Foxgloves in Cornwall: Trying Something Completely New

There’s something rather wonderful about deciding to paint something completely different.

One of my lovely online art students, who I work with live over Zoom, decided to move away from her usual subjects and explore flowers in the Cornish countryside instead.

And what a result. I love the way these foxgloves rise out of the softer, almost dreamlike background, with those beautiful purples and pinks contrasting against the fresh greens. There is depth, atmosphere and a real feeling of being surrounded by a Cornish hedgerow in summer.

Learning to See Rather Than Simply Copy

When I teach art, whether online, at Mawgan Porth in Cornwall or face to face, one of the most important things I encourage is learning to really look.

Painting a new subject makes us ask different questions. Where is the light coming from? Which shapes are coming forward and which are disappearing into the distance? How do the colours change as they move through light and shadow? What makes a flower feel as though it is growing amongst the foliage rather than sitting on top of it?

These are the fundamentals of art that can be carried from one subject to another. Once we begin to understand them, we are no longer dependent upon being shown how to copy a particular painting.

Growing Your Own Technique

Trying something unfamiliar can feel daunting, but it is also one of the best ways for an artist to develop. Each new subject gives us another opportunity to understand colour, perspective, light, form and composition.

This painting is a lovely example. The foxgloves have presence without every part of the surrounding countryside needing to be precisely described. Softer marks and colours allow areas to disappear into the background, while the stronger flowers come towards us.

For me, teaching art is about helping people understand why these things happen visually, so they can gradually develop their own technique and make their own artistic decisions.

I think she has done a fantastic job with something completely new… and perhaps the smile alongside the finished artwork tells the story better than I can.

Photograph and artwork shared with permission.