John Salmon paints timeless and atmospheric landscapes, based on subject matter he finds in and around Enfield and Edmonton. As a former Enfield resident myself, it was a real pleasure to see John Salmon’s paintings celebrating the marvellous woodland scenes and parklands found in this part of North London; much of the area is surprisingly rural and possesses a beautiful tranquility. John Salmon gave up the day job to concentrate on his painting, and now offers hints and tips on painting and framing on his website. John prides himself on making his art as accessible to as many people as he can, with works for sale at prices that, in my view, do not do the beauty of his work justice! It is with great pleasure that I introduce John Salmon’s Review of the year, and showcase his impressive portfolio of watercolours.
Lisa: What has been your favourite exhibition of 2013?
John: I’m hoping my favourite exhibition of 2013 is still to come. I shall be going to the ‘Turner & the Sea‘ exhibition at the Royal Maritime Museum soon and looking forward to it immensely. I’m a glutton for anything Turner has done and have spent hours admiring his watercolour artwork at the Tate. Although this exhibition will be mostly large oils, there will be some sketchbooks on display which is what I love to see.
Lisa: What highlights have you experienced in your own art studio in 2013?
John: Well, most people wouldn’t really call it a highlight but a simple change made me look at things differently and gave my work a filip. I had been used to painting in one format which in computer and TV terms would be the 4:3 format. I experimented using a 16:9 format and found it gave me far more scope to develop my paintings. As people are now getting used to their wide-screen TV’s and computer monitors etc. the 16:9 format seems a natural progression for artworks.
Lisa: What art related new year’s resolutions will you make?
John: Well, in 2013 I wasted an awful lot of time experimenting with Social Media and various art websites with a view to finding the ‘golden egg’ which all artists are looking for. That is a simple method of marketing ones hard work with a couple of clicks of a mouse. I spent an age reading smallprint, copyright warnings and artists horror stories. I will still pursue this but I am determined to spend less time on it next year and spend more time creating.
Lisa: What valuable lesson did you learn about making art in 2013?
John: Firstly, don’t be afraid to try something new. I always used either sable or sable/synthetic mix brushes . I had a squirrel brush which I found was floppy and it put me off squirrel for ages. I tried a Jackson No 11 Squirrel Mop brush and it was a complete revelation for me.
Secondly, an artist doesn’t need to be an outstanding technician of all art techniques to become a success but a constant stream of imaginative ideas would help one go a long way just so long as you can ‘get it out there’.
‘Branching Out’, by John Salmon, Watercolour, 9.75 x 5.5 inches, 2013
Lisa: What art materials are on your Christmas wishlist?
John: Just the simple things that all artists can never get enough of. Paper, paint and brushes.
To see more of John Salmon’s work please visit his website at http://johnsalmonwatercolours.co.uk
