I spent 4 nights in a little village, high up in the mountains in mainland Greece ( Northern Peloponneso), enjoying the late November sunshine, eating traditional Greek vegetarian food cooked by the Airbnb owner. I managed to create two oil paintings from my time there. The sun just lit up the tree in the foreground, transforming the scene into a blazingly bold glow of colour.
The second is quite different, as I wanted to convey the ethereal qualities of hazy smoke rising from the chimneys, and the way the light picked out certain areas. The scenes in both paintings were just meters away from each other, but facing 90 degrees apart. A little old lady appeared at the gate of her house just in time to be included! The trees here though were almost bare, except for a few persistent golden leaves.They almost dance towards each other, happy to be free.
This is the house where Avyi was brought up by her grandmother. Avyi is one of 5 sisters, the youngest of which had to be brought up by an adoptive mother, as her mother couldn’t afford to feed her. Difficult times. It’s now a storeroom, but Avyi has lovingly painted flowers on every interior wall, and decorated the outside in her own simple style, using leftover paint foubd discarded in the rubbish bins by the side of the road. Real flowering plants adorn the garden, all planted in an assortment of containers in the typically Greek way.
Μ’αρεσε την κληματαριά που αγκαλιάζει το σπιτάκι της γιαγιάς της Αυγής. Το απογευματινό φως, επίσης, μου τράβηξε το μάτι. Είναι εδώ που μεγάλωσε η Αυγή, στο σπίτι της γιαγιάς της, το οποίο τώρα, χρησιμοποιείται σαν αποθήκη.
This is from my first ever visit to Alonnisos, a beautiful Airbnb run by a super lovely lady called Amy. Its set up on the hillside with a direct view of the sea and surrounded by pine trees.
Charcoal drawing on canvas, by Elaine Ask 50x70cm
Above is the sketched outlines in charcoal , ready to paint!
I loved the way the light danced momentarily on the walls before again being overtaken by the shadows, as the steps disappeared behind the trees, obscuring the secret orange grove.
Μ’αρεσαν της αλλαγές φωτισμού στην διάρκεια της ημέρας, και της καμπύλες που μου παρουσιαζοταν τα δέντρα και την κληματαριά, καθώς και τα σκαλοπάτια μου έχουν μια, αίσθηση μυστήριο.
Stone Steps in Elli’s Garden. Τα Σκαλοπάτια στο Κήπο της Έλλης.
Αυτό το έργο έχει το ίδιο θέμα με το προηγούμενο προηγούμενο, αλλά με με πιο γλυκό φως και από μια άλλη πλευρά. Έτσι έχει γίνει πιό ποιητικό.
This painting is of the same subject as the one above, but is seen from a different angle and at a later time in the day so has a gentler light, making it seem more poetic.
Τοπιο στην Νέα Μονη Χίου. View from Nea Moni, Chios
A friend of mine wanted to visit Nea Moni to light a candle in memory of her late father, so while we were there I enjoyed this view so much, that I chose it for my next painting. The late morning light was very strong so each segment in the composition is clearly defined. The monastery itself was directly behind me, so anyone who knows it will recognise this view..
Η Παρέα στο Καρνάγιο, Dimitri’s Boatyard.
I’ve watched Dimitris over the years, working and socialising in his boatyard, so to celebrate my tenth visit to Chios to see my long-standing friend Elli and her family, it seemed fitting to create this painting of an everday scene forever rembered. I finished it just in time as my flight was due to leave so it’s staying where it will be loved.
Πηγαίνω στην Χίο κάθε 2 ως 3 χρόνια, και μια αφού ήταν η δέκατη φορά φέτος, διάλεξα να ζωγραφίσω και που είναι κοντά στην καρδιά της φίλης μου, την Έλλη, και να ζωγραφίσω το χώρο όπου παλεύει καθημερινός ο άνδρας της, ο καράβομαραγκός Δημήτρης. Έρχονται συχνά και οι πελάτηες του, και οι φίλοι, να κάθονται κάτω από την κληματαριά να πιούνε ένα καφεδάκι παρέα.
As I walked into the nearby village, this battered old house struck me, as it is reminiscent of traditional houses from the last century, that were the prerogative of the well to do. It now lies empty, unloved, but its grandeur lives on. Its on the main road so although I knew I wanted to paint it, when I came back the next day alone, I set my easel on the opposite side of the road, on waste ground overlooking the garden of another property, so was able to paint in peace and also to include the blue and the pink flowers.
A cluster of local children soon gathered around me with the usual 5, 000 questions. “Τι ζωγραφίζετε;” – “What are you painting”, and ‘Αν επιτρέπετε, πόσο χρονών είστε;” – “If I may ask, how old are you”! And that from a ten year old!
When they heard the reply they politely said “Δεν φαίνεστε” – “You don’t appear that old” which I guess compared to the Greek γιαγιάδες (grandma’s or simply old ladies) is probably true, as I was in a skimpy dress and not all in black!
Anyway night fell before I had finished, but I was still putting the final brushstrokes for that day when a man came up in his car, and insisted that I move, so he could park in that particular spot, even though there was plenty of room at the side of me!
So I packed up, feeling a little deflated, but fortunately was able to finish the painting two days later.
When I first moved to Dewsbury, I painted several canvases from subjects from on Park Road. Here the children playing so happily will now be in their 40’s of course. Sadly I sold this at Holmfirth Art Fair, as the children’s father, the late Stephen Battye chose not to purchase it, as he had recently commissioned another portrait of his children. He did however, purchase another of my paintings at the time. I offered to buy it back many years ago, but the couple who then owned it refused to sell it, though it has subsequently been sold on at auction at much less than its original value, so if anyone knows who currently owns it , I would love to know! It encapsulates all the natural fun of simple child’s play as I watched them making their mud pies of the garden wall at the Gothic House, as it was then known!
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