THE ART OF GEOFF FORD

SCROLL DOWN TO VIEW GEOFF FORD'S WONDERFUL WATERCOLOURS

GUM TREE BY A BILLABONG

Artist's comments: A gum by a billabong.   No other country has this sort of subject !

 

Painted in Watercolour on Arches paper Rough
300gsm  600 x 450mm

 

This painting was influenced by Ross Paterson's teaching and have set me on a freer style which I have been hoping to achieve for a very long time now.

 

 

WEATHER CHANGE OVER BATHURST

Artist's comments: A weather-change on the way.  But the brilliant Aussie sunshine is determined to hang on to the last!  

 

Painted in Watercolour on Arches paper Rough
300gsm  600 x 450mm

 

THE OLD HAY SHED

Artist's comments: Sheep near the old hay shed.  Even the growth of parched grass is sweeter.

 

Painted in Watercolour on Arches paper Rough
300gsm  600 x 450mm

 

CHIGAGO PEACE

Artist's comments: "Chigago Peace" was painted in watercolours on a full Imperial (30 x 22ins) Fabriano, 400gsm Rough, Cotton using very large W&N sable and sable mixture brushes !   "Chicago Peace"  -- a favourite rose I grow in my garden.

 

The palette was quite restricted by using W&N -- Permanent Rose, Quinacridone Gold, Indigo, Ultramarine and a touch of Chrome Yellow in leaves;  and from Art Spectrum range  -- Pilbara Red.

 

For such a large watercolour painting I had to rely on using a good number of glazing washes plus very precise timings for the gradated washes .   The experimental edge treatment of the paper was inspired by art deco .   It was fun !

 

BALLS HEAD

CAPTAIN PHILLIP LOOKOUT SYDNEY (2004)
Medium: Watercolour

CORNISH HARBOUR --- TIDE'S OUT (2008)
Medium: Watercolour

Artist's comments: A Cornishman by birth and upbringing, and a frequent visitor (although living down-under), I never tire of looking at the beautiful harbours. Here I wanted to show how some boats lean when the tide is out and others don't. Also I tried to get the idea of water still hanging around on the harbour bed.

 

 

PADDLE STEAMER "ADELAIDE" (2007)
Medium: Watercolor

Artist's comment: This was painted on site on the RIVER Murray in Victoria, Australia. I was striving to get good aerial perspective and to simplify my brushwork.

I Started watercolour painting 5 yrs ago at age 79.

 

 

RAINFOREST CREEK, NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA (2008)
Medium: Watercolor

Artist's comments: This was an attempt to apply large brush techniques to a much smaller area. Aerial perspective was important to me yet I wanted to portray the lush density of the rainforest itself.

 

 

RAINFOREST CREEK "THE SKY IS BLUE!" (2008)
Medium: Watercolour

Artist's comments: Although inside the forest it is dank, hot and humid there will be the occasional spot where the light tries to get through. It is only the creek which reflects some of that.

All is quiet here except for the trickle of the water.

 

 

RAINFOREST EXIT (2008)
Medium: Watercolour

Artist's comments: The last of my Northern Australia Rainforest paintings. Here I emerge from the closed-in darkness of the forest on to the gorge with its colourful cliffs, twin waterfall and spread of water.

It is a relief to be breathing clean, open air!

 

 

VISITING TOWN 19TH CENTURY SOFALA

SPANISH SWIRL (2008)
Medium: Watercolour

Artist's Comment: This is a fun technique !   On very wet paper, I sloshed areas of  quinacridone yellow, indigo and a little chrome red.  The I tilted the paper in varying directions to influence (to a degree !) the flow of the paint and sometimes blowing over it to increase the movement of the paint run.   When partially dry, I either added more wash colour or blended together some of the areas to give more tonal or merging influences.

When totally dry, I turned the sheet this way and that to see if a composition or subject was emerging or if there was something that could developed.   It was then that I could see the dancers.

By using more indigo I was able to define the edges of the dresses and, with weaker paint, the waist lines.   A few splashes of other reds, touches of opaque white, etc saw the costumes become more defined and swirling with movement.   A delicate use of the brush around the heads and busts and it was finished. 

There it is --- Spanish Swirl !

 

 

HYDRANGEA MAGIC
Painted on Canaletto Aquarelle 300gsm 470 x 290mm
a very difficult paper to handle.

Artist's comment: We have one smaller Hydrangea that comes into the most beautiful array of colours in Late Summer to Autumn.

Sheer magic!

 

 

"CONFRONTATION"
Medium Watercolour
560 x 380mm on Bockingford 425gsm Rough.

Artist's comment: This image is a confrontation between a couple of pelicans whilst I was painting some boat & wharf scenes at the Sydney Fish Market.

Too good to miss!

 

 

VELVET MAJESTY
Medium: watercolour
515 x 350mm on Fabriano Artistico 300 gsm

Artist's comment: I love these Regal Pelargoniums with their velvety twisting blossom contrasting their clean sharp-cut foliage.

 

 

GENTLE ROLLING
On Arches paper 300 gsm 320 x 210mm.

Artist's comment: Influenced by my few trips to North Curl Curl Beach and this on a placid day.

 

 

BEING YOUR SLAVE
Calligraphy on Vellum
15.5 x 11.5mm, with 23.5c gold and gouache

Artist's comment: "Being Your Slave" is written with Chinese stick ink in a modern version of Gothic Batarde formata which I designed after extensive study overseas from Books of Hours and other liturgical books written during the period from 1350 to 1550 in N France Flanders and S England.