Influences and Inspiration

Ronald Jack Harrison and Diane King

I often think Ann Blockley and I have a lot in common. Not that I would dream of putting my work into her category! It is simply that as with herself and John Blockley her father, the strongest influence on my painting continues to be my father the artist Ronald Jack Harrison (BSC DRTC BA Hons).

R J Harrison - Pen and Ink Ronald Jack Harrison

He will tell you he has been drawing since he was four years old and now at eighty-seven years young has a lot to learn! His influence and inspiration continues to be strong. He always provides me with a truthful and considered crititism of my paintings, none of "that's nice" even if brutal at times! He was an engineer and would agree has had a logical and often systematic approach to his work, producing some wonderful representative oil pieces and fine crafted wood carvings. He is at the moment experimenting with abstract acrylic landscapes. Although our work is very different his encouragment and persistent interest has and continues to be the major influence on my work.

R J Harrison - Dandelion (oils)

Influences and inspiration are they the same perhaps? I would consider the inspiration for my work to begin with a passion and love for colour! It is always so difficult to consider a favourite or best loved, can we really select "a favourite" desert island book, piece of music, poem or painter? However as difficult as it is, the most inspirational for me has to be the Impressionist movement and for the sheer quality and vibrance of his work then it must be the artist Van Gogh!

Diane King - Kora Serekunda Market, Gambia.

Recently my work has attempted to thread through colour visits to places as far apart as Gambia in Africa, Barcelona, and the Greek Island of Skiathos. The light and colour so different in each place, with always more questions than answers :-

Colour has always excited me. Moods emotions, feelings are conjured and reflected in colour and tones. Colour makes my heart race. Colour stops me in my tracks, always makes me want to look again and share................

Pink and orange streaks across an urban sky, millions of green in an old dry stone wall!

What colours do we smell, memorise, hear? The buzz we get when we glance a colliding colours even for a split second......

A kaleidescope of reflections through a river in Autumn at dusk.............

Diane King

Large Scale Drawing Brief


Preparing for this brief I had reflected on the previous mark making exercises and the visit to Yorkshire. My work is instinctive and although there is a narrative in my mind the process carries me. The journey for this drawing had taken me through the shadows  in the Yorkshire woods and the grey tones of the skies at dusk.
I also brought to the drawing  the composition of the smaller pieces to provide balance. It was my intention that the left of the drawing was denser and with more substance and  form; and to fade  and disappear into the fine detailed marks towards the right of the drawing. Creating  images of lichen and tree bark fading as your eye moves to the right.
During the drawing  I was tempted to draw in a representational  style as I needed to sense that the drawing was complete .I consciously didn’t draw in what could be described as a comfortable method for me. An  example of this tension - to the left of the drawing  there are stark sharp white marks the desire to complete as black was strong - I didn’t do it!
I used oil bars, acrylic, chalk, charcoal, gesso, drawing ink, fine pens and Fabriano paper, all of which involved rubbing , scratching and distorting as the drawing emerged allowing my instinct to direct the marks
The tension was not having access to colour,  very different for me to think and work without colour however I enjoyed the difference , allowing the medium to inform and direct the mark making , well served by being able to use my arms fully with long sweeping movements.
Editing and selecting and enhancing the marks was continual. It was difficult to know when to stop and step away.  Leaving the drawing for a while was helpful as I wanted the marks to disappear, fade and then emerge as detailed pattern.
I went on to scalpel the drawing. Continuing the theme I cut the drawing into long lengths and placed them in my garden amongst the trees and I will record the eventual impact that the wind, rain and snow will have on the drawing. I wanted to pursue the theme of trees and the destruction caused by the overuse of paper.