David Hockney A Bigger Picture exhibition and new sketch.

Ruth and I went to see the new David Hockney exhibition A Bigger Picture,at The Royal Academy this week. RA link here
I have always liked Hockney's work and was pleased to see a few years ago that he was painting a lot of trees and using bright colours too. His Yorkshire landscapes are beautiful, and in this exhibition where a lot of them are gathered together, the result is impressive.



There's a range of work from very realistic charcoal drawings, to watercolours and large oil paintings and new prints made from Hockney's work on the i-pad. The landscapes in the dales with their swooping roads and bright fields take you with them on their journey. The joy and delight in the landscape is palpably communicated and meant I was not as exhausted as I can be after seeing a large exhibition. There's something about the use of colour and the strong bright colours that are energizing as well. I could feel myself drinking them up.



The detailed recordings of the changes through the seasons is a main part of Hockney's latest body of work. Painting from the same view point through the year. From snowy lanes to spring greens, heavier dark green summers to Autumn colours and corn fields. As you turn round you are surrounded by the seasons in all their rich variety.

Compared with the vibrancy of the paintings, the prints from the i-pad are much flatter and less intense. It was interesting to compare the different mediums. I always admire Hockney for his obvious delight in new technology and would follow his example if I had more money. So I was pleased to see his working with the i-pad, which no doubt takes some mastery with it's methods.
some of the effects the pencil type lines and soft brush effects were brilliant. But there is something very different about the effect of the hand/brush with paint.

The exhibition has been booked up for a while I think, but you can que for tickets about a 2 hour wait mostly the RA are saying. I'm not sure if I will be able to get back before it finishes on the 9th April. But I was inspired when I got back home to do the sketch of the Siver Birch tree with a golden light on it's branches below, out of the kitchen window. I also sorted out some of my tree photographs that I'd meant to print. So I can see some more trees arriving before too long.

Lord Mayor;s Show and David Hockney in Paris

I was off taking photos of the Lord Mayor's Show on Saturday, continuing with my documenting of the traditions in London. I hadn't been to the show before (quite often because the weather was bad and/or it's the season for colds and virus.)

I was surprised to find that it was such an old tradition, apparently it was the 795th show, which is quite incredible and there was at least one man dressed as a Knight representing the Knights of the Knightengild who were given land for loyalty to King Edgar in the 10th century. They protected London training in East Spitalfield. Knightengild is now the ward of Portsoken link to the history here


I was also surprised to see how many modern Livery Companies were part of the parade. I hadn't quite realised that modern businesses would like the idea of being part of a pageant, but I suppose tradition is a powerful thing.

I enjoyed being around before the start of the procession and at the end as people returned to the Cheapside area. The Lord Mayor's gold coach is amazing, it was a bit difficult to get a good photo as it came past though.


Spotted a news item about a new David Hockney Exhibition in Paris. Called Fresh Flowers it is Hockney using new mobile phone technology to make drawings and send them through to the gallery. I have always loved Hockney's response to new technology how he has embraced it and really enjoyed finding new ways to express himself.
Link to the gallery here