COVER TO CANVAS ARTIST OF THE DAY – John Short, Artist

John’s work gives the impression of spontaneity, “often the quickest seemingly throwaway and most immediate use of materials can often capture more than a few too many strokes”. His work is accomplished and beautiful, capturing movement that allows one to feel part of the scene.

John speaks of the inspiration for his piece…

Art Work Title

‘Library Interior’ & ‘Henrietta Street’

‘Library Interior’

In this large watercolour painting of the elegant library interior in King’s Inns I decided that to encompass as many of its beautiful features I would adopt an asymmetrical panoramic perspective. It sounds complex but the overall shape of this galleried space is regular and simple. Beginning in the brightness on the left with the beautifully restored stained glass feature window reading area in a sweep around the room as the light changes throughout to a dark and secluded position on the far right. Watercolour and ink on heavy paper were the ideal materials I used to capture from the subtle reflected surface colours of the walls to the heavy walnut, prussian blues and umber browns of the leather books, furniture and the raw sienna hardwood floor. In this splendidly theatrical room, I wanted to portray it as very much, as it is, a busy working library with historic and contemporary touches included with the addition of fleeting linear figures making it a place of activity. I hope I have captured a winter morning at half past ten in 2015 in King’s Inns Library.

‘Henrietta Street’

This is a large watercolour and ink painting of the exterior of King’s Inns buildings in Henrietta Street. As an art student I painted a lot of streetscapes in my sketchbooks of London and Paris. I particularly enjoyed making complex architectural scenes simple by using watercolour to create solidity and dramatic shadow. In essence I saw here one side of the street in shadow, the main building bathed in light and the opposite side of Henrietta Street reflected in the windows of the Library building. It’s a picture made up of only three things. Working quickly and broadly with watercolour creates an immediate and spontaneous effect of light which I think I have captured of this grand street. I added the figures to give it a sense of scale, time and liveliness.

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