Shirley Trevenna is a British artist, internationally renowned for her watercolours of still lifes, flowers and landscape imagery. She has a strong abstract approach and seems to me to fit the description, popularised by Kees van Aalst, of ' Realistic Abstracts". She has been in the top rank of watercolour artists for many years, although she might well be also considered a mixed media artist.
Some years ago , when I was flitting from artist to artist - I never intended to copy other artists, rather be influenced by them - I soon realised how difficult her style and approach was to emulate. Very feminine also. I have seen a few paintings - not many - by one or two other female artists which resonate with her style. I bought 'Taking Risks with Watercolour (Collins 2004)', both the book and DVD www.townhousefilms.co.uk. The book was listed as being with 'Albert Jackson' and may have been her first (although she is now 79).
Other books are ''Vibrant Watercolours (2006), 'Breaking the Rules
of Watercolour' (2012) and 'Shirley Trevenna Watercolours' (2015) All still available. There are also more DVDs from Townhouse and Pulsar Productions www.pulsarproductions.com
No Craig Young palettes here but this image is not that recent.
In the first book she lists her basic kit as Artists Quality watercolours - Daler Rowney are shown in the photographs - but emphasises she is flexible , is no restricted palette supporter and particularly likes the then new synthetic watercolours being introduced for their intensity and brightness. I imagine she may well be into Daniel Smith these days. She used water soluble inks as well. Her brush choices are rounds , nothing larger than a number 10 but also cheaper brushes including Chinese. I have noticed that Rosemary is offering a Shirley Trevenna Kolinsky Sable set. Four short handled Series 22 (Rosemarys top range) sizes 2,4, 6 and 8 for £75. This is actually slighter cheaper than the prices of the four individual brushes. She also uses pencils, oil pastels, pens and drawing sticks and texture medium.You get the picture - breaking the rules! Many of her paintings are obviously mixed media but watercolour predominates. In a later video she is using Winsor & Newton watercolours and has made up a large series of swatches,
What more can I say? She likes good quality paper for the 'majority' of her paintings 140 to 300lb. I should think a not surface, but likes smoother paper for drawing.
I think I will leave it there as there is a mass of material about her on the web, youtube etc, including a huge number of her paintings so you are spoilt for choice if you wish to explore further. Like many good artists I am sure she has continued to evolve so some of the information above may have been superseded. Enough to wet your appetite?
4 comments:
Well Peter, you've done it again! Introduced me to another amazing artist I had never heard of before your mention! Now I will have to do some research and see what books of hers I should think of getting. I love doing flowers and landscapes, most often from my imagination rather than anything real. Have you looked at any of Birgit O'Connors work? She lives just north of San Francisco and while I doubt I will ever be as competent as she is I love her work. Thanks for being a continuing inspiration to me in my quest to at least keep learning and enjoying this medium!
Thanks Hap. I'll look her up.
I came across Shirley's books fairly early in my watercolour journey thanks to my local library. She's probably better known in the UK. You’re quite right her style is very hard to emulate. I think she's a highly original artist and her colours are fantastic. Elizabeth.
Thanks for comments Elizabeth
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