Scarlet Solitude (The Poem and The Painting), Oil on Board, 16" x 20", 2011

Scarlet Solitude.

Look deep into my eyes
there's no surprise

Look right across my face
It's deprived of grace

I am human
what about you?

I ain't no prisoner
from the zoo!

Look at me, don't try to hide
Look, man, I have lost my pride.

The latest developments have made me weep
All their promises they never keep.

What's this life all about?
Why am I here?

Should I laugh and smile
or just shed a tear?

Listen to me, just for this once
I could be your brother, I am no dunce.

Ok, you you hate me, fair, that's fine,
I'll bear no grudges, I am no deadly swine.

Finally let me just say one thing to you
you could have been me and I could have been you....

Think about it...

-@Adebanji Alade

To see how I went about painting this face purely from a sketch, click HERE

SPECIAL QUOTE
"Sometimes the most godly thing we can do is take a day off"-Max Lucado from his book-"When God Whispers your name"

Sketches on the bus, train and tube in September I

Back to my travel sketches after a long break! These sketches are my art life blood! If there's anything that keeps me in good form and shape when I paint-it's down to these sketches!















SPECIAL QUOTE
"Every place, or situation, that you sketch has to be carefully observed for you to recreate it as a sketch. Therefore every sketch you do is increasing your knowledge and experience as a painter. I cannot stress enough the importance of sketching for all amateur painters, at whatever level. Try to make a habit of sketching as much as possible, both for your own enjoyment and to add to your painting "repertoire".-Sketching with Alwyn Crawshaw

The Plein Air Brotherhood

The effect of "like-minds"are powerful and when people with the same vision and drive come together to form a group the results are always explosive! The Plein Air Brotherhood is such a group. We came together to form this group because we believe so strongly in Plein Air work and the sheer joy that painting outdoor brings! Roy Connelly got the group going and growing, he says, he sees us pursuing a common goal of high quality figurative painting from direct observation.
Earlier this year we all decided to have our first exhibition and I was really glad when A & K Wilson Gallery in Harpenden decided to host our paintings! I traveled to Harpenden, Henley and Chiswick to get some of the paintings in this exhibition done and also from my local studio area at Chelsea. The rest of the group have paintings from all over the UK, painted entirely outdoors under all weather conditions. To see the complete works in the exhibition click HERE



THE PAINTERS



ADEBANJI ALADE