Ruth Corbett
East Ayrshire, UK, Nectar Beckons, oil, 25 x 19" (63½ x 48 cm)
My Inspiration
I have been working on a theme of “transience” for some time when the idea of this painting came to me. I paint next to a large window where I can see some fruit trees, insects and birds. I was watching some lovely butterflies move in and around some apples, and this inspired my painting. Living in Scotland there are no peach trees outside but I had this image in my mind; I liked the idea of the colour of the peaches with the insects and winged creatures.
The transient nature of all things fascinates me, the return of the butterflies and insects year on year and of course their dramatic decline watching them visit the trees knowing how to move around each other working in harmony.
My Design Strategy
I wanted to convey some mystery so the design of the painting lended itself to the fruit branch hanging down, just off centre of the middle of the painting, the area around it filled with insects and atmosphere. I placed the butterflies, moths and insects mostly intuitively but I knew I wanted movement in and around the branches and peaches so I experimented by placing them in various areas before settling on some hovering, flying toward and away from the branch and fruit.
Colour was important as I chose stronger warm colours reds and oranges of three butterflies to move the eyes around the painting in an arc shape. I balanced the composition with the additional blue butterflies and one that features nearly in the centre of the painting. I also placed the small bumblebees and other insects in various places creating different sizes and details, the small hovering bees lower down were quite fiddly!
My Working Process
My working process uses starts with an idea or a feeling. I rarely make sketches, as I often have a clear image of how I want it to look; this can sometimes changes as I go along. I design on orientation and paint straight onto the canvas with thinned oil paint. I tint the canvas with an underpainting colour depending on what I’m painting. This painting lent itself to an umber underpainting, which was neutral enough for all the colours on top. I love the start of the painting and the end of it where I add more and more detail to add a finished quality; I also employ many glazes to build up intensity of colour. I end with a varnish once completely dry but do sometimes find myself returning to tighten up some edges or details!