Oh all of this is gorgeous! Exactly my style of place-love 😁 Makes me think fondly of my years “stomping” around the nooks and crannies of Cambridgeshire. I don’t have the art practice to go with it though (only words!). I love both the originals and your copies here :)
What a lovely message to receive - thank you! It was a very happy discovery as I greatly admire the work of Piper. Do have a peek at the film because he seems such a lovely man and it is fascinating to see how he works.
Your writing is like a warm cup of delicious coffee, enlivening and inspiring me to get up, get outside and keep seeking the treasure that is only slightly hidden in my own yard. It is suburban and was cleared and cultivated only 300 years ago. But I have found things in the dirt as I have dug and planted, bones, clay deposits, old nails, sea shells. It was home to many before me, native Americans, slaves, sharecroppers, and we all leave our mark. My dream is to draw the huge and gnarly live oaks originally planted here in my neighborhood, now dying of old age and human encroachment. Thank you for helping me believe it would be worth the effort.
What a lovely message with which to end my day - thank you! It is extraordinary what layers of history lay beneath our feet. I love finding the remains of previous occupants pottery in my garden and love the connection it gives us to the past. I really think those trees would love your attention!
This is lovely, and really interesting - thank you. I’m afraid I don’t know very much about Piper - will definitely do more research now! - but was delighted to see that the tree, moon & sun design (which is gorgeous) is very similar to the window he designed in Firle church in East Sussex - it’s so beautiful, especially when sunlight is streaming through it.
He was so incredibly versatile! I remember visiting Coventry Cathedral as a teenager and being overwhelmed by his stained glass windows and feeling so uplifted by them. I didn't know about the window at Firle, but will look it up. Thank you very much for reading it and am so glad it enjoyed it. There is a wonderful book by John Piper by Richard Ingrams called "Piper's Places" which is well worth seeking out.
Another absorbing post, Deborah. Thank you 😊. I didn't know much about Piper but like his work you have shared here hugely. I read all the Sybil Marshall books some years ago but did a re-read last year and enjoyed them all over again. They are so good. Xx
I am glad you liked Piper. I especially like his work of the 40's but his later paintings of Norfolk and Suffolk churches are so beautiful. I find it extraordinary that Sybil Marshall had such a late flourishing and, in the Desert Island Discs, she clearly had so many more plans. I thought you might like them too!
What a fascinating account to read and with such lovely images of your own work as well as that of Piper's. It has made me want to travel further afield to glimpse some different places and make new discoveries. My mum loved the architecture of churches and dragged me round many as a small (and only) child to try and transfer her passion - but sadly she took SO long at each one it had the opposite effect! Now I am happy to take in all the details of design, and love the details of how materials have weathered over centuries or decades.
I loved reading also how you made your sketches. I was taught watercolour by an artist who always used a wax resist, but sparingly, over a water-soluble ink pen line drawing so that once washes were added there was a spreading out and separation of some of the pigments, while other ink lines remained intact, together with added watercolour paints. I never got the hang of the subtleties! I am very drawn to the idea of trying to learn another artist's language, I just need to decide to try it and make time, but thank you for this inspiring post.
I think if you are dragged round anything like that as a child, it does put you off and it an take years to realise otherwise! Mixing ink and watercolour is very tricky and definitely takes practice. Piper did it so effortlessly, but he made endless experiments to do it and I had to remember that!I do hope you have another go, it is such an absorbing thing to do and you make such happy discoveries!
I will try again. I need to dig out my pen and ink from the back of the cupboard and all my watercolor tubes are rock hard it's been so long. But I do have candles!
Thank you. They certainly will need cutting out. I think I'll get all the pigment out of each one and put it in old empty eye shadow pots that might work!
Gosh this was such a joy to read, Deborah, and revealed so much about Piper and his art, and old Norfolk churches, in the 1930s. Then to hear about your own work based on his techniques added a new dimension of interest. Fascinating!
Another wonderful post Deborah! I absolutely love your experimentation with the work of favourite artists (I loved the Van Gogh studies from an earlier post!). At first glance, I wondered why you had two books open at the same page only to quickly realise that the second image was your own gorgeous sketchbook 🤦♀️ This is an excellent idea and one that I intend to try myself. I really enjoyed learning more about Piper. Thank you! Keep up the good work!
Thank you very much, Ruth. It is such an informative thing I do because as you follow their seeks it helps you see their decisions and thought processes. I always take something away from it and do have explore, I am sure you will love it!
This is fascinating. I recognise Piper's work, of course, but didn't realise that he had collaborated with brilliant Betjeman. I think your experiments in emulating Piper's technique are beautiful. x
Oh, how I love the Desert Island Discs. What a delicious discovery. Thank you.
I am also so intrigued by your experimenting with a range of mediums in this manner. The challenge of continuing to experiment, and not always as successfully as we'd like, is the nature of being human and expanding ourselves. I love your work. Thank you for sharing.
It is for easy to make safe choices about materials, especially when you are worried about the outcome, but I think it is always best experiment even if you ultimately decide something is not for you. It is also the only way to make happy discoveries!
I hope you enjoy the Desert Island Discs, she is quite remarkable!
Thank you for your lovely comment and I am so pleased you liked it.
Oh all of this is gorgeous! Exactly my style of place-love 😁 Makes me think fondly of my years “stomping” around the nooks and crannies of Cambridgeshire. I don’t have the art practice to go with it though (only words!). I love both the originals and your copies here :)
What a lovely message to receive - thank you! It was a very happy discovery as I greatly admire the work of Piper. Do have a peek at the film because he seems such a lovely man and it is fascinating to see how he works.
Your writing is like a warm cup of delicious coffee, enlivening and inspiring me to get up, get outside and keep seeking the treasure that is only slightly hidden in my own yard. It is suburban and was cleared and cultivated only 300 years ago. But I have found things in the dirt as I have dug and planted, bones, clay deposits, old nails, sea shells. It was home to many before me, native Americans, slaves, sharecroppers, and we all leave our mark. My dream is to draw the huge and gnarly live oaks originally planted here in my neighborhood, now dying of old age and human encroachment. Thank you for helping me believe it would be worth the effort.
What a lovely message with which to end my day - thank you! It is extraordinary what layers of history lay beneath our feet. I love finding the remains of previous occupants pottery in my garden and love the connection it gives us to the past. I really think those trees would love your attention!
This is lovely, and really interesting - thank you. I’m afraid I don’t know very much about Piper - will definitely do more research now! - but was delighted to see that the tree, moon & sun design (which is gorgeous) is very similar to the window he designed in Firle church in East Sussex - it’s so beautiful, especially when sunlight is streaming through it.
He was so incredibly versatile! I remember visiting Coventry Cathedral as a teenager and being overwhelmed by his stained glass windows and feeling so uplifted by them. I didn't know about the window at Firle, but will look it up. Thank you very much for reading it and am so glad it enjoyed it. There is a wonderful book by John Piper by Richard Ingrams called "Piper's Places" which is well worth seeking out.
Another absorbing post, Deborah. Thank you 😊. I didn't know much about Piper but like his work you have shared here hugely. I read all the Sybil Marshall books some years ago but did a re-read last year and enjoyed them all over again. They are so good. Xx
I am glad you liked Piper. I especially like his work of the 40's but his later paintings of Norfolk and Suffolk churches are so beautiful. I find it extraordinary that Sybil Marshall had such a late flourishing and, in the Desert Island Discs, she clearly had so many more plans. I thought you might like them too!
What a fascinating account to read and with such lovely images of your own work as well as that of Piper's. It has made me want to travel further afield to glimpse some different places and make new discoveries. My mum loved the architecture of churches and dragged me round many as a small (and only) child to try and transfer her passion - but sadly she took SO long at each one it had the opposite effect! Now I am happy to take in all the details of design, and love the details of how materials have weathered over centuries or decades.
I loved reading also how you made your sketches. I was taught watercolour by an artist who always used a wax resist, but sparingly, over a water-soluble ink pen line drawing so that once washes were added there was a spreading out and separation of some of the pigments, while other ink lines remained intact, together with added watercolour paints. I never got the hang of the subtleties! I am very drawn to the idea of trying to learn another artist's language, I just need to decide to try it and make time, but thank you for this inspiring post.
I think if you are dragged round anything like that as a child, it does put you off and it an take years to realise otherwise! Mixing ink and watercolour is very tricky and definitely takes practice. Piper did it so effortlessly, but he made endless experiments to do it and I had to remember that!I do hope you have another go, it is such an absorbing thing to do and you make such happy discoveries!
I will try again. I need to dig out my pen and ink from the back of the cupboard and all my watercolor tubes are rock hard it's been so long. But I do have candles!
The watercolours will comes to life again with water, but they might need cutting out if the tubes if they are rock hard!😄
Thank you. They certainly will need cutting out. I think I'll get all the pigment out of each one and put it in old empty eye shadow pots that might work!
Gosh this was such a joy to read, Deborah, and revealed so much about Piper and his art, and old Norfolk churches, in the 1930s. Then to hear about your own work based on his techniques added a new dimension of interest. Fascinating!
Thank you very much, it was such fun to stand in his footsteps! I am so pleased you liked it.
❤️🙏🏻
Another wonderful post Deborah! I absolutely love your experimentation with the work of favourite artists (I loved the Van Gogh studies from an earlier post!). At first glance, I wondered why you had two books open at the same page only to quickly realise that the second image was your own gorgeous sketchbook 🤦♀️ This is an excellent idea and one that I intend to try myself. I really enjoyed learning more about Piper. Thank you! Keep up the good work!
Thank you very much, Ruth. It is such an informative thing I do because as you follow their seeks it helps you see their decisions and thought processes. I always take something away from it and do have explore, I am sure you will love it!
This is fascinating. I recognise Piper's work, of course, but didn't realise that he had collaborated with brilliant Betjeman. I think your experiments in emulating Piper's technique are beautiful. x
I am sorry I have only just seen this. Thank you very much x
Thank you! I used to like John Piper's work so much in the days when i actually painted, ands had completely forgotten him.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read it. As you might have guessed, I love his work too!
Oh, how I love the Desert Island Discs. What a delicious discovery. Thank you.
I am also so intrigued by your experimenting with a range of mediums in this manner. The challenge of continuing to experiment, and not always as successfully as we'd like, is the nature of being human and expanding ourselves. I love your work. Thank you for sharing.
It is for easy to make safe choices about materials, especially when you are worried about the outcome, but I think it is always best experiment even if you ultimately decide something is not for you. It is also the only way to make happy discoveries!
I hope you enjoy the Desert Island Discs, she is quite remarkable!
Thank you for your lovely comment and I am so pleased you liked it.