The artist Auguste Renoir once said that none of his paintings told a specific story. He explained that he kept things vague deliberately because he didn’t want to limit the painting’s scope, and that he wanted his viewers to come away with their own meaning, rather than have him dictate to them what they ought to think. Here is…… Continue reading How writers can learn from artists and let the reader tell the story
The art nouveau style is one I absolutely love, and if you’ve been following my blog you’ll know I’ve written a post before on this very topic. (Art nouveau, and all about antiques.) Last week the BBC began a series of programmes called Sex and Sensibility: The Allure of Art Nouveau, and I’ve been absolutely…… Continue reading The allure of art nouveau
A few weeks ago I was listening to Grayson Perry, one of my favourite artists, deliver his Reith lectures on BBC radio.* Grayson Perry is a leading figure in the arts world. He’s known mainly for his ceramics, but I particularly love his textiles, especially the tapestries he produced for the BBC programme It’s All…… Continue reading A lesson for artists and writers: focus on the destination
Usually my posts are related to books or writing in some way, but today I thought it would be fun to focus on something different. Last week I went to a fabulous exhibition which made such an impression I thought I’d share it here for anyone who loves art, textiles and history. I’ve written before…… Continue reading Cloth and memory: a moving artwork exhibition in a disused mill
Last week I wrote about the history and landscape of London’s Richmond Park, which is one of the settings in my novel, The Antique Love. (Release date 30th August 2013) Some of the action of The Antique Love also takes place in the antique shop run by the heroine, Penny. Penny’s shop contains an eclectic…… Continue reading Art nouveau, and all about antiques
Last weekend the brilliant annual Saltaire Arts Trail took place in my village. I enjoyed a great day wandering round the houses, through the historic streets, and in and out of strangers’ kitchens. Saltaire Arts Trail is a community arts event, with an unusual slant. Local homeowners throw open their living-rooms and kitchens to the…… Continue reading Contemporary art exhibitions in the living-rooms of Saltaire village
Does a picture paint a thousand words? Recently I blogged about some of my favourite romantic novels (last part was here) and today I thought I’d share a list of my favourite romantic works of art. And which do you think have the greatest emotional impact – the paintings or the novels? Can art really…… Continue reading 5 great romantic works of art
Helena Fairfax 