I mentioned in my website introduction page that learning art allows me to see and appreciate things differently. In this blog, I would like to discuss this using the painting which I did from a photo I took while I passed back this back alley behind a coffee shop where I had my dinner.
The nondescript back alley caught my attention immediately with the warm lighting and the sole table of customers below the light. My husband who is with me was wondering what is so special about this. This hits me that artists see and appreciate things differently. While some of my friends think of rats and cockroaches and gloominess, I see light and hope, warmth and quietness in the midst of the darkness. It also struck me that gathering with family and friends is very precious during the Covid pandemic, seeing only one table with customers.
Painting this is a challenge as it was painted on a large full-sheet paper and is a night scene where one must be confident to go very dark in the use of colours. Composition is very interesting in this scene! There are many elements like construction matters, bins, used boxes, bottles and milk cartons in the scene which I have to "suggest" and not let them distract the viewers from the main focus and message of the painting. Having said this, the elements can also be used to direct attention to the focus area. In this painting, the yellow light serves this purpose, directly the viewers around the painting.
This painting is now exhibiting at the Singapore Watercolour Society's annual exhibition together with another piece that I will be talking about in my next blog post. If you are interested in purchasing my paintings or know more about painting them, do feel free to contact me via the Contact Page of my website or email.
Thanks so much for reading this! I hope it inspires you to get in touch with art and enjoy the different perspectives that art can bring to your life.