“The modern artist feels even the direct charm of the beautiful old stories with wistful desire for a like effortless simplicity of expression, flowing so clearly and steadily from sensation. And how delightful the contents of those tales considered as imagery of what is inmost in thought and feeling: how enviable a poetry seems the life which found such lyrical tongue!”
Anthony Hobson, The Art of J.W. Waterhouse
There is an indescribable feeling that waves over you when viewing a Waterhouse masterpiece, but I find that his rudimentary sketches and art studies take on a life of their own. Any fan of Waterhouse will be equally transfixed by the texture of charcoal drawn hair, the glow of red chalk skin and the recognizable richness of his color palette. Below are some of examples that immediately transport me to a land of water nymphs and rolling hills of springtime blooms.
Female head study for a nymph in Hylas and the Nymphs, charcoal and pencil.
Study for the figure in Destiny, charcoal and pencil.
Study for a Nymph in Hylas and the Nymphs, 1896, charcoal, white chalk and pencil
Study of a girl’s head, red and black chalk, on buff paper.
Study for ‘Phyllis and Demophoön’, 1905, oil on canvasStudy drawing for Dante and Matilda. Victoria and Albert Museum.Dante and Matilda, study (formerly called “Dante and Beatrice”), 1914 – 1917, oil on canvas, 49.5 x 61.9 cm. Dahesh Museum of Art.Matilda, study (formerly called “Beatrice”), 1915, oil on canvas.Vain Lamorina, a study for Lamia. 1909, oil on canvas. Art Renewal Center. Study for Nymphs Finding the Head of Orpheus, 1900, oil on canvas,
Nymphs finding the head of Orpheus: a sketch of the nymph at the left, oil on canvas
Female head study for ‘A Naiad’, 1892, oil on canvas laid on board.
Study for the head of Venus in the ‘Awakening of Adonis’, oil on canvas
Sketch for ‘Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May’ or Narcissus by John William Waterhouse
The Awakening of Adonis (sketch), 1899, oil on canvas
Study for ‘Saint Eulalia’ c.1885 John William Waterhouse 1849-1917. Purchased 1977. Tate Gallery.
John William Waterhouse seated, leaning forwards and looking to right, in studio, by Ralph Winwood Robinson (1889).
I am an artist influenced by the ethereal realm of the Pre-Raphaelites, Victorian craftsmanship, and the symbolic language of flowers. In my photography, I blend digital and 19th-century processes to paint with light. While I practice self-portraiture, my love for gardening and my experiences in animal rehabilitation greatly influence the narrative woven into my creations. Currently, I am delving into the art of flower making and exploring the folk art technique of spun cotton.
