Still life – a contemporary view

Apples in the washbowl   oil on canvas – 50cm x 50cm

‘Still Life’ as a discipline can be a fascinating subject. Life however, is never still, it moves on determinedly all the time from life to death, death being another element in the passage of time. A moment can be captured in a photograph or a painting, however, that object itself will wither and degrade, and whatever the object, time is patient. In fact that very painting or photograph will then wither and degrade. Taken literally, there is no such thing in terms of representation as ‘still life’ – I prefer to think of it as a ‘glimpse of life’, a moment in time. For me it is more dynamic than just ’an arrangement of inanimate objects’, for me it tells of the inevitable story of things moving from one state to another.

So, apples in the washbowl – the bright fresh fruits, promising much, and full of energy.

Life is transient, and the pips in the bottom right corner show that the apples will soon be consumed. On the other hand, one tries to keep things for the future, the moth which has alighted on one of the apples, signifies that sometimes things fail. Apples may moulder in their box, moths may come in and destroy. A rather symbolic work under the surface, a picture which imparts a message, not just an image. Messages of course can be interpreted in many different ways. Ultimately, time is the topic here, not apples. You could view it negatively – time is immoveable, unchangeable, it is fruitless to try to arrest the action of things moving from one state to another, living, ageing and dying. You could view it positively – if time did not move relentlessly on, there would be no impetus to live life fully, with all the time in the world there may be nothing to rouse one to activity and to enjoy. Carpe diem. Sieze the day.

To see a wider range of ‘Still Life’ paintings, click here

Pilots Cutters and ‘the squeeze’

The Sea

Recent work – The Pilots Cutters

‘Waiting for ‘the off’, Fowey,  oil on canvas – 100cm x 100cm

Every year the Pilot Cutter Review is held on a  May weekend in Cornwall.  Here are some of the boats hoisting sails, waiting for the race line to form. Mascotte is in the centre, one of the original Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters, with the distinctive N on her sail, for Newport. On the left is the beautiful Pilot Cutter Freya, newly built by Luke Powell and Working Sail, launched in April this year. In the background in full tan sail is the Westerman who took part in the racing.

To see a wider range of sailing and the sea, click here

Interior and space

Recent work – still life

‘The squeeze’  oil on canvas – 30cm x 30cm

This painting is currently for sale in Columbia Road Gallery, London.

Here I have tried to capture the feel of  lemons, not just their appearance. The intense, fresh, face-puckering citrus danger –  sharp feel, sharp flavour.  In this image though, all the energy has gone out of the fruit, the danger – passed. The colours have dulled, the focus soft. Two flies cautiously eye up the spent juice.

To see other paintings in the interior and space series, click here

Take a look also at www.saatchionline.com/jillhudson  both prints and a selection of original paintings can be purchased through this site.

New work

Interior and space

‘Forbidden Fruit’  – oil on canvas – 30cm x 30cm

For full works, click on the heading – interior and space – top right

 There is a dead wasp in the painting, immediately in front of a rather acidic-looking grapefruit. The wasp as uninvited guest has been dealt a severe blow. The  message – don’t eat the forbidden fruit.

This painting is currently exhibited at ‘Mounts Bay Contemporary’ Penzance

 

Seascapes

‘Fleet’   – oil on canvas – 120cm x 150cm

For full works, click on the heading - The Sea - top right

The Pilot Cutter review is held every May in St. Mawes, Cornwall. Here is a glimpse of the full fleet of classic boats

This painting is currently exhibited at ‘Sullys Framing,’ Penryn, Cornwall.

Landscapes

‘Orchard, evening’ –   oil on canvas – 30cm x 30cm

For full works click on the heading – Landscapes – top right

The evening light filters through the branches in a March orchard, creating purples and mauves, rose and creams.

New Gig rowing paintings

“Go” 100cm x 50cm – oil on canvas

This is a fun painting – I tried to show the colour, and the blur of the St. Agnes start line. My gig paintings are currently on sale in Sully’s Framing, Penryn, Cornwall.

‘Circling for the start’ 80cm x 60cm – oil on canvas

With so many boats now in the racing, you have to find your space in the water whilst waiting for the heat to start. It made me think of sharks circling.

”To Tresco’  31cm x 31cm – oil on canvas

A view of the islands from the ferry on the way home.  A quick visit, I always wish I could stay longer.

World Pilot Gig Rowing Championships – Isles Of Scilly

Coming soon … New gig rowing paintings and sketches.

I’ve just got back from the Isles of Scilly World Pilot Gig Championships.

It was a great weekend – with the competition for places hard fought in all the heats, not just those at the top.  I’m back with a sore throat from singing, sore hands from rowing (but with bottom luckily more or less intact) . Over the next few weeks I will be posting new gig rowing art from the championships, and trying to capture the colour and excitement – and hard work – of gig racing.

This is one I made earlier. It’s called ‘At the start line’.

Paintings

I am interested in the beauty that lies around me.

I want to capture the essence of an image which otherwise might be overlooked.

My art is about the landscape of life in all its forms – it’s fleetingness, it’s poetry, it’s loneliness, and it’s reality.

There are many things which inspire me, however, my work settles within three categories.

Interior and space

“The red shoes”  – For full works click on the link page, top right

Landscape

“The Great Outdoors”  – For full works click on the link page, top right

The sea

“The Race”  – for full works click on the link page, top right