Arts Council Meeting 6th October 2021

Scribe: Mariya             Director: Mutasim

Theme:  Colour and Shape in Painting

Paintings: In a Shoreham Garden, by Samuel Palmer
                    The Birch Wood, by  Gustav Klimt
                    Almond Trees in Springtime, by Van Gogh
                    London Building Site, by Frank Auerbach
                    Self- portrait aged 20, by Pablo Picasso
                    Self-portrait aged 90, by Pablo Picasso

Mariya reminded us that we noticed the bright pinks and whites in the painting by Palmer.  A lady is standing under the tree in springtime, and the thick  pinkish-white blobs of paint showing the blossom make the tree look a bit like a cauliflower. There is also thick paint (much thicker!) in the Building Site cityscape picture .  It is heavy and grey, and makes us think of the soil and mud churned up when they were digging and building after the last war.  Maria wrote that the landscapes by Klimt and Van Gogh are of trees.  Klimt painted silver birch trees in a wood with orange and brown dotted paint- strokes to show the fallen leaves in autumn.  Van Gogh’s Almond trees have whites and pinks and look very fresh.
We looked at two self-portraits by Pablo Picasso. Tanbir thought the last one, when he was very old, made him look like a cartoon character, as the artist’s eyes are staring out, he is very pale and looks confused.  Others thought that the first one, when he was 20, makes him look like a pirate: courageous and bold.  He is also staring out, but looks confident.  There is a dramatic dark background.

In a Shoreham Garden, by Samuel Palmer

Almond Trees in Springtime, by Van Gogh