Nicholas Harding

This year I decided I wanted to try and get back into painting oils on canvas, something I've done on and off over the last 15 years and find quite a challenge, but this time I've decided to go back to art classes with Sarah McDonald. She has been wonderful, nurturing me and giving me confidence as we go. So a couple of weeks ago at our class she suggested we all go and visit Nicholas Harding's latest exhibition at Hill Smith Gallery. Now, I'm certainly no expert on art, I just know what I like! But his paintings were stunning, his colours and the way the paint was layered on top of each other, I just wanted to touch them. I watched a video about him at the gallery, such a lovely person and watching him paint with his palette knife was like he was icing the canvas with paint, so much paint being applied effortlessly, mixing his colours on the canvas rather then on his palette. Up close they look like muddles of colours, yet when you stand back from the paintings you some how see the images so clearly with detail!!!! AMAZING!!!! I left feeling so inspired, well I can dream!