Still Life

Nature Morte Devant la Fenetre, by Raoul Dufy

I find the best ideas come from paintings.

Old and New Patterns

I was researching the other day some patterns for curtains and upholstery and was struck by the similarities of the two prints:

Source: google.co.uk via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: manuelcanovas.com via Kelly on Pinterest

The red print was done by Raoul Dufy in the 30's, the black and white is from the current collection at Manuel Canovas. Influences, I find it so important to know the old stuff, it is always new and fresh when revisited.

Bob Dylan as Painter

A few weeks ago when visiting some galleries, I went to Halcyon Gallery and was shown round the galleries by Camilla, when she took me to a room with some bright and colorful paintings I was surprised to learn these were done by Bob Dylan, a series of graphic prints.

These paintings attracted me for their color, the drawing and composition. They are bright and fresh and the drawing is like Raoul Dufy. But after a few minutes of looking at them I also saw the moments on the road of a musician waiting for a train, at a bar or in a cafe, the times between performing, observing the environment and the customers at a bar.

I found the painting of the train tracks going off into the distant, to a swirling red sky evocative and then looking into it I could hear the lyrics to his songs. Dylan has written some wonderful songs, songs that tell stories. His paintings have that sense of story. You can easily imagine the conversation with a curvy woman at a bar, a Sunday afternoon overlooking a port, with a drink, a coffee, with a friend, a lover, you can hear it in those songs.
 
The paintings were on exhibit at The Halcyon Gallery on New Bond Street, for more information see their website www.halcyongallery.com.

Everyone has a Dylan song they love, which is you favorite Dylan song?