Asters revisited

Asters (revisited)
original watercolour by Teresa Newham

Following the successful revamp of my Hyacinths painting, I turned my attention to Asters.  This is a favourite of mine, made as a demo at Open Studios a few years back, and I didn't want to alter it drastically; I wondered if simply remounting it would do:

trying the original version in a new mount
© Teresa Newham

I came to the conclusion that something more was needed.  The background looked distinctly wishy-washy and there was too much yellow; so I removed as much of the original colour as I could and strengthened the background with Permanent Sap Green and Permanent Alizarin.

playing with the background
© Teresa Newham

This worked well; I re-did the flowers with Permanent Alizarin, and they started to sing against the green.  The leaves and stems were going to need similar treatment.

bringing out the flowers
© Teresa Newham

The end result in the new mount looks subtly different to the original - so subtle that I sometimes have trouble telling photos of the two apart.  Which means I haven't ruined one of my favourite paintings!

the revamped painting
© Teresa Newham

Lourdes in the light

view from the top of the Rosary Basilica towards the Domain
© Teresa Newham

It was wonderful to make the Parish Pilgrimage to Lourdes for Our Lady's feast day again!  The beautiful sunshine showed off the mosaics on the facade of the Rosary Basilica to their best advantage, and added a glow to the ones inside.

mosaics outside and inside the Rosary Basilica
© Teresa Newham

As we made our way from the Basilica towards the domain the trees were stark against the sky and dusted with snow, while flowers were already being left at the railings around Our Lady's statue, as thousands of pilgrims arrived from all over the world.

glorious views
© Teresa Newham

Along the steep path to the Upper Stations of the Cross there was a stunning view of the Pyrenees. Mistletoe crowded the branches of the trees above us, while in front and behind we could hear groups praying and singing in a multitude of languages.

the Crucifixion - one of the Upper Stations of the Cross
© Teresa Newham

The Stations themselves are large cast iron figures showing Jesus' path to his Crucifixion - the most dramatic sculpture of all, which was lit from behind by the setting sun.  We paused before each of the fifteen Stations in turn to make our own prayers.

pilgrims
© Teresa Newham

As the feast day drew nearer, more and more coachloads of pilgrims appeared, many with candles of various sizes, others with banners, flags and even a guitar.  The largest candles represent the prayers of a parish or a whole diocese.

pilgrims' candles at the Chapel of Light
© Teresa Newham

The candles were bound for the Chapel of Light - a collection of booths on the river bank opposite the Grotto. Pilgrims place their candles in one of the hundreds of candle holders with a prayer - for a loved one, a sick relative, a friend in distress.

pilgrims lining the river bank at the Grotto
© Teresa Newham

Perhaps because the feast day fell on a weekend, I have never seen such crowds at Lourdes before. As  I made my way through them I paused to add my own prayers at the Grotto to those of the thousands of people lining both banks of the river: Ave, Ave, Ave Maria!

the River Gave, looking towards the Domain
© Teresa Newham