David Hockney Portraits

I just caught the David Hockney exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery before it closed a week ago. It was a much larger exhibition than I was expecting, and a treat to see. I have admired a lot of Hockney's work for many years, especially the drawings and fine pen portraits.

It was good to see the double portraits in water colour, in the flesh, as reproduced they seemed to bright in colour, especially the faces which in reproduction were bright red. The colours are strong in these portraits, but not that strong fortunately.

The exhibition included Hockney's photographic portraits, made up of dozens of images, which I've always fancied doing myself, but haven't yet.

Hockney's portraits of his mother,( there were examples from all periods in her life,) were beautiful, drawn and painted with such obvious care. The latest large portrait canvases were also great. the characters of the sitters coming through strongly.

What I was also stuck by the sheer amount of work that he had produced, it puts me to shame and makes me determined to use what time I have as creatively as possible.

I have just enjoyed 4 weeks teaching meditation at the London Buddhist Centre, and am working on the next series of art and meditation days the first of which will be on colour called Colour Wisdom, on March 10th. More info will be on my main site.