Tag Archives: Art

Kayakoy Street Craft

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The Kaya Lacemaker 10" x 8" Acrylic on card

The Kaya Lacemaker
10″ x 8″ Acrylic on card

On the little side lane that leads into the old town from the ancient water fountain in Kayakoyyou will find this lady.  She moves up and down the lane, seeming to occupy in a different position whenever I see her. I assume she lives in one of the nearby cottages and seeks out some shade and a bit of breeze. This is not a busy spot so she sits placidly among the chickens and cats and quietly pursues her craft making lace and jewellery.  I’d like to say I painted this plein air but the 40 C temperatures dictated a quick photo and work later in the studio

Sovalye Two

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Sovalye Island 2 10" x 8" Acrylic on card

Sovalye Island 2
10″ x 8″ Acrylic on card

It’s been an eventful week, our 6 day sailing trip to Kas curtailed by the stomach bug that’s going around. So although we’ve been out of action I managed to paint this alternative Sovalye Island view eliminating the greens and yellows but still portraying an old house on an island, I like it but appreciation is scarce.

After many weeks work, I also managed to complete, pack and send, on it’s long journey to Australia, a large wedding portrait of my niece Caroline and Jon. As it’s a surprise I can’t publish until it arrives so more on that to come.

Fırtına River Bridge

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Firtina Valley Bridge 10" x 8" Acrylic on card

Firtina Valley Bridge
10″ x 8″ Acrylic on card

The Fırtına Valley which runs through the heart of Çamlıhemşin is spanned by the Ottoman-era Fırtına River bridges.  The valley ıs located near Rize in the far north east of Turkey.  Çamlıhemşin is high in the valley, which leads down to the Black Sea coast, and is an important access point to the Kaçkar range whose high mountains poke up into the clouds.  Fırtına means Storm and although it rains here all year round, temperatures can fall to minus 7°C in winter and reach 25°C in summer.  However the countryside is a gorgeous mix of meadows and valleys and in recent years the district has begun to attract touristsö especıally people on trekking holidays in the Kaçkar.  Çamlıhemşin is a low-income district and people live from forestry, beekeeping or herding animals.

Gelidonya 3

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Gelidonya 3 10" x 8" acrylic on card

Gelidonya 3
10″ x 8″ acrylic on card

A Lighthouse on a sunny day is a bit useless other than as as a navigation mark or a tourist attraction, so my final interpretation of Gelidonya creates the storm that defines it’s existence. I’ll possibly come back to Gelidonya again but I must get on with the larger canvas of Fethiye bay.  The temperatures have soared to 35C + in the last couple of days, not a great time to sit in full sun so I need to rig up some shade on the hillside before I can get on. It’s very steep and rocky there so I need to get my thinking cap on.

Kayaköy Festıval 2013

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Kayakoy Landscape No.5 10" x 8" Acrylic on card

Kayakoy Landscape No.5
10″ x 8″ Acrylic on card

Cultural Connections is an annual celebration of literature, film, art, music, dance and food… all the stuff of life that links humanity throughout the world. Both stimulating, challenging, occasionally provocative and always fun, Cultural Connections is an excitingly different and thought provoking way to explore the things that bring people together.

This five-day event, Kayaköy Connections 2013 will celebrate the Kaya valley in southwest Turkey, its long history, rich culture and links with Greece. Acclaimed authors Louis de Bernières, Victoria Hislop, Jeremy Seal will be travelling from the UK and Sofka Zinovieff will be joining them from Athens. Others, from Turkey, Greece, yet to be decided, will join them to take part in a range of thought provoking, fun and entertaining events and gatherings.

More information can be found here  http://culturalconnectionsfestival.com/

 

Kaya light

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Kayakoy Landscape 101 20" x 14" Acrylic on canvas

Kayakoy Landscape 101
20″ x 14″ Acrylic on canvas

Mostly the light is harsh and unforgiving, it comes from directly above so doorways and windows become black holes. Then again, the sun shines on the white plaster of an internal wall and the window opposite beams like a searchlight. Other days the light is hazy and diffuse, and there isn’t much contrast, shadows get bleached out, then there are no really dark areas and the light bounces off the stone into the shadows.  The walls have eroded into dark and light areas that are independant of the light. So a vertical dark band on a facing wall gives the impression of a shadowed side wall which would naturally be light (if it was there!).  And all the walls are like that.  Its very confusing to the eye and I struggle to resolve it without losing realism.  For example, the apse(in shadow) is lighter than the side wall of the church (in the light) and the pink plastered walls actually seem to glow  It’s very tricky.  On the other hand it’s one of the things that make Kayakoy so visually fascinating to me.