Art inspired by nature (From Times Series)

Art inspired by nature

3:48pm Thursday 5th July 2012 in Exhibitions By Melanie Dakin

Nature at its finest could be the subtext for this year’s Watford Area Arts Forum (WAAF) Summer Exhibition. Restful landscapes and delightful studies of coast and our native flora and fauna abound.

Among the many exhibitors is popular Bushey watercolourist Anthony Wildig, whose work captures the contrasts seen along Britain’s coastline.

“My artwork reflects the timeless and wild landscapes of the UK, in particular the coastline of Cornwall and the fishing villages of north east Scotland,“ says Anthony. “I am also quite at home with the gentle countryside and architecture of my native Hertfordshire.

“My figurative paintings, mainly watercolour, have structure to them that comes from a love of drawing and an appreciation of buildings and landscapes,“ says David. “An original wish to be an architect was overtaken by a preference for working in wood, which lead me to an apprenticeship in a firm of antique furniture restorers in London. I now have a studio in a former bakery in Bushey.“ Myrtle Paterson is another local watercolourist who finds inspiration from wildlife and local scenery, particularly within the ever-changing environs of Cassiobury Park.

“Having grown up on a nursery and trained as a florist, it’s no wonder that natural beauty is the main subject for my paintings,“ says Myrtle.

Together with her poetic sister she has also published books of paintings and poems, including On Watford’s Wild Side. As a member of Watford and Bushey Art Society, Myrtle is holding an additional exhibition of her work at Watford Museum during July.

Watford Area Arts Forum Summer Exhibition runs from July 7-15 at the Harlequin Centre, Upper Gallery, The Parade, Watford. Open: Monday to Saturday, 10am-5pm and Sunday, 11am-6pm. Admission is free. WAAF member David Latham will be demonstrating watercolour techniques on Sunday, July 9 from 11am-5pm.