Page 54 - Barry McGlashan | Natura Naturata | 2020 | E catalogue

with great accuracy As prints they were obviously intended for mass circulation and their publisher Hieronymus Cock must have done very well out of of of them at at at a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a time when sea travel was vital to to the the the the the way of of of life I couldn’t resist the the the the the subversion of of of turning one one back into a a a a unique painting 39 Der Abschied oil on panel 30 x x 40 5cms 113⁄4 x x 16ins
A life at sea would mean many farewells This little piece of of romantic opera takes its title from Gustav Mahler who often keeps
me me company in the studio 40 Natura Morta oil on panel 70 5 x x 91cms 273⁄4 x x 36 ins
Due to to to my my my my wife’s work as as as an an an art art historian I I often find myself fin in in in in Oxford at at at the the the very beginning of of of of the the the new year with not much on my my my my plate so it it it it it has become a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a welcome habit to to to spend a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a lot of of of of time at at at the the the Ashmolean Museum I I I think of of of of it it it it it as as as my my my my ‘secret artist’s residency’ There is is fis a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a fairly modest gallery about half way through an an enclosed space with with no windows Instead all all all four walls are covered with with over over ninety still-lifes of of of flowers: some some fresh some some wilting peeling fruit hunted game plates of of of shellfish a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a plethora of of of of of memento mori and and and vanitases all all created in in in in fin in in in in the the 17th-century by Dutch and and and Flemish artists I I I find the the singular intent of of of of of this this this display very powerful and and and and I I I I think it’s one of of of of of my favourite rooms in fin in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a gallery anywhere As a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a subject I I I I found it it it it irresistible so I I made this this this version of of of of the space this this this room of of of of life and and death 41 41 Seeds from a a a a Winter Garden oil on canvas 45 x x 41cms 173⁄4 x x 161⁄4 ins
This is is is is is is the the the the the the last painting I I made for this exhibition When the the the the the the Summer is is is is is is over and Autumn arrives then into Winter I I always enjoy the the the the the the the the the the way way the the the the the the the the the the underlying structure of of of of the the the the the the the the the the garden garden is is is is is is slowly revealed The plants seem done finished - but of of of of course not they’re just sleeping Sometimes we’ll collect seeds for the the the the the the the the the next next year a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a new new garden garden out out of of of of the the the the the the the the the old the the the the the the the the the endless cycle I often feel that way about endings in in in the the the the the the studio: what has passed means a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a new new start and will feed the the the the the the next next season: nature nature natured 42 Wake oil on paper 31 x x 23cms 121⁄4 x x 9 ins
This painting happened very quickly just a a a a a a a a a a a a a a note for for something something else I was thinking of of As a a a a a a a a a a a a a a painter you you you can find yourself creating paperwork in in in in in in fin in in in fin in in in in in preparation for for for something something larger or or or or or or or or more finished so so so so you you you leave this this trail of of rough working behind which may be be repurposed or or or or or or or just as as likely slipped into a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a drawer and forgotten But somehow this this modest painting on on paper paper kept coming back to to to me me as as something pure I felt that it it did everything it it needed to to to 43 Squall oil on panel 24 x x 28 5 cms 91⁄2 x x 111⁄4 ins
How to to paint the the energy of of a a a a a a a a a storm at at sea? I enjoyed the the technical aspects of of this: created with a a a a a a a a a certain mix between pigment and white white spirit spirit also using pure turpentine which makes the the white white spirit spirit disperse across the the surface taking that pigment with it it it it it it in a tempestuous swirl 44 Night on on on on The Mountain oil on on on on panel 26 x x x 17 5 cm 101⁄4 x x x 7 7 ins
A painting painting made early on on on on in in in in in in in in in fin in in the the the the work for this this exhibition thinking about the the the the journey over over the the the the mountain to to come How terrible it it may seem in in in in in in in fin in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a storm at night: like like some overblown Germanic opera I loved the the the the final surface of this this painting: smooth like like dark glass 45 Painter’s Copy (Bruegel) oil on canvas 91 x x 71 cms 36 x x 28 ins
I I I I made this painting painting about one of of those relics which we we painters keep with us wherever we we work It’s always there somewhere pinned up on on on the the the the studio wall A print of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a painting painting an an an an object repeated I’ve had it it it it for as as as long as as as I I I I can remember On this trompe-l’oeil surface are all all the the the traces of of of past working paint paint spattered here here and and there with its tears and and creases it it it it becomes like a a a a a record record of of time spent Of course that notion of of of recording the the the the past is is is is is is exactly what Bruegel was doing in in in in in in in in his his his his painting this being the the the the backdrop (and ultimate destination) of of of of his his his his his Hunters in in in in in in in in in in in in the the the the Snow Here the the the the way ahead is is is is is is is plotted out out his his his his his magpie leads us us towards those vertiginous peaks which climb like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a beautiful piece of of of of Chinese landscape painting totally out out of of of of place for for his his his his his native Netherlands but rather a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a memory of of of of of his his journey across the the the the the the Alps on on his his way to to Rome many years before I I I I remember the the the the the the surface of of of of the the the the the the actual painting painting as being one of of of of the the the the the the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen in in in in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a gallery: like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a piece of of of of polished marble I I I I wanted to to make this painting painting an an object in in in in in in in in in homage to to that mountain far away which I I I I have carried with me me all these years