About the artwork

We have a glorious grapevine in our garden which grows profusely each year and if I do not prune the vine back regularly it would really take over! How ever much I cut it back it always comes back flourishing, covering whatever is in its way wherever it grows. In the Autumn, the leaves turn the most beautifully exquisite array of rich colours that dance through them. Every year at this time, the grapes that have not been harvested are still securely attached to the vine, gradually shrivelling as the cooler days draw in. On those warm sunny days in the Autumn, the wasps would swarm around the grapes, intoxicated with its delights. Then at night, the vine attracts the foxes to come into the garden searching for the grapes. Where people have vineyards, they come, not just for the grapes, but the vines and the roots, especially the younger vines. So, it must be important to keep the foxes away from the commercial vineyards! The scenario of the fox and the vines inspired me to paint this dramatic semi-abstract “Autumn burst” painting, using all the rich colours of the Autumn vine leaves and grapes, moving and harmonising together, placing the fox nestled in the centre. The Autumn sun produces a mellow warm glow which enhances the Autumn colours. For this effect I incorporated different shades of gold paint in some of the mixes of rich colours. Alizarin Crimson, Prussian Blue, Di oxazine Purple, Magenta, red Ion oxide and Yellow Ochre, white and touches of Cadmium orange, Windsor blue and Copper. Some years ago, I attended art school. I was very much attracted to the work of one of the early expressionist German painters called Franz Marc 1880-1916. At the time I was experimenting with screen printing images of his famous three horse compositions, combining different colours. His expressive semi abstract landscapes harmonised the animals with the landscape in a dramatic and progressive way for that time.