Reading My Way Around the World

Thursday 15 May 2014

How a comment can change your perception

Winter Tunnel David Hockney
I remember seeing an interview with David Hockney a few years back where he talked about the light in a series of paintings he had done of the same point on a Yorkshire road at different times of the year.


Spring Tunnel David Hockney
And what stuck in my mind was his comment that, by far, Summer was the darkest season .... with all the trees fully clothed, festooned with leaves blocking out light from above; while the Winter landscape covered in snow with bare naked trees was full of light.


I rejoice every year with the extra light that comes with summer, but I can't help noticing how dark the green hedges and trees are.

(Photos from Mr Hockney's website)


Have you ever noticed how one comment can change your perspective?





10 comments:

  1. It's very true and no, I hadn't noticed. I still prefer lots of foliage though. I love "tunnels" like this. We have one we drive through regularly and it is always so attractive especially right now with all the new foliage.

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    1. I agree Jo - I love being enshrouded in trees like that - like walking into a world of myth and mystery.

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  2. Yes I have, when we were going through the adoption process for our first daughter I remember saying to he doctor that we'd be the best parents we could and he said "It's not about being the best, it's about being good enough parents". And that has stayed with me ever since and changed my perspective on life.

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    1. Fantastic observation LLCool Joe - isn't that a bit like life in general - being good enough. And i'm sure you've been brilliant parents. I've always thought that adopting must be one of the most rewarding things to do in life - the child must feel so wanted and loved.

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  3. one comment and our world is enlarged , beautiful blog. I have nominated you for a liebster award the details of this are found on my page which I dont really know how to provide the link yet but click on me and you will arrive at
    ' liebster award a kind of daisy chain made from hearts with words.'
    Sandra

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    1. Oh Sandra - thank you so much :) Wow!

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  4. I love Hockney's observation. I like doing landscape painting and studying the light as it moves through the trees at different times of the day. I never thought about it the way Hockney says it but from what I've seen out in the field all the leaves do definitely cast shadows and create a canopy of shade. Thanks for sharing his paintings with us.

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    1. Being able to paint is a wonderful gift .... you see things so differently .... the shadows of leaves are magical and I've noticed them so much more after your comment Stephanie.

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    2. That so cool Fil. Thanks for sharing that!

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  5. HI Fil .. wonderful you've posted those paintings here - the works were amazing weren't they ... I'm not a member of the Royal Academy so never went to see his exhibition .. but I did see your interview and the placing of the works with Hockney at the RA on tv ...

    And yes .. of course it is dark ... the light reaches the ground in winter, and slowly lifts up as each new 'batch' of plantings reaches ever higher - til the canopy reveals itself in full bloom ... I guess the leaves protect themselves from all the sun's rays by the tree or hedge bearing so many ...

    Fascinating .. and there's some other talks, exhibitions based around colour coming up ... Synthesthesia is an amazing subject ...

    However to come back to a more practical turn of learning .. I was amazed that Hockney had embraced the ipad and its painting/drawing or artistic abilities that he realised were within the ipad Apps or the ipad itself perhaps ... I didn't have one then .. and need to explore it now ..

    I too would love to paint .. cheers - great post and comments ... Hilary

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