare and popped in at the art gallery in the Culture House (next to the library). There was a lot going on, so I focused on what was easiest to digest at the time, and these watercolours by Lars A Persson are just wonderful.

When it comes to watercolour, the master - the Master! - is Lars Lerin, and it´s hard not to compare every watercolourist by his standard. Persson´s choice of motifs also correspond somewhat with what Lerin is doing, so - he is not making it easy for himself. Persson is without any hesitation, very, very good, though. He provided a bunch of cards, business cards of sorts, and I have simply photographed them to give you an idea.

Persson also has a website, where you can see more of his work. What I found special, and unusual, about his paintings, was his use of collage technique and how he had done several motifs, or versions of motifs, on the same paper.

About this exhibition, he writes:

"With the eye of the draughtsman, and the mind of the watercolourist, I have over the last year moved in northern landscapes, like northern Norway and Iceland. To me, the painting itself is always more important than describing the places where I am. Everything is subordinate to the expression of the watercolour! The northern barren, bright, and plain landscape has always fascinated me, sometimes sparse and almost monocrome, but just as often forceful and unexpectedly colourful." (my quick and dirty translation)

Persson is not hideously expensive either. What´s on offer here ranges between 3.800 and 12.000 SEK. I could afford this, if I wanted to.  So often, prices make proper art out of reach for us average earners.

The exhibition lasts until April 17, and I have every intention of going back to look some more. I´m going to try and get an artist friend to come with me, she is great fun watching art with, as she is so knowledgeable about techniques, and I always find that she provides another depth to the art experience than when I go alone. It´s hard to find a good companion for these kinds of excursions.





5 comments:

  1. i have never heard of this artist before. i like his work. i am particularly drawn to the "glade" pictures on his web site.

    i've never bought an original painting, satisfying myself with prints. i sometimes fall in love with something only to discover no print is available. then i wish i were in a position to buy the original. they've been unavailable or much too expensive so far, but someday maybe.

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    1. I own lots of prints and love them, but there is a certain kind of special joy in having something original on one´s wall. I got my first "real" painting on my 30th birthday. Perhaps I should post it...

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    2. i can see where having an original would be special. it's different looking at a work the artist has actually touched and worked on.

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  2. I think I've mentioned how I long to visit northern Europe--these watercolors just intensify that wish! We will be in The Netherlands in a few months--our first trip there, but it is not quite the same. Thanks for the link to his site, what treasures await my eye?

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    1. Oh, lucky you! Holland is beautiful, albeit in an entirely different way to northern Scandinavia. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en) is a wonderful place to go, as is the van Gogh-museum, of course. You´ll have a wonderful trip.

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