We always try to give you something a little different in our weekend Watermill blogs, usually a quirky piece of art history. And what could be quirkier than René Magritte’s surreal pictures?
The online magazine DailyArt often supplies inspiration and has done so again today with its intriguing photo-article on 15 of René’s curious productions, like the raining men above.
The author of the article, Zuzanna Stańska, says: “Magritte was fascinated by the seductiveness of images. You see a picture of something and you believe in it. But Magritte knew that representations of things can lie. These images of men aren’t men but just pictures of them, so they don’t have to follow any rules. So “raining men†is absolutely “true†in this case.†Well, up to a point…
Incidentally the picture is called Golconda, after a ruined city near Hyderabad, the centre of a legendary diamond industry, which made it a synonym for a source of wealth or happiness. Strange!
I also rather like La Clairvoyance, even though I find it a little disturbing. Here Magritte has painted himself painting the future, or rather, its potential, as the egg has turned into a bird. Or rather, the painting of an egg has turned into a painting of a painting of a bird, if you see what I mean.
I suspect, indeed I know, that the paintings produced by our guests and our tutors during a Watermill painting week next year will be rather less surreal than M. Magritte’s, but I’m sure that you will be no less creatively inspired when you join us for one of our world-renowned painting courses. Details and links below.
Meanwhile, you can see another 13 quirky Magrittes in Zuzanna’s article by clicking here.
(PS Can you name three famous Belgians? Georges Simenon, René Magritte and…um? Hercule Poirot doesn’t count, he’s fictional.)
First of all, our inspiring painting courses:.
Harry Westera
15 – 22 April 2023 – still plenty of places
Watercolours
To learn more about Harry and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Ali Hargreaves
22 – 29 April 2023 – fully booked, waiting list open
Watercolours
To learn more about Ali and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Randy Hale
13 – 20 May 2023 – fully booked, waiting list open
Watercolours
To learn more about Randy and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Pamme Turner
20 – 27 May 2023 – one or two places available
Watercolour and gouache en plein air
To learn more about Pamme and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
James Willis
3 – 10 June 2023 – one or two places available
Watercolours
To learn more about James and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Herman Pekel
10 – 17 June 2023 – one or two places available
Watercolours
To learn more about Herman and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Maggie Renner Hellmann
24 June – 1 July 2023 – two or three places available
Oil and watercolour (acrylic, pastel)
To learn more about Maggie and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Fiona Graham-Mackay
1 – 8 July 2023 – still plenty of places
Painting en plein air (oil, acrylic, watercolour, pastel)
To learn more about Fiona and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Belinda Biggs
8 – 15 July 2023 – still plenty of places
Watercolours
To learn more about Belinda and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Cynthia Armstrong
19 – 26 August 2023 – still plenty of places
Watercolours, Travel painting in watercolours and gouache
To learn more about Cynthia and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Mary Padgett
26 August – 2 September 2023 – still plenty of places
Pastels (and other portable media) en plein air
To learn more about Mary and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Mike Willdridge
9 – 16 September 2023 – one or two places available
Watercolours and drawing (also gouache and acrylics)
To learn more about Mike and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Brienne M Brown
16 – 23 September 2023 – one or two places available
Watercolours
To learn more about Brienne and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Charles Sluga
23 – 30 September 2023 – three or four places available
Watercolours (acrylics and oils)
To learn more about Charles and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Tim Wilmot
30 September – 7 October 2023 – fully booked, waiting list open
Watercolours
To learn more about Tim and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.
Grahame Booth
7 – 14 October 2023 – still plenty of places
Watercolours
To learn more about Grahame and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.