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June 2021: Zoom Oil Landscape  demo with Tom Gowen   
Tom was born in Wales and currently works out of the Stroud Valleys. He is known for his expressive style and emotive response to subjects such as the British coastline and Mediterranean sunlight. He loves the forms created by the natural world and we were treated to a composition based on a view of Lough Leane nestling among the rugged slopes of MacGillycuddy's Reeks.
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The slideshow gives an idea of Tom's mode of working. He likes using oils because they stay wet, allowing blending of the image, including using the knife to feather the clouds down across the skyline. The use of the palette knife imparts energy and immediacy that is more elusive with brushes.
The knife is also a useful tool for quickly scraping off any errors.
Tom uses "Oakblade" knives, which are noted for their flexibility. This included a flat-ended knife for painting the cottage in the final stages.
 
Working with a pared-down palette of oil colours [mostly white, ultramarine and yellow ochre, but with some usage of ivory black, emerald green, cadmium red, lemon yellow and raw sienna (light) ] Tom used palette knives  on a well-primed smooth stretched canvas.
 
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The completed picture is full of many subtle details and nuances of colour and form. Tom's paintings can take anything from six hours to several days but he created a very convincing and atmospheric scene for us in around two hours.
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Otter Vale Art Society

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