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Wednesday 29 April 2020

April I & II


April I & II
watercolours by Teresa Newham

Has anyone else noticed the blossom this year?  From my neighbour's flowering cherry, which always heralds the onset of Spring, to the trees we've seen on our daily walks more recently, the display has been spectacular, and prompted me to get out my paints.


establishing the base and the layout
© Teresa Newham


I started with watercolour washes and salt, soaking up excess colour with kitchen roll to ensure the washes were faint and that the salt didn't dissolve, then I sketched the outline of some primroses and the skeleton of the trees.


the two paintings taking shape
© Teresa Newham

I built each painting up with more layers of Transparent Yellow, Permanent Alizarin Crimson and Permanent Sap Green,  allowing some Cobalt Blue sky to show through from the base layer.  I thought I'd finished until I stepped back and took another look.


April I
watercolour by Teresa Newham

I was happy enough with April I, but the tree in April II just looked wrong.  Even a layer of Titanium White didn't cover it, so I dug out some ancient white gouache and coaxed enough from the tube to do the job.  It's definitely an improvement!


April II
watercolour & gouache by Teresa Newham











Sunday 12 April 2020

An Easter like no other




the Road to Emmaus
linocut Easter card by Teresa Newham


When he was at table with them, he took the bread, and blessed, and broke it,
and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him;
and he vanished out of their sight.  
Luke 24:30-31

This truly has turned out to be an Easter like no other: our priest live streaming the services; familiar voices from the parish reading direct from their own homes; prayers for everyone affected by the pandemic in so many different ways; spiritual Communion.

The online Easter Triduum, reduced to its bare bones, has been powerful and profound, and we are grateful to those who have worked so hard to broadcast it, including the opportunity to watch one hour with Our Lord on Holy Thursday and to meditate at the foot of the cross on Good Friday.

The story of the Road to Emmaus tells of two followers of Jesus who fall in with a stranger on their sorrowful journey home after the Crucifixion.  The stranger discusses Scripture with them and, at their evening meal, they recognise him as Jesus in the breaking of the bread.

Although we cannot receive communion physically, we too have recognised Our Lord in the breaking of the bread this Easter. And we can recognise him too in every person working to save lives and support the vulnerable during this pandemic - and in normal times.  With everything that is happening in the world, and at a time of our own private grief, we give thanks for that.


In loving memory of Nigel Newham
1954 - 2020
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord
And let perpetual light shine upon him
May he rest in peace
Amen