Woodland oil painting ‘Woodland Dawn’ by Louise Southan
This week’s artwork of the week is an impressionistic woodland oil painting by Louise Southan. Louise used oil painting on stretched canvas to create this mesmerising landscape artwork.
She has painted the edges of the canvas with a continuation of the woodland landscape, which is really effective. However, it can still be framed or hung as it is. Personally, I like to see those detailed edges, which are quite unique.
Here are Louise’s words about her work.
This painting was inspired by the purity and clarity of the spring dawn as it filters through the trees. Based on the woodland covering Wenlock Edge in Shropshire, near to where I live.
I exaggerated the blue tones to compliment the freshness of the bluebells. The painting has a high impasto and I used a sgraffito and crackle effect for extra texture. I painted the piece in Daler- Rowney oil paints on a stretched canvas, it is corded on the back and ready to hang. This piece is protected by two coats of artist’s quality varnish.
About the Artist
I was born in Bridgnorth Shropshire on a farm, so my first artwork was influenced by my love of nature and the changing seasons. Though I am still very much inspired by nature, I also love painting street scenes, still life, interiors, figures and vehicles.
After I made the finals of the Laing Art competition in 1992 and sold them at the Mall Galleries London. I was able to take commissions, work on murals and develop greetings card designs, whilst making sales in various galleries. As well at this, I also taught drawing and painting at Stafford college for 17 years. I still teach, but now hope to devote more time to my own painting.
Questions to the Artist
Firstly, your artwork is stunning. How do you manage to create such vibrancy in your works?
Contrast is the key here. I like to use either complimentary colours or contrasting tones and make full use of the nuances of the colour wheel. Using small brushstrokes and the high impasto achievable with oil paint, gives a multi-faceted surface for light to bounce from.
When I’m working in watercolour I try to keep the colours fresh. I leave areas of unpainted paper which helps to keep the vibrancy and brings light into the painting.
Do you produce your artworks from photographs, life, or both?
I take a lot of photos and produce many sketches from life or my imagination.
Many of my paintings are either real places or inspired by them.
I see this artwork is in Oil paints, but do you also create works in other mediums?
I do actually paint a lot in watercolour as I teach watercolours and drawing. But there is something about the richness of the colour in oil, the way it blends. The impasto that I can achieve that can be found in no other medium.
I also love working in acrylic. The vibrant colour and the fact that it can be used thin like watercolour or rich like oil makes it very versatile.
Lastly, I can see you paint many different subjects. Is any in particular your favourite?
My favourite is always the one I’m working on at the time. I often share a studio with Ben Wiseman, my friend and creative partner. We work as independent artists, but come together for exhibitions. We are able to bounce ideas off each other and he will often inspire me to look at new challenges and try new subjects.
