Newsletter Spring 2017 - Rosemary & Co Artists' Brushes

The Finest Quality Handmade Artists’ Brushes

‘‘It’s not just a brush, it’s an experience.

A ritual.

It’s life changing and it’s your life.’’

OUR quarterly NEWSLETTER filled with INTERVIEWS & TIPS for your ENJOYMENT

www.rosemaryandco.com

Spring/Summer 2017

d ite N m O Li ITI ED

LEATHER brush WRAPS and JOURNALS Our luxury handmade leather brush wraps are made in-house

For more information please visit our website and search: Leather Wrap or Journal. www.rosemaryandco.com

enquiries@rosemaryandco.com

01535 632666

SPRING is NATURE'S way of SAYING, “Let's PARTY!” - Robin Williams

S

pring is here! Hooray! I love this time of year. New growth, lighter nights, lighter mornings and a spring clean is in order. We have so many exciting things going on here at Rosemary & Co, I can’t wait to share them with you.

Firstly, we are finally opening the workshop to you in July! We will have a showroom within the workshop where you can see the brushes in person, try them and buy! We’ve built the showroom from scratch and hope it will blow your socks off! By appointment only please note.

We are hosting three workshops this year with Jeremy Lipking and Kathy Anderson. They are both master painters and great teachers.

Later this year we will have a new catalogue. Mum has asked me to take this project on, alongside Chris and Alan (our graphic designers), I hope to do you proud. Let us know if you’d like to be put on the list to receive a new catalogue when it’s ready. That being said, unfortunately, we won’t have a summer newsletter this year so I can focus on the new catalogue. Sadly there arn't 8 days in a week!

Have a great spring and summer. We hope to see you out painting somewhere on our travels!

SIGN UP for a COPY of OUR NEWSLETTER Sign up for a free online copy of this newsletter at: www.rosemaryandco.com/newsletter Or if you would like a hard copy through the post please email your address to: enquiries@rosemaryandco.com

Do YOU run an ART group, ATELIER, or SCHOOL? If you’d like us to send enough copies of the newsletter for your students we are happy to do so. Get in touch!

The same goes if you’d like us to visit.

WANT to get INVOLVED? If you’d like to be involved with the quarterly newsletter, we’d love to hear from you. We’re always looking for fun stories to feature, brushes to be reviewed, books to be read and so on.

Get in touch and you could see your name amongst these pages.

KEEP in TOUCH by FOLLOWING us ON...

TWITTER: @rosemaryandco INSTAGRAM: rosemarybrushes

PO BOX 372, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England, BD20 6WZ.

Symi Jackson, Sales & Marketing Director.

Above painting courtesy of Jeremy Lipking.

UK: 01535 632666 +44 1535 632666 E & OE

W: www.rosemaryandco.com E: enquiries@rosemaryandco.com

{CONTENTS} 05

We LOVE to HEAR from YOU

06

FRIENDS in FOCUS

07

ARCHITECTURE and LANDSCAPES

15

FOLLOWING your HEART

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MAKING your brushes WORK

22

Skies OVER the DESERT

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ONES to WATCH on SOCIAL Media

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LOOKING for TROUBLE

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Upcoming EVENTS this YEAR

Which BRUSH 29 would YOU choose?

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MASTER from the PAST

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What’s NEW on the SHELF

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You ASKED, we ANSWERED

COVER IMAGE Frost On The River, Sun On The Snow.

Acrylic. Image courtesy of Chris Forsey.

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Featured MASTER Chris FORSEY

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MAGIC brush MARKS

18

Brush CLEANING TOP tips

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Featured GUEST Nathan WALSH

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New BRUSH REVIEWS

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MAKE your SKIES stand OUT

We LOVE to HEAR from YOU Dear Symi We spoke on the telephone a few days ago when I received my first order of Rosemary & Co brushes. I live in Western Massachusetts (about one and a half hours due west of Boston) and wanted to tell you how I ‘discovered’ your wonderful brushes and about the happy coincidence that followed...

I was reading artist David Bellamy's blogs that had accumulated in my inbox and came across a reference to the brushes he enjoys using: “Even for my sketches, however rough, I like to paint with the beautiful watercolour sables produced by Rosemary & Co, as they come to such a lovely point and make it a pleasure to sketch in this way.”

Of course I clicked the link to your website. Then serendipity took over.

I must have inadvertently hit another key because there appeared on my screen a dropdown list, including the name of Jean Haines, whose books, DVDs and video downloads I have bought recently.

I had been looking to purchase some sable brushes (my first - very exciting!) and had been looking for brushes to match as closely as possible the ones described in Jean Haines' books. There they were, exactly what I wanted, identical to the pictures I had pawed over in her books, looking for clues.

I had knee replacement surgery a few weeks ago and due to the long recovery period, was unable to sign up for a local art course that interested me. I hit on the idea of making my own watercolour lessons, ‘taught’ by Jean Haines through her books and DVDs. I already had paper and paints, and I just needed brushes.

Now as soon as I get off these pain medicines and can focus on a thought for more than five minutes, I can put my lovely Rosemary & Co sable brushes to work!

Cheers!

Callie Kendall Orszak Thank you for getting in touch Callie, your £40 gift voucher is in the post.

If you would like to be picked out of the hat for next quarters gift voucher, please send us your letters.

Rosemary & Co

05

{FRIENDS in FOCUS} We TALK to GREENLEAF & BLUEBERRY

G

reenleaf & Blueberry creates handmade materials and supplies for the travelling artist, including a line of artisanal handmade watercolours.

Their watercolours are produced by hand in small batches using muller and slab, ingredients of the highest quality, and natural pigments that can be traced to a geographical location and a geological source.

Their line contains colours such as Malachite, Vivianite, Purple Ochre, and Pipestone.

Each colour is a single pigment paint, and crafted to allow the unique qualities of the pigment to shine.

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Their formulation includes natural highest-grade gum Arabic and local organic honey. They believe that keeping their colours as pure as possible reveals the inimitable characteristics each pigment naturally possesses.

Colours are available in half-pans, full pans, and shells. They also produce travel palettes containing thoughtfully designed colour collections, watercolour brushes with intricately designed handles carved by hand, and paintables: digital projects to download, print, paint, and enjoy.

Greenleaf & Blueberry was founded by artist and adventurer Jess Greenleaf.

She brought on her husband Matt, a chemist and rock climber, to perfect their formulations. Together, they create tools and supplies for the travelling artist: colours from the earth, portable palettes designed as companions for adventure, treasures for your pockets and backpacks, and instruments for your imagination. They believe that creativity is an essential life-skill, for it is where dreams and reality merge. To paint something is to really see it. To create is to live life in full colour.

Images courtesy of Greenleaf & Blueberry.

Please visit their website at: www.greenleafblueberry.com

ARCHITECTURE and LANDSCAPES

By David Smeadon

David Smeadon takes a painting trip down memory lane...

I

first started painting way back when I was in primary school.

I was interested in the birds I saw in the parks and garden and began drawing and painting them. I remember my teacher said I captured the shapes perfectly.

Art has been constantly with me, more so now since moving from London to Lavenham in Suffolk. These days my art involves architecture and landscapes. My favourite brushes are Rosemary and Co. They are very well made and very good value for money. I particularly like the way the catalogue is produced I can study the brushes at my leisure at home with no pressure as in a shop. Showing the brushes actual size is a tremendous help. My favourite at the moment is the 1" Pure Sable Filbert (series 7350) I use for my loose work. I did in the past and still do produce a lot of detailed pen work with washes of watercolour but

recently started loosening up in drawing and using the 1" filbert for the washes. This brush also is very good if I want to create thin lines such as telegraph wires etc. It's a great all round brush for me.

When finished, I take care of my brushes by gently washing them under lukewarm water and a tiny amount of household soap, shaking off excess water and gently wipe on a tissue to a point. I do not store the brushes immediately in my brush pots but lay them down on tissue to dry then store them in the pots. I have found when storing in pots when still damp the water can run back down the handle and decay the wood over time. I might add that I have never treated my Rosemary brushes in that way. I will continue to use Rosemary brushes for my paintings and continue experimenting with the various types.

Images courtesy of David Smeadon.

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{MASTER of the MONTH} INTERVIEW with CHRIS FORSEY

Chris Forsey is a member of The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours and is also a member of The Society of Graphic Fine Artists. He is based in Surrey, England.

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hris is mostly interested in landscape, townscape, coastal subjects and also still life. The close proximity of The North Downs to his home and studio constantly inspires him to paint and sketch this fine landscape regularly.

HOW DID YOU FIRST START PAINTING? As a 4 year old, my grandad encouraged me to draw on scrap paper, and I always got joy out of creating my own fantasy world with paper and pencil and later at school with a paint brush.

His main preoccupation is with atmosphere, light and weather. Forsey endeavours to capture the fleeting changes and how it affects the scene before him. He prefers to work in the studio from location sketches and photographs, mostly in water-based media.

I was always quietly ambitious to be the best in the class at art, never was, and this really frustrated me; more practice required! Eventually I discovered acrylics and sold my first one at 13 to friends of my parents, result!

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WHO FIRST INSPIRED YOU? I copied the drawings in The Eagle comic and then discovered The Impressionists when I was 14, I’ve never really got over it. Later it was Turner, Van Gogh, The Fauves, John Piper, Howard Hodgkin, Ivon Hitchens.

Roland Hilder was the watercolourist that first caught my eye. I’m self taught, so had to read all I could to find out exactly how you ‘did’ watercolour.

WHAT INSPIRES YOUR PAINTING APPROACH? Light, weather, atmospherics, time of day, season and texture all inspire my landscape works. My stilllife paintings are very different using pattern, design, colour combinations as my main interest and adopting a slightly more abstracted and graphic approach.

HOW DO YOU START A PAINTING? Most of my work is done in the studio. I do a lot of sketching on location gathering ideas etc. Once in the studio I always begin with a tonal thumbnail sketch, sometimes in colour, with great attention to composition and choice of colours before starting the painting. I nearly always have a vague plan as to how I want the painting to look. Once a plan is made I can let loose and have real fun, especially with mixtures of media.

WHAT MEDIA AND EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE? I started my illustration career using gouache, then discovered watercolour and then acrylics and pastel, put them all together and that’s what I mostly use.

Continued overleaf...

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I am a member of RI (The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours) and SGFA (The Society of Graphic Artists) have welcomed me as a painter in mixed-media.

I enjoy the unpredictability of combining media, oil pastel and watercolour, acrylic ink and acrylics using flat Rosemary Brushes, palette knife, finger, card, stick etc. The excitement of the unexpected paint mark or effect is always a joy with this approach to painting.

WHAT ROSEMARY BRUSHES DO YOU USE? My choice of brush needs to be tough, long-lasting and able to spring back to shape so I’ve been using Rosemary's Golden Synthetic Series 222 Flat sizes 1",1-1/2" and 2", actually listed as varnish brushes.

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I like the unpolished wooden beaver tail handles that sit well in the hand and the back to basics look. They last for ages and fit easily into a brush wallet. They handle beautifully and make a mark that is just right for my way of painting.

“Light, weather, atmospherics, time of day, season and texture all inspire my landscape works.”

DO YOU ALSO DO PAINTING WORKSHOPS AND COURSES? Yes, I have been teaching alongside my painting work for the last 15 years and enjoy the personal interaction with fellow artists and helping them with their work and giving advice and guidance. I always get asked which brushes I use and I say

“Rosemary's Brushes of course”. I have noticed how many people who regularly attend my courses or are watching me demonstrate at an art society are using them after my recommendation!

I am tutoring painting holidays and courses this year in Italy, France, Suffolk, Devon and Cornwall, as well as in London's Mall Galleries for the Royal Institute. I am also working from my Dorking studio. Details are on my website.

“My choice of brush needs to be tough, long-lasting, and able to spring back to shape” HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF DEVELOPING AS AN ARTIST? I am always looking for fresh subjects, challenges and new approaches to my painting. I feel it will gently become more abstract, but always retain a foot in representation.

I spent years as an illustrator, detailed and very realistic alongside my painting, so I am delighted that in the last 20 years I have been able to concentrate on being a painter, but development is important to me and new creative horizons always beckon.

Images courtesy of Chris Forsey.

For more information on Chris Forsey, his work, courses and workshops please visit his website: www.chrisforsey.com New DVD due out from Townhouse Films later in 2017. Please contact Chris directly.

Rosemary & Co

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{MAGIC brush MARKS} JUICY strokes & CALLIGRAPHIC impressions

By Lori Putnam

Lori Putnam sees colour harmony, rhythms, patterns, and unique shapes. This is Lori’s passion and seeing our world this way gives her the freedom to explore all things.

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hy all the longer-shaped brushes? I get asked that a lot, so recently I have been taking more time to demonstrate just why I love them, and why I have them in so many different hair types.

First, a word about the length. Longer hair quite simply holds more paint because there is more surface area. I advise my students to fully load the brush on all sides, and practise making long, juicy strokes and calligraphic marks. Hold the brush at the very tip and parallel to the painting surface. With a light touch and just the right paint consistency these long hairs do the work for you.

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Long flats can fill an area quickly, while longer filberts and egberts leave graceful, expressive lines. Add just slightly more pressure on the brush to make broader swaths.

My brush collections contain both natural and synthetic hair types. The Bristle Series responds to more aggressive, textural moves. I use these mostly in the beginning stages of a painting where thin, scratch-like darks make sense. The Classic Series, loaded with thicker paint, lays the paint right on top in progressive layers.

Next, enjoy designing medium-to-smallsized shapes with the Ivory Series, one of my favourites. When loaded properly you

will appreciate the added finesse you can achieve with these as compared to the previous two types. Moving to a softer and slightly springier hair like the Evergreen allows me to get just the right amount of added dance in my work. Try loading with medium-thick paint and use a light, quick touch to skip across the surface of water or finish tree trunks and branches. Just by varying the pressure on the brush and rotating it, you will find dozen of uses for the egbert shape.

The long flats are useful in much the same manner with the added perk of having nice, sharp corners for dots and dashes, sparkles on water, and delicate leaves. Use swords for wild, organic shapes, and don’t forget to alter your stroke direction. The obvious mark works well for fine grasses, but also experiment with pushing the brush flat side to the canvas, lifting, and pulling.

Finally, with only the tiniest bit of effort and thinner paint, use Shiraz riggers and swords for fine lines, and staccato marks.

These are just a few of the brushes I use.

I also enjoy long Masters Choice long flats and long filberts Series 279 and 278 and the inexpensive Series 303 in medium to larger sizes. Experiment, play, and see what you can discover.

Search Lori Putnam on our website to view Lori's 8 Brush Starter Set and Lori's Complete Set. Images courtesy of Lori Putnam.

For more information on Lori, please visit her website: www.loriputnam.com Rosemary & Co

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D D ED ...

N e A w D AT ES

ROSEMARY & CO Master WORKSHOPS 5-9 th & 19 th-23th July, 2017, Jeremy LIPKING Rosemary & Co are hosting a 5 day landscape painting workshop in Yorkshire, England with Jeremy Lipking. Learn how to paint outdoors with Jeremy in the beautiful English countryside this Summer.

Spaces limited. For more info go to: www.darkcreekpress.com or contact Danielle at: dlipking@gmail.com

The Finest Quality Handmade Artists’ Brushes

FOLLOWING your HEART

By Annette Alessi

Everyone wants to plan out their life and accomplish great achievements - I know because I am one of them. But throughout my artistic career, I have been constantly reminded that if you just do what you love, great things will happen.

I am a professional fine artist and instructor. I started this journey as a fashion illustrator in the late 1980s, growing and increasing skills through illustration and graphic design. All of these opportunities came from my passion for the arts and the love of talking to people. I always seemed to be at the right place at the right time. Or was it just because I was doing what I love?

In 1997, my children came into my life and I took a couple of years off from the arts. It was important to me to give my two boys, Johnny and Tommy, my full attention. Once my second child began preschool I started to get the creative itch again, but I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do no matter how hard I tried. I knew going back into the hustle and bustle of the advertising industry would not work with having two boys. I decided that I needed paintings for our new construction home’s many large white walls. So I rooted around my college portfolio to see if there were any sketches worth framing.

I fell in love with ‘fine art’! It was the beginning of my new career, not planned, as a professional fine artist!

A completely unexpected and different path than advertising that worked well with having small children. I loved it so much that I created a series of works called ‘The History of Fashion’, and had my first exhibition with the Art Loop in Wilmington, DE in 2003. The painting series was of women in fashion from the 1920s to 1970s. I have since, won many awards, participated in an extensive amount of exhibitions, met famous people, became a teacher, and recently I published a book with my husband, John, which I have illustrated, titled ‘The Brave Little Soul ’, which is currently being sold on Amazon.

Rosemary & Co

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{Making YOUR brushes WORK} IMPORTANCE of HIGH quality BRUSHES

By Bernie Moore RBSA

Bernie Moore is a linear painter from Nottinghamshire and graduated with a first class B.A. Honours degree in fine art and a B.A. in art history.

T

he interface between mind and canvas is the most important aspect of painting but is rarely discussed in art training.

Ralph Mayer (1991), states in his Artists Handbook for Materials and Techniques, “if the topics in this book were arranged in order of their ultimate importance to the practicing painter, this section (on brushes) would begin on the first page: there is no item of greater importance for the successful execution of a painting than a sufficient quantity of the very highest grade brushes that is possible to find. It is one department of the artist’s equipment where no skimping or compromise should be allowed; one may 16

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go without or use makeshift supplies of some items but poor brushes are a severe handicap to good painting.”

Buying cheap brushes is a false economy. On the other hand, expensive ones may not suite your way of working, and are also a false economy. So, what determines selection?

Where do you start? As a student I used long flats, I didn’t know why, they were fairly cheap, available in the art shop, and felt comfortable. Over time I became aware of a problem in my painting, but didn’t know what it was, hoping whatever it was would resolve itself, until I assessed a body of about twenty paintings, and noticed considerable inconsistencies in my brushwork. So, I started

to examine the way I mixed paint on the palette, picked paint up, how I applied it to canvas, and closely looked at the difference between my intended and actual mark making. Was it accidental, complacent, ‘good enough’, or close to that intended? I also looked at how I cleaned the brush between mixes and after a days work. Some artists argue that it doesn’t matter what type of brush is used; it’s all about feel. That may be so, but I believe, as a figurative painter, I need a greater amount of control of my brush marks to translate the observed as well as to manipulate the aesthetic. Brushwork plays an important role in my work, so a greater understanding in handling brushes makes for a better connection between mind and canvas.

I first found it easier to look at the way I painted before buying new brushes. Asking myself do I work in layers, glazes, apply paint wet-on-wet, or sculpt with paint?

Do I paint directly or indirectly, etc?

Looking at how I applied paint; do I place, shovel, drag, push, smear, scrub, spot, dab the paint, etc? Are my strokes active, gestural, or passive and precise? Do I create edges with paint or blend boundaries, show or not show brush hair marks, spread paint without interruption, or like to create broken ambiguous marks within each stoke? Do I like shaping the head of the brush, on the palette, when picking up paint to produce a certain mark? Do I like the feel of paint being applied to canvas, the sensitive travel of the brush in contact with the canvas felt at the end of a long handle? Do I like working at a distance from the canvas with long handles or like closer contact with shorter. These are some of the things you may want to ask yourself to help decide what brush to buy. I now give the same attention to assessment of brushwork and brushes as with all other aspects of painting. The changes may only be slight, as work progresses, but I’ve learnt to employ the same treatment to selecting, buying, and using brushes as I do with paint, mediums, and all other materials.

“I need a greater amount of control of my brush marks to translate the observed.”

I always use fine quality Rosemary handmade brushes, finding the ‘Ivory’ long flats very durable in attacking the canvas, and the softer ‘Masters Choice’ I use like a mop, manipulating the head shape when full of paint.

Images courtesy of Bernie Moore.

For more information on Bernie please visit his website: www.berniemoore.com Rosemary & Co

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Brush CLEANING; a BRUSH makers TOP tips

By Symi Jackson

W

e often get asked what the best way to clean your brushes is. Truthfully, there are so many different ways and it really does depend on which medium you’re using, how often you use your brushes, whether you are in a rush or whether you have time to clean them thoroughly.

In short, there’s a million and one ways, so here are some tips as a basic rule, rest assured over time you’ll find your own neat way to do things. The main thing to remember is that cleaning your brushes is an important investment both of your time and your money. The more you look after your tools, the better they will serve you.

WATERCOLOUR BRUSHES Cleaning watercolour brushes is easy! Grab your brushes and head to the sink. You can hold them under the tap and let the pigment wash off them with the flow of the water. Get yourself a bar of soap and use the palm of your hand to gently wipe the 18

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brushes back and forth to ensure they are clean throughout. Squeeze the water out of the brush and reshape them. Store upright and condition them from time to time.

Easy peasy.

ACRYLIC BRUSHES You must ensure to clean your Acrylic brushes in-between each use; not doing so will allow the Acrylic paint to harden the bristles or fibres and bond them together.

We recommend Synthetic brushes over Natural Hair brushes as a general rule since they withstand the abuse of Acrylic paint and they clean more easily. You must not let the Acrylic paint dry on your brush as this is really difficult to get out. Grab a rag or kitchen towel and wipe away any excess paint from your brush to begin with; this will make the washing process faster and easier. Thoroughly rinse the brush with water and wipe the brush in your palm to get the paint out. You can use soap to speed this process and condition your brushes.

OIL BRUSHES Start with wiping your brushes on a rag or paper towel. You should then wash them thoroughly with either soap or mineral spirits. You can buy odourless mineral spirits nowadays too. To clean them thoroughly you can use a dish soap (in England we call it fairy liquid), or overseas you may have Murphys Oil Soap or Dawn.

We sell Brush Holders for a few pounds to store your brushes upright in your studio.

They are easy to assemble and inexpensive (Search BH50 on our website). Alternatively, we sell beautiful bamboo brush rolls and handmade leather brush wraps (made inhouse) for carrying your brushes. Both of these allow your brushes to dry naturally and ensure no mould.

A good tip is not to load the brush right down to the ferrule. You must make sure you clean the whole brush; not doing so will cause it to splay outwards. Oil cleans oil, so safflower & linseed oils works too. Be sure to reshape the brush once you’ve cleaned it through and a great tip by Richard Schmid is to fold card over your flats and filberts and clip a peg on them to hold them in shape.

The colour of the hairs or fibres will change over time - this is normal and does not affect the performance of the brush. For any synthetic brushes loosing their shape you can hold them in boiling water for 30 seconds, this should help pull them back into shape.

Truthfully there’s a million and one ways.

Everyone has their own way of doing things but I’ve written more specifically about Oil brush cleaning on our blog.

Natural hair brushes can enjoy a treat of conditioner from time to time, soak them and leave them for 30 minutes - when you come back to them and rinse it out they should feel nice and soft again.

CONCLUSION No matter what works for you, ensure that you reshape your brushes to the way they first looked when you bought them, before you let them dry. If you have round brushes with caps on them, we recommend to throw those away. The protective cap we use is for transport purposes only and unless you have brilliant eyesight and a steady hand, you’ll bend back the hairs each and every time you try to get the cap back on.

Always leave your brushes somewhere they can dry completely (do not store them in an air-tight container before they are dry). Invest in a wrap or brush case to carry your brushes.

The best advice one can give is to ask! Ask your teacher and your art friends. If you find a way that works for you then stick with it. Just remember, your brushes are an investment and worth taking care of.

Rosemary & Co

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{Our FEATURED GUEST} The IMPORTANCE of DRAWING

By Nathan Walsh

Nathan’s work aims to create credible and convincing space which, whilst making reference to our world displays it's own distinct logic.

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or the past 12 years all my work has concerned itself with the urban landscape. I find cities endlessly fascinating, and the ability to fix the chaos of urban life through the act of drawing and painting a worthwhile one.

Before I visit a city I tend not have a clear idea of what I’d like to paint, I just tend to amble around, very much like a Flaneur waiting for something to connect with.

When I do find something of interest I’ll take numerous photographs of a location and a series of thumbnail drawings in a sketchbook. Of late I’ve found the sketchbook to be of increasing importance 20

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even for notes on colour or whatever I happen to be thinking about at the time.

This immediate personal response to the environment plays an important role when I’m back in my studio in the United Kingdom and removed from that initial experience.

Back in the UK I will sift though the raw material I’ve collected and make a series of postcard sized drawings which suggest potential paintings. I pin these to the studio wall and live with them for a while, most get rejected but whichever one I eventually choose must have the most visual potential to make a dynamic full scale painting.

O

nce I’ve decided on the size of the painting I start to draw elements in a fairly loose and organic way.

Freehand drawing is fundamental to all of my work allowing me to take full ownership of photographic material. Rejecting the mechanical transfer of imagery forces me to construct each object from scratch and allows for a fluid and inventive approach.

Fixing pictorial elements to separate vanishing points allows the construction of a space independent of both reality and any photographic record of the scene. A shifting horizon line allows the viewer to look up and down into the space, and question their position in relation to the scene.

“Drawing is a way of reconnecting with and responding to the world around us.�

Perspective is a well known system for describing three dimensional space on a two dimensional surface but if an artist follows a set of rules too closely then the results can look predetermined. Similarly photography is another mechanical strategy for describing the world around us; although it can provide large amounts of raw material and detail, it is far less useful in suggesting the illusion of space. As its essentially a two dimensional medium whether viewed in print form or on a monitor screen it tends to reassert its own flatness. If following a set language of perspective in painting is ultimately redundant then equally following photographic material must be the same.

Instead by manipulating these systems for describing space I intend to arrive at a richer and more creative way of exploring the world.

Drawing is a way of reconnecting with and responding to the world around us. It forces us to make our own decisions and suggests ways of expanding our creative activity.

Images courtesy of Nathan Walsh.

Please visit his website at: www.nathanwalsh.net Rosemary & Co

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Skies OVER the DESERT

By Harriet Bigham

Leonardo Da Vinci once said ‘to see is to know’, this best describes Harriet Binghams urban themes, painted in Oils on linen panels.

I

n Kansas City, I established myself as a painter of cityscapes, but my move to Arizona challenged me to change my methods and direction.

I use my camera to record the skies and ask friends to email me interesting skies and receive lots of resource material. Using references is necessary as I work in a studio, and skies can change in a moment. I am especially interested in sunrises and sunsets.

Occasionally I will add the mountains, although in dark profile.

I begin by painting small 8"x10" panels for composition, moving to a much larger scale if I find the results interesting. I usually begin with a base colour moving to variations of value and intensity. My work is always done on oiled linen panels.

For brushes I especially like the Rosemary 22

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Blender and Softener brushes to control the edges and overlapping areas.

I asked my neighbour if he has ever seen a sky like red rain; he said sure; he knew it as a phenomenon called Lenticular Clouds.

The colours are fantastically strong and can last an hour. The rainy season in the summer produces the most dramatic scenes.

I want to mention that any progress in painting that I have made is the result of classes at the Scottsdale Artist’s School.

Although I have a post graduate degree, I needed technical help in oil painting and they gave me knowledge and confidence in my work.

Images courtesy of Harriet Bigham Please visit Harriet’s website at: www.harrietbigham.com

{ARTISTS around the WORLD} ONES to WATCH on SOCIAL MEDIA

MIKE BAJER

ALEX TZAVARAS

ike Bajer is a German watercolorist. Bajer is a board member for the German Watercolourist Society and is accepted in exhibitions worldwide.

His work is unique and refreshing. I spent a week with Mike during Jeremy Lipking’s workshop last year.

lex Tzavaras draws and paints from life, working as truthfully and directly as possible. He believes the knowledge of past and representational artists should be re-introduced into art education. Alex also teaches in South London.

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Michael Bajer Fine Art

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DAVID BOYD JR

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avid Boyd is a member of the Oil Painters of America and American Impressionist Society. He paints primarily en plein air work as a way to ‘capture a feeling.’ David has two brush sets with us, find them on our website. davidboydjrfineart

@alextzavaras

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LOOKING for TROUBLE

By David Bellamy

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avid Bellamy specialises in painting wild mountain and coastal scenes, and is particularly fascinated by the moods of nature in the wild places. His paintings have reached private collections throughout the world.

The sun is beating down, the peaks gleaming under their deep covering of snow, and the silence is striking. Although this is only a few hundred miles from the North Pole, my Arctic jacket feels a little too warm. A movement amongst the rocks catches my eye. The polar bear I had been watching has awakened from its afternoon nap and is out looking for trouble, so I have to work fast.

I relish capturing movement of wildlife with quick, gestural pencil work, but in the Arctic, where there are so many subtleties in snow and ice, and in this case on the bear itself, I feel a strong need to work in watercolour and always make sure my painting gear is ready to hand. There was a time when any old brush would do out in the wilds: they 24

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were always falling over a cliff, getting swept away in a fast current, or I’d sit on them in my eagerness to capture the moment, but those times are long gone. I still lose brushes, but enjoy watercolour sketching so much that for a long time now I demand the best, and over the years it’s become clear that Rosemary’s brushes are the absolute pinnacle of brushmaking for the watercolourist.

“I relish capturing movement of wildlife with quick, gestural pencil work.”

Wildlife and many features in the great outdoors require accuracy, often carried out at speed to ensure the moment is not lost, whether it’s the flight of a bird or clouds swirling round some crag. I use the Kolinsky sables in Rosemary’s number 22 series, which are without parallel, performing exceptionally well even when the washes start freezing over.

“Painting with such fabulous brushes ensures the best chance of a good result, not just for studio paintings.”

N

o brush can work properly once it is frozen, but as the wash becomes sluggish the spring in the Kolinsky hairs of these brushes keeps the paint application going just a little longer, and often enough to render the essence of the subject. And of course, painting with such fabulous brushes ensures the best chance of a good result, not just for studio paintings. I always keep reserves of Rosemary’s brushes in my rucksack.

The bear meanwhile has begun its rampaging, charging at the gulls and ducks and eating their eggs. Observing this glorious mayhem against a stunning backdrop of glacier and mountain scenery is both humbling and awe-inspiring, one of the most memorable moments in my life.

It’s almost impossible to paint properly, and there are moments when I stand transfixed by what is unfolding before my eyes. Soon things calm down and I become aware of my sketching again. Most of these

are small vignettes of the bear in various poses, some captured with just the brush, without any preliminary drawing, as the points on the Series 22 sables are superb for highly accurate detail and speedy gestural work. When you are painting with brushes like these it gives you all the confidence you need to do a better job, and I can’t recommend them highly enough.

David Bellamy’s Arctic Light will be published by Search Press in June. It is crammed with paintings and original sketches from his Arctic expeditions.

David will be demonstrating at the Patchings Art Festival in Nottingham this July in the St Cuthberts Mill marquee, and will be showing how to get the best out of Rosemary’s brushes.

Images courtesy of David Bellamy.

Please visit his website at: www.davidbellamy.co.uk Rosemary & Co

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{NEW BRUSH REVIEWS} INTRODUCING our EVERGREEN Synthetics

By Rosemary Thompson

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ecently launched, a useful edition to our extensive range of brushes.

The green dye was originally an idea I had to compliment the Christmas season - green reminded me of holly and ivy and Christmas trees. We sent them out to various artists as gifts ‘tongue in cheek’ and they loved them.

This versatile fibre is similar to our popular ‘Ivory’ range but when we dye synthetic ‘taklon’ it slightly alters the feel and makes a subtle difference to the strength of the brush. This results in a good all-rounder which I'm sure will prove popular. Can be used with oils for that ‘softer’ mark and 26

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yet still has the strength to move the paint.

Great with acrylic too. Cleans well and keeps a really good shape. Offered in all the shapes and sizes of our best selling ‘Ivory’ range and with the option of short handles for those who like to work up close and/or have a pochade box.

Whether you are looking for a size 3/0" pointed round brush for detail and signing off, or a large 1 ½" brush for backgrounds and washes, Evergreen won't disappoint.

For more information about the Evergreen Synthetic range please visit our website and search for: Evergreens.

GET to GRIPS with our SERIES 101

By Rosemary Thompson

E

xperience the pleasure of these beautiful hand crafted red sable brushes. Fashioned on a triangular maroon handle with ‘easy grip’ in mind. Ideal for those who struggle to grip a brush and perhaps suffer from arthritis and with the added bonus they won't roll off the table!

Cupro nickel seamless ferrules house the finest quality red sable hair, no rusting, no shedding but a perfect pointed brush with a good amount of liquid holding capacity. All the usual bonuses of sable hair, spring, precision, point and a beautiful balance, you won't be disappointed. Handmade in brass goblets with attention to the importance of sharp points. We really do go tiny here and work under a microscope enabling us to achieve

very small sizes but with the usual ‘Rosemary & Co’ attention to quality and detail. Ideal for watercolour artists, modellers, miniature painters, botanical painters and nail artists.

Allowing you to draw with the tips too. With sizes ranges from 3/0" through to size 6", the smallest one is very popular for micro detail.

Tip: To clean, simply swish in clean water and ‘condition’ the hair twice a year. roll the brush head in to fabric or hair conditioner, allow to soak for one minute and then wash out thoroughly. You will notice a much improved brush which will benefit from a little care.

The series 101 sits comfortably in the hand and is a joy to use.

For more information please visit our website and search for: Series 101.

Rosemary & Co

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UPCOMING EVENTS this YEAR See you there

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MAY 11TH - 14TH Oil Painters of America’s Twenty-Sixth Annual National Exhibtion.

Eisele Gallery of Fine Art, 5729 Dragon Way, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45227.

For more information visit: www.oilpaintersofamerica.com

JULY 26TH - 29TH Chicago International Urban Sketchers Symposium 2017.

Roosevelt Goodman Center, 501 South Wabash Avenue, Chicago.

For more information visit: www.urbansketchers.org

MAY 15TH - 18TH Plein Air South 2017.

Apalachicola Center for History, Culture & Art, 86 Water Street, Apalachicola, FL, 32320, United States.

For more information visit: pleinairsouth.wildapricot.org

AUG 28TH - SEPT 1ST Rosemary & Co Master Workshops 2017, featuring Kathy Anderson.

Rosemary & Co, Carr Head Ln, Keighley, BD22 0LD, UK. For more information visit: www.rosemaryandco.com

JULY 5TH - 9TH & 19TH-23RD Rosemary & Co Master Workshops 2017, featuring Jeremy Lipking.

Rosemary & Co, Carr Head Ln, Keighley, BD22 0LD, UK. For more information visit: www.darkcreekpress.com

NOVEMBER 2ND - 5TH Art Materials Live 2017.

National Exhibition Centre (NEC), North Ave, Birmingham, West Midlands, B40 1NT, UK. For more information visit: www.artmaterialslive.co.uk

JULY 13TH - 16TH Patchings Art Festival 2017.

Patchings Art Centre, Oxton Road Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG14 6NU, UK. For more information visit: www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk

NOVEMBER 8TH - 11TH Figurative Art Convention & Expo 2017.

Biltmore Hotel, 1200 Anastasia Ave Coral Gables, FL, 33134 United States.

For more information visit: figurativeartconvention.com

Rosemary & Co

Which BRUSH would YOU choose?

By Colin Boardman

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ike premier quality paint, quality paint brushes won’t necessarily make you become a great artist, but they can make you a better artist, and ‘better’ should be the goal. Few artists are ever totally satisfied with their work.

No matter how proficient, we can always improve, we can always do better.

With our work, we should guard against falling into a ‘that’ll do’ attitude. By that I mean, we mix a colour, we have medium etc. we apply the paint to the canvas with our brush, we make certain strokes and marks and repeat the process. But is it really the correct colour, is it really the correct tone and equally important are we using the correct brush?

We could discuss these matters at length, but constraints won’t allow us. But let’s talk about the brush. We go into art shops and see the myriad of brushes. I sometimes think to myself if there are perhaps more paint brushes in the world than there are people. Imagine what 7 billion brushes would look like! Well for starters, you’d need a big studio.

application is an art itself and one I would encourage every aspiring artist to engage in.

Good brushwork will help you to become a better artist.

Your work is your personal signature. People may still be looking at your ‘personal signature’ long after you have given up this mortal coil and escaped the surely bonds of earth. Perhaps that’s the reason we artists paint – we want to leave something behind. We want others to know we have been here. I paint in oil, it’s my preferred medium. Each to their own but for me oil is the crème de la crème. We all have choices and for me an essential part of the painting process is using Rosemary & Co brushes. I would go as far to say that Rosemary & Co make the finest artists' brushes in the UK. My genre is still life. One of America’s finest (if not the finest) still life artists has endorsed Rosemary & Co brushes so I need not labour the point.

Which brush would you choose? Which one would be the best to make that master stroke to the end that when someone sees the finished work it stirs an emotion which lies too deep for words? How do you know you are using the correct brush? After all, they all do the same job, don’t they? Errmmmmm…

NO. Understanding brushwork and its Rosemary & Co

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ROSEMARY & CO Master WORKSHOPS 28th Aug - 1st Sep, 2017, Kathy ANDERSON Rosemary & Co are hosting a 5 day botanical painting workshop in Yorkshire, England with Kathy Anderson. Learn how to paint flowers with Kathy in Rosemary's beautiful English garden this Summer.

Spaces limited. For more info contact: Kathy at: kathy@kathyandersonstudio.com or Symi at: symi@rosemaryandco.com

The Finest Quality Handmade Artists’ Brushes

{MASTER from the PAST} WILLIAM Holman HUNT (1827 - 1910)

By Mike Kibble

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nglish artist, William Holman Hunt was one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood art movement. After studying under a London portrait artist, and then attending the Royal Academy of London art school, he became close friends with Sir John Everett Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

In 1848, they formed the Pre-Raphaelites, a movement which championed the classical poses and natural compositions of Raphael.

Hunt developed a new approach to painting which involved the expression of significant moral ideas in a completely natural manner.

To this end he evolved an intensely realistic technique, using brilliant, clear colours on a white ground instead of the traditional dark under-painting.

Hunt painted a number of his subjects outside (which at the time was unheard of ) the

Scapegoat (top right,1854), for example, was painted beside the Dead Sea on the first of Hunt's many journeys to the Holy Land in search of authentic settings for his biblical scenes. After about 1860 Hunt was acknowledged as a leading English painter, but he became increasingly isolated from contemporary trends by his long absences abroad.

Although Hunt was obsessed throughout his life with light and its effect on colour, his popularity was to a large extent founded on his vivid religious imagery, which received wide circulation in the form of engravings. The Miracle of the Sacred Fire (top left, 1899), painted in Jerusalem, shows the same scrupulous attention to minute detail which may have caused his eyesight to fail in the last years.

Images courtesy of: www.artuk.org Rosemary & Co

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{MAKE your SKIES stand OUT} An ATMOSPHERE with COMPOSITION

By Carolyn Tyrer

Fig. 1

Carolyn’s inspiration comes from a love of the countryside and seascapes with much of her work featuring scenes from Great Britain.

A

s part of composition, I encourage my students to consider what the sky will say about their paintings.

A dramatic sky can create mood, drama and enhance a land or seascape.

In my skies I consider colour and light and dark, but also perspective. As artists we often remember to think about how the land or sea disappears into the distance from our viewpoint, but forget to think how the sky and clouds do the same. In planning the paintings shown here, I looked at how much of the finished painting would be taken up with sky. I encourage my students to follow a ‘check list’ which acts 32

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as an aid memoire reminding them of what they want to include in each composition.

Is the sky to be the main feature? If so, how will that be achieved? What time of day is the sky going to depict? Sunsets offer the opportunity to use wonderful reds, yellows, oranges from the ‘hot part of the spectrum together with cooler’ purples and blues.

Morning skies are clearer, still dramatic but different in colour. Night skies are intense and moody with a rather magical quality.

Is there an opportunity to echo the sky in water? A still day means little wind so skies reflect like a mirror. I want my paintings to ‘sing’ so I use bright colours and carefully consider colour relationships.

I

n this painting (Fig. 2) of Blakeney in Norfolk I wanted to convey the feeling of the clouds ‘skudding’ across the sky.

The rain was beginning to come in and changing the light with great drama. I use a wide range of Rosemary and Co brushes, but in particular I like the Eclipse range as they have a certain special ‘spring’ to them.

“I want my paintings to ‘sing’ so I use bright colours and carefully consider colour relationships.”

In this painting (Fig. 1) I applied my colours in small ‘dabs’ of paint with Rosemary’s long handled filberts and then blended them in to create the movement of the clouds and the vastness of the sky. I also mirrored the sky in the water and blended with Rosemary Eclipse Stubby Flats. In this painting (Fig. 3) of Cley in North Norfolk I wanted to create the feeling of the sun going down. I concentrated the focus on the colour temperature from its warm white centre ranging though yellow, orange, red and later to a warm blue.

I used my larger Eclipse brushes including the short flats size 10 as I wanted bigger, bolder strokes and less detail in the clouds.

I love night paintings and the way moonlight dances off buildings and water bringing with it an ethereal quality. In this scene of St Ives I also liked the way windows glowed with warm yellow light in contrast with the dark, moody blues. In order to achieve the detail in this painting I worked with a wide variety of brushes from Classic long flats to fine Eclipse riggers for the masts and window bars.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

“Is the sky to be the main feature?

If so, how will that be achieved?”

Top tip: If you are going on an art holiday try taking some short handled brushes. they are easy to pack and are lighter. Then use your long handled brushes in the studio!

Carolyn works from her studio in the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside. She also runs workshops and demonstrations for art groups. For details of all art classes and courses please contact Carolyn directly through her website.

Images courtesy of Carolyn Tyrer.

Please visit her website at: www.carolyntyrer.com Rosemary & Co

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{What's NEW on the SHELF} WHAT to LOOK OUT for this YEAR

MARK BOEDGES Serene Waterfall (Two part DVD set). www.markboedges.com

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he landscape is Boedges’s first and greatest love. Award winning artist, Mark Boedges has a new two-DVD set with over four hours of Plein Air and Studio Footage. These DVD’s show each brush stroke and every palette mixture in a beautiful split screen. Learn how to paint better rocks and water.

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Rosemary & Co

ARTISTS & ILLUSTRATORS Monthly Artist Magazine. www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk

T

he UK's best-selling magazine for artists and art lovers, providing expert advice and inspiration every issue. Whether you favour oils or watercolours, portraits or landscapes, abstract art or botanical illustration Artists & Illustrators brings a refreshing blend of creativity and advice every four weeks throughout the year.

KATHY ANDERSON How to Paint Flowers in the Studio DVD. www.kathyandersonstudio.com

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ward-winning, Kathy Anderson’s easy-tofollow and detailed painting demeanour will have you painting fresh beautiful florals with new knowledge of floral structure. Her passion is easily conveyed so you’ll soon share her true love for the flowers, weeds, dirt and detritus of a natural, healthy garden.

{You ASKED, we ANSWERED} HOW CAN WE SEE THE SIZES OF YOUR BRUSHES? We have two options. We can send you a mail order catalogue, free of charge. Just send us your address over email, or phone us. The catalogue has all the brushes photographed actual size and lots of information in there.

Alternatively, if you go to the website and click on the product you should see below the image ‘Brush Size Chart, Click here’. All of the brushes are measured in mm online.

DO YOU HAVE A PLACE FOR US TO LEAVE A REVIEW ON YOUR WEBSITE? We do indeed. This is a fairly new feature on our website and one that is very popular. If you go online and search for the products you can see what other customers have written about our brushes and our customer service. If you’d like to leave a review you can do that on the individual product pages too. If you'd like more info, just ask.

IS YOUR SHIPPING COST THE SAME IF I ORDER 1 BRUSH OR 10?

Yes! Our shipping costs are the same regardless of the quantity. That applies to both the UK and overseas (including couriers).

I GET AN ERROR SAYING "YOUR TRANSACTION CANNOT BE PROCESSED" WHEN CHECKING OUT. WHAT'S HAPPENING? When buying for the first time with us (outside of the UK), your bank might block the transaction. Keep an eye out for an email or SMS from your bank so you can authorize it manually.

ROSEMARY & CO! CAN YOU SPONSOR OUR EVENT PLEASE? We get this question all the time! Trust me, we will sponsor as many events as possible, but when there’s no money left in the pot…

I can’t sponsor an event. We always offer to send literature out and will be happy to share your news and upcoming events on our social media pages. Get in touch and we will see if we can help you!

Please view your frequently asked questions on our blog, for more information: blog.rosemaryandco.com Any questions please feel free to contact us at: enquiries@rosemaryandco.com Rosemary & Co

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Helping create tomorrow's generation of artists www.rosemaryandco.com | 01535 632666 Instagram: @rosemarybrushes | Twitter: @rosemaryandco