Studies of liminal states.

The air is still and mist has descended in the valley where I live in West Yorkshire, UK so I thought I’d share a couple of recent studies which seem to fit this change in the weather. They are all inspired by liminal states and use muted colours and a limited palette.

Inspired by a ferry trip to Barra in the Outer Hebrides. Everything was grey but the views were far from boring or bland. The lights and darks and where they met were mesmerising.

Pastel on paper.

Work in progress.

Pastel on paper.

Although this has more definition and is easier to understand, I prefer the one above because it’s a truer portrayal of my experience of walking in a landscape where familiar landmarks disappear.

Pastel and graphite on paper.

And here’s one with slightly more colour but still muted and a bit murky. It was inspired by a photo I took from the train somewhere in Scotland and the dirt on the window and the movement of the train added to the feeling of disorientation.

Digital pastel.