Kurt Jackson: The Thames Revisited

A Dusting of Snow. Cliveden Reach. 

November 2010 © Kurt Jackson

I’m trying hard not to miss out on opportunities to see the work of artists that I admire, and a couple of weekends I had rather a treat going up to London to catch a couple of exhibitions that were on my ‘must see’ list. 

Four Mallard Tumbling Into the Source of the Thames at Dusk 

2013 © Kurt Jackson

It’s only in the last six month that I have found the work of Kurt Jackson, the highly talented and well respected landscape painter. Since then I have bought a couple of books of his work and become a big admirer of his paintings. His pictures bristle with life; whether they are of crashing seascapes or tranquil river views. This vitality comes from paint that is brushed, poured, flicked & scraped on surfaces ranging from small squares of paper to giant wall-sized canvasses. Jackson is neither a photo-realist nor a dauber, but his pictures accurately capture the gestalt of a place better than most can manage. His latest exhibition was Kurt Jackson: TheThames Revisited which was on display at the Redfern Gallery in Cork Street. The exhibition followed the river from source to sea, and includes a wide range of imagery that spans from rural idylls to motorway underpasses, impressive views of the capital and on out to the reaches of the estuary. The paintings were marvellous, every bit as exciting as I had hoped. It is wonderful the way in which his gestural, energetic mark making seems to result in believable details.

Thames Meander, Dry Nettles and Willows. 

February 2009 © Kurt Jackson

If I were working in London I would have found ways to go back and see the pictures again. Instead, the exhibition comes to me in the form of a really nice catalogue that I bought as the third book in my Jackson library. I just know that there will be more future purchases for that book shelf. 

Hawthorn and Willow. Oxford, Cherwell. Chiffchaff Calls. 

May 2010 © Kurt Jackson

News from Noel Myles

Cornwall © Noel Myles

It was good to get an email the other day from my friend Noel Myles, letting me know that he had updated his website. The new website is unusual; instead of being presented with conventional gallery based sites you are immediately taken to an e-book that is an online portfolio of his work from 1986 to 2013. It's a nice take on the old concept of the photographer's 'book' and a compelling and rewarding way to look at his work. 

Back in the day, before we had websites, tweets, Facebook, blogs and Instagram, every serious photographer who was seriously looking for commissions had their 'book', a beautifully put together portfolio. Often leather bound and handmade, these books were exquisite, expensive collections of prints that were necessary to show one's work to best advantage.  

Noel's online book feels like a very modern take on the old concept. There is work on display that I have not seen before, and as ever, his work is fresh, unique and fascinating. In a world that is awash with dull, uncrafted conceptual art photography, Noel’s pictures are always interesting and rewarding. It is difficult to lose yourself in a photo in the same way as you do with a painting and we have become accustomed to viewing photos with fleeting glances, but Noel’s Still Films grab your attention and demand a longer look. Go have a look; you can even print a paper copy for yourself.

Bittersweet Symphony

Bittersweet Thorns

‘Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life’

It certainly feels that way sometimes, and the latter half of 2013 was more bitter than sweet for many I knew; family, friends, colleagues and myself.

During the latter half of the year I’ve hardly picked up the camera at all. It all started with self-destruction of the Arena group of which I was a member. Since then circumstances and disillusionment have blunted my opportunities and enthusiasm to work on and enjoy my picture making, which has meant no new blog posts since October.

Anyway, 2014 is ahead of us now and the New Year is always a good opportunity to look ahead positively. Happy New Year!

Light in the Coppice

Shooting Coppice, Crabwood, October 2013

Another recent picture from Crabwood. Autumn is not very advanced and there are plenty of trees still in green leaf at the moment. It’s strange, the more I visit this place the more I find to photograph. Crabwood and the allotments are my two default locations to visit when I feel the need to photograph but have no specifics in mind.

Screen Burn

Woodland Mushroom

The Guardian ran a small article today about the BBC presenter and commentator Andrew Marr. Rather than focus on his professional knowledge, this piece concerned his new book about his amateur passion, his joy of drawing, or sketching. The basic premise was that it is better to be doing something creative with one’s hands than it is to sit transfixed to a screen, be that a television, computer or tablet.

I couldn’t agree more. From necessity, I spend more hours in front of a computer monitor than I do anything else. I spend less time asleep than I do handling and writing emails, preparing spreadsheets or working on some web tool to carry out my daily fare of work tasks. The last thing I want to do when I have some free time is to sit in front of another glowing screen for my entertainment. To spend one’s evening passively being entertained seems to be an opportunity lost to do something worthwhile.

I used to carry a small netbook with me on my daily commute on the train, when I would write my blog posts, social emails or view my favourite blogs and websites. These days, I prefer to read books (on paper – not kindle!) or make the most of the view before we slip into the darkness of winter. On some journeys I will just take time off to think and dream, on others I will listen to one of the many spoken voice podcasts to which I subscribe (you must search out Radiolab if you have yet to hear it). On normal working days I rarely do any photo editing in the evening because of screen fatigue. Maybe one day we will have monitors that look like the paintings in Harry Potter, but until then I will guard against screen burn.

To go out with the camera is a different thing altogether, thank goodness. Although the cameras are now digital and the viewfinders are yet another splurge of illuminated pixels, it feels invigorating to be moving about, setting the camera and capturing the image. Of all the time spent looking, very little of it is through the viewfinder. Most of the time I am hunting down a telling icon or motif, searching out a viewpoint and composition, thinking about the lighting to tell the story. I almost never use a tripod, and I am often on my knees bending down to get low shots or interesting angles. I find it very absorbing and relaxing, therapeutic even, to be out making images.

So it was yesterday, on a visit with my son to Crabwood. I normally prefer to photograph by myself, but he is patient, inquisitive and good company. We explored and talked while I looked for pictures, coming away with a clutch of pictures, memories of a gorgeous autumnal morning, and the satisfaction of time well spent.