11 South Grove
Highgate N6 6BS
Christine Watson: Journeys Through Colour
Pastels, Prints and Paintings
Christine Watson’s paintings, pastels and prints explore the essential qualities of cities, towns and villages
around the Mediterranean, places where bright daylight intensifies the richness of colours and the darkness
of shadows.
Christine’s work examines the passageways and stairways of towns and villages in Greece and the traditional
settlements of Morocco. Walls and roofs, windows and doors, streets and alleyways – the fabric of
habitation – are revealed as they are, aged by wear and weather. Her aim is to depict the relationship
between spaces and surfaces without sentiment or nostalgia.
“I employ different media to reflect on the abstract qualities of these places, their light and shade, their
textures and colours. Each piece of work represents part of my journey through a town or village, inspired
by restless curiosity to seek out what is around the corner or up the stairs – maybe the perfect image for a painting, pastel or print or even a pot of gold!”, she says.
Pastels and paintings highlight the colours characteristic of each location, using palettes that have endured
through the centuries. Pink and brown madder are the dominant colours of Marrakesh, reflecting the
surrounding mountains; yellow ochre and raw sienna are the principal hues of Fez, while Chefchaouen is
celebrated for its vibrant blues. And although Greek settlements are associated with blue-painted timber
work and whitewashed walls, closer scrutiny reveals much more richness. In Christine’s mezzotints, by
contrast, tone takes over from colour and serves to explore light and shade, textures and surfaces.
Christine Watson studied fine art at Winchester, The Slade and the British School at Rome, since when she
has exhibited widely. She is an elected member of the Pastel Society and an associate member of both the
Society of Women Artists and the Society of Graphic Fine Art.
Gallery times: Wednesdays to Fridays 13:00-17:00,
Saturdays & Sundays 10:00-16:00
Mondays & Tuesdays Closed
Private View: Friday 11 October 2024 18:00-20:30