Henley in Summer - A commission for Daniel, Caroline and Louise…
Beautiful Henley on Thames seen across the water is a sight that inspires awe and wonder. The town is a backdrop for so many endeavours, creativity and fun and the smiles are everywhere on a sunny day. This piece will capture the bright optimism and the personal story of Daniel and Caroline’s love of the river as well as happy memories of days enjoyed with friends.
Size: 110 x 45 image ( 130 x 65 framed in smooth white frame)
Theme:
Henley on Thames view over the river on a summer day
Composition:
To include the bridge, Henley Royal Regatta Headquarters, the church and The Angel on the Bridge, all seen over water. Summer flowers along the banks hint at the season.
Collage
Text in the background includes ordnance survey maps of Henley and surrounding villages, plus text about the history of the town.
Style:
Bright and light with crisp colours and hidden details if the viewer looks closely.
Client notes on memorable moments and a picnic from paradise!!
We regularly charter an ‘Edwardian Launch’ for the day from Hobbs of Henley, normally taking friends and a big picnic to Marlow and back through the locks. It would be great to be able to pick out this style of this boat with its distinct canopy style roof in the foreground of the piece.
For the ordnance survey extracts, we live in Caversham and regularly go out walking all around the Chilterns, so we could identify locations where we start our walks from.
e.g. Greys Court, Hambleden, Rotherfield Peppard, Checkendon, Stoke Row, Binfield Heath, Turville, Goring, Stonor, Remenham, etc. (that’s probably way too many already!)
A limited edition print will be created from the piece, potentially shown in the Regatta Gallery next year.
Themes from our days out include:
1. Colours: nautical blue and white stripes with a splash of red/Union Jack Flags.
2. Being a farmer's daughter I am into hostessing. Picnic includes Pink Moët canapé/salmon salad/desert/cheeseboard/traditional cream tea served on a Claude Monet waterlilly tablecloth.
3. One of our memorable boat trips was during The Traditional Boat Festival we passed The Gloriana and a replica of Donald Campbell's Blue Bird.
Stage 1: Composition
Below are 3 suggested compositions for the piece. I have chosen the view downstream as it offers a view of all the key features however this is not set in stone. Once the idea is approved, the first sketches and colour studies begin.
wide view which will allow space for details hidden in the water and flowers along the right bank. Lily Anna in the foreground and moored.
View more in focus, again with Lily Anna but more detail in the buildings
Regatta HQ on the right, Hobbs on the left. Lily Anna could be sailing towards us or moored/heading downstream as in 1 and 2. the bridge is more prominent here.
Development ideas.
Journey : The river trips and walks reference the idea of time spent with friends and family. The boat hired from Hobbs appears twice in the suggested composition, based on he idea of capturing the start of a trip and the end of a trip with her moored up and turning to head downstream. This will not be immediately obvious but rather a talking point to share as the piece is viewed
The Gloriana: The boat could be added in the piece.. but it may rather take over! an alternative would be to add a few of the details sketched within the foliage or water.
Recipe pages, local maps and a hidden ‘blue bird’
Developed image:
Showing the bridge in full detai with Lily Anna floating downstream and also moored ( this time on the far bank)
The clouds wil be added to the sky and there is a possibility of hidden treasures in the water. Once the composition is approved I will create a sketch and explain further!
And the favourite is… ?
’Our favourite is still the 3rd photo. We like the fact the bridge is closer. Dan especially likes to see the detail of all the boats moored up side on as well as the Edwardian Launch in the river coming towards us at a slight angle so you can see the shape sideways too’
Stage 2: Sketches
Sketch showing composition with Lily Anna in the foreground. The final composition will be more symmetrical with more height on the left and a little less sky, (flowers and possibly boats will be along the right bank )
The large expanses of water will have hidden collage and references to special memories, These are detailed as ideas below.
Secrets… below are the ideas behind the references that will be layered as collage within the water. The photos in the slideshow include the wall where the piiece will hang and a rather lovely one of the client and her daughter! The maps are the actual places where the family and friends usually walk.
Pink Moët ( bottle label)
Picnic ( picnic basket)
salmon salad (image of the fish in the water)
dessert (fruit images, leaves as if floating)
cheeseboard (vintage cheese knife)
traditional cream tea ( plate, jug, spoon)
waterlilly (tablecloth) waterlilies painted on the water surface)
recipe cards (added as horizontal lines with text in water)
flowers (red flowers accent here and there)
Union Jack ( St Marys Church or in the town)
Maps: as clouds
Stage 3: Gathering collage materials .. watch this space!
It has arrived! The map that the family enjoy using as they walk in the local area.. the folded pages of this well used Ordnance survey map will soon become the clouds and water in the painting.
I will be shapingthese onve the scale of the clouds is determined..
Above.. my studio wall today with the paper prepped and ready to go.
Collage laid out. First draft.
So.. thinking about how to lay out the map. The map itself is very relevant to the narrative. I imagined a river trip downstream towards the areas where the family walk. areas of the landscape seen in sections, and in straight lines ( true to the map format). This also made me think of the recipe cards in The box.. also straight lines. Thought I would live with this before glueing.
Ok.. although i am in love with the idea of the views being rectangular.. in keeping with sections of the map, I feel the clouds really do need to be more subtle so I have risked tearing up the walks to create cloud shapes and one gorrrgeous detail where the trees over the bridge will be in the negative space created by a map over the bridge. Also going to live with this and source the secret images before glueing. I may also reduce the amount of collage maps in the water.
Flowers..
So.. I am considering the flowers that will be included in the piece.
As Caroline’s favourite colour is red, this will appear as a prominent hue for floral elements. The question is regard to scale!
There are a beautiful range of wild and cultivated flowers found in and around Henley on Thames and I have selected a collection of flowers and plants that may fit the bill based on colour or the sentiment or meaning associated with the flower and its relevance to the family.
The flowers are so elegant and detailed, my instinct is to use them all.. however with the composition of the piece the introduction of large flowers could appear contrived and may look out of place and spoil the illusion of the view.
I feel that a better option would be to have hints of colour in areas where the composition allows.. ie touches of red, and perhaps definitions of Caroline’s favourite flowers in text form, hidden within the buildings and possibly ‘floating ‘ in the water.
I do feel that i may have to create a piece titled ‘Henley Flower Garden’.. with a possible colour palette of Red, white and blue, but that is another story and another day!
So.. my question at this stage is :
How does the client feel about the ‘touches of red’ option to bring her colour to the work ( the union Jack will also be in the piece) and which flowers would be most relevant/ favourites to include ?
Woohoo! Collage and first texture layer is complete. I’m aware that the piece is taking me longer than i hoped in the current situation, but also aware that I need to act on my instincts and make sure that the piece is not rushed and I afford the right amount of consideration to each process. I know from experience that you have to follow your heart when painting and allow the ideas to ‘cook’ stage by stage. I’m really pleased with the way the collage has turned out.
So.. after a lovely meeting today there have been exciting developments! Im uploading the pictures now and will add details soon!
A collection of photos that will add to the ‘secret stories’ within the painting…
Treasure…
Here are collected pages showing vintage images that could be collaged within the water of the piece. These will reference ideas, sentiments, memories associated with days on the river.
I sent these files to the family to print off and circle or scribble any images/ words/ ideas that spring to mind as they look at the pages (hopefully a pleasant activity during lockdown!)
Not all of the images will be suitable but I have selected a collection based on the discussions so far. The important thing is that the images ‘speak’ to the client and will communicate an idea once collaged in the piece.
Selected vintage images that describe a day on the boat..
I’ve made an initial selection of objects to include in the piece. These hint at the picnic menu and boating.. other images can be added !
So. a few additions.. the tea set is one that the client owned and the strawberries reference the pavlova often on the picnic menu. Hampers.. which actually say they are suitable for regattas and a fish knife with a salmon on it. the cake stand and tankard complete the set!
And.. the painting begins! The following are images taken as the piece evolves. This first image is the first sketch. the main change is Gloriana now shown leaving the frame. I wanted Lily Anna to be the main feature and Gloriana will be easily recognisable but not steal the show! The ensign will add a touch of red.. adding to the symmetry with the red touches on the left of the image. I’m really pleased with the composition!
Hello D, C and L!
The piece so far is now below! I love it. I have left a lot of ‘light ‘ in the painting and the boat is quite ethereal as a result. There are a few new additions in text and the water is a lovely deep blue with aqua flashes. The shapes and boats could be worked further.. i usually let the piece breathe for a bit to see how I feel after a few days, please read the ideas below and let me know what you think.
kx
