Composition No. 7: Andalucía

As regular readers of The Daily Norm will know, over the past few months, my own art work has become dominated by a simplified use of flat tones, overlapping forms, and abstract compositions using as my newly preferred medium gouache paint on paper. What has resulted is a series of what I have loosely called “compositions” but which are progressively becoming more figurative rather than compositional, as these quasi abstract images are used more and more to provide a narrative of a scene, essence or depiction.

Following on from a series of compositions inspired by my holiday in Provence, and a single piece (Composition No.6) depicting a day at the seaside in Sussex, I had a feeling that once out in Marbella in Spain, I would again become inspired to pick up my fine-tipped paint brush and start producing another gouache piece. In fact so sure was I that inspiration would hit me that a box of gouache paints was one of the first things to make it into my suitcase.

And of course as soon as I reacquainted myself with the charming historic centre of Marbella, with its white washed houses basking in the sunshine, with the terracotta floor tiles and with the polka dots of flamenco whose rich chromatic melodies can be heard wafting in and out of households around the old town, I felt the urge to take out those very same paints and get to work.

Composition No. 7: Andalucía (2013 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, gouache on paper)

The result is this piece: Composition No. 7: Andalucía – a simple title for what is a simple attempt to capture the essence of Andalucía, and the iconic symbols which have come to represent the region around the world – the Spanish fan, a necessary antidote to the searing summer heat; the polka dots and guitar of the flamenco passion which stirs the region’s hearts; the windows, always open to capture whatever breeze they can, the richly decorated iron bars providing both security and decoration while facilitating this necessary ventilation;  and pots of geraniums scattered across walls forming in themselves a kind of polka dot pattern of floral colour across a blank white canvas.

I really hope you like this latest addition to my Compositions series.

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Related articles

• Summertime Sussex (Part 1): Composition No. 6 (daily-norm.com)