Comment on Sketch by Mike Skidmore

Hi Harry, I’m an old student of yours – I saw the picture ‘The Parcel’ in development (hope that’s the right title). Anyway I just wanted to say thank you, even though it’s taken a few years! Life hasn’t allowed me to paint seriously again until later in life but it was a few simple (though not to execute) things you told me that really helped – glazing in particular where I’m sure I remember you talking about alternate layers of Alizarin and blue?
The other was politics strangely enough. I’ve spent a lot of unhappy years in corporate life, hating every minute, but without a choice. Cynicism came first followed by an distaste of everything it entailed. I now find myself much closer to your views back then which I didn’t really understand at the time.
Apologies, I didn’t mean to give you a life story but ask a couple of questions.
Firstly, I struggle with colour it doesn’t come naturally. I either end up with an uncomfortable balance or end up working with very sombre safe palettes. In your work there appears to be a distinct relationship between all of the colours, a sort of calmness in the way they sit together. Do you add a consistent colour into the mix in much of the palette, for instance a touch of white, or is it simply a colour by colour mixing process.
Secondly, I tend to mix flesh according to the subject but wondered if you tend to use a fairly similar palette each time and use glazes to add different hues.
I have a couple of narrative pictures I’m proud of which I’d like to send you. One is called the argument (street rage) and the second is called another day – they’re both self portraits of my struggles with depression. I’m only telling you about these so that you can see where your influence has paid off, even if it has taken a long time.
I still aspire to your depth and skill.
Thanks
Mike

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