The Northern Lights
I’ve never seen them… but they are right up there on my list of things to see (and do) before I die. Another would be to see the legendary Min Min lights of outback Australia.
I had a bash at this many years ago whilst camping with a group of school friends out under the stars west of Longreach. But no… the Min Min weren’t co-operating… living up to the legend… and their elusive reputation! Realistically though… I am probably closer to seeing a Min Min light than I ever will be to seeing The Northern Lights (aurora borealis) but who knows… the universe is all encompassing and we can never know what’s in store for us somewhere down the track late at night!
The Northern Lights
Watercolour 22″ x 30″ on 640gsm Arches
artwork & content Copyright Jean Burman 2007
In the meantime… my fascination has led me this week to the investigation of this rather unusual subject. My interpretation of “The Northern Lights” was born out of an exploration of the watercolour medium and the employment of various forms of “resist”. I reckon this is watercolour at it’s best… from the artist’s perspective at least! And it’s surprising how much prior thought must go into what appears to be a “random” work of abstraction!
Just like any other artwork… a few questions must be asked at the outset…
1. What do I want to say?
Okay… to answer this…
I want to describe my “complete wonder” at a space weather phenomenon that I have never actually seen except in photographs! Hmmm tough call.
2. Why do I want to say it?
To answer this question…
I’m not entirely sure… except to say that some ideas simply demand to be investigated and persued simply because they are there. Though I must confess… the Northern Lights have held a mystical fascination for me since listening as a child to Andy Stewart sing on well-worn vinyl the good old Scottish song “The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen”.
When I was a lad… a tiny wee lad my mother said to me
come see the northern lights my boy
they’re bright as bright can be
She called them the heavenly dancers
Merry dancers in the sky
I’ll never forget that wonderful sight
they made the heaven’s bright…
The Northern Lights of old Aberdeen
mean home sweet home to me
The Northern Lights of Aberdeen
are what I long to see
I’ve been a wanderer all of my life
and many a sight I’ve seen
God speed the day when I’m on my way
to my home in Aberdeen.
Ahem… back to the topic…
3. How am I going to say it?
Because of watercolour’s somewhat headstrong (yet completely exciting) characteristics and demands… the judicious selection of pigments for their unique chemical characteristics and interactions is the first consideration.
Then the support must be considered. I settled on a rough surface on heavy cold pressed 640gsm Arches… the idea being that the pigments (should) lift and separate and settle into the crevices of the rough surface and hopefully make the texture and atmosphere more interesting.
Saving the whites… and creating the effects was then a matter of avoidance of specified areas… and the careful and deliberate application of freshly ground rock salt and good old fashioned latex masking fluid!
I may never get to see “The Lights” but at least now I can say that I’ve experienced them!
What pure unadulterated fun!
Comments welcome…
August 17th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
I have seen them often Jean. The bestdisplay at about 2 a.m. wgen I was doing an anchor watch in Northern Lake Huron. Spectacular color curtains appeared and disappeared. Don’t you ger aurora australis? Although I guess cairns is too close to theequator to see them.Great picture.
August 18th, 2007 at 6:22 am
Oh,I have always wanted to see the aurora borealis Jean…….what a magical display it is. Many years ago I remember my mother telling me how spectacular and beautiful it is, as she had been lucky enough to see it up in Scotland.
I really love your painting of the Northern Lights……isn’t it fun playing around with humble rock salt? the effects can be quite amazing.
August 18th, 2007 at 8:06 am
Thanks Roger
I’m guessing you’d have to go to Antarctica to see the aurora australis? (a place not exactly on my shopping list… but hey… you never know! I have friends who’ve been there and loved it) Think I’d prefer the “relative” comfort of Scandinavia… northern Scotland or northern Lake Huron! We have too many clouds in the sky all year round to see pretty much anything… but clouds are nice too… LOL
August 18th, 2007 at 8:09 am
There is another “lights’ phenomenon that happens in Western Australia (not sure of the exact location!) when the moon sets over the ocean. The light from the moon creates a ’staircase’ down the sky and into the water….have you heard of it? Many Aussie artists make the journey over there (about 6000 kms from where I am) just to paint this.
Our very famous rock - Ullaru (Ayers Rock) in the centre of Australia, changes colour with the the direction of light that hits it through the day (another artists favourite) I have seen many versions of the colours - all kinds of reds, oranges and golds.
I have several friends who take an annual trip to some remote part of Australia just to paint. They all clamber onto a hired bus, with a guide, pack up their painting and camping gear and head on out! When they return (they usually go for 2-3 weeks) they always have great stories, photos and sketches…hmm, would love to go with them one day!
Jean your painting is lovely….what an interesting way to paint! I am at the moment, working on pumpkins..lol!
August 18th, 2007 at 8:11 am
Thanks Bobbie
Not so sure about “playing around”… it was serious business for a while there between me and those paints! LOL
Come to think of it… I wonder if Elinor has seen the Lights?
Hey… Northern Scotland’s not too far for you! And maybe you could visit ElinorMc on the way?
August 18th, 2007 at 8:19 am
Thanks Jools
QUOTE I have several friends who take an annual trip to some remote part of Australia just to paint. They all clamber onto a hired bus, with a guide, pack up their painting and camping gear and head on out! When they return (they usually go for 2-3 weeks) they always have great stories, photos and sketches…hmm, would love to go with them one day! QUOTE
You should go with them SOON! Aus is a great country… so many places to go… so much to see and do… such great “light”!
August 18th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Yes Jean as a wee lassie my dad took us to the front door and we just looked up
but as the song says “auld Aiberdeen “is the place …..great picture Elinor Mc
at 4-13 am
August 18th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Elinor! I knew it… I just KNEW it… that you would’ve seen the lights! I remember my Dad dragging an old rubber mattress out onto the lawn for us kids to lie on and gaze at the stars. Orians belt the saucepan and (of course) the southern cross were all my favourites (and dare I say probably everyone’s?)
Oddly… (and as I’m sure I’ve already told you at least a hundred times already) I had a very Scottish upbringing (mum one of nine kids all of whom learned to highland fling-grandfather who played the pipes and recited robbie burns ad infinitum-long suffering Irish grandmother who put up with it all! LOL) it has been said of the Americans… they can be more British than the British… well I can honestly say there are some Aussies who can be more Scottish than the Scots… and I think I’m related to pretty much all of ‘em! Love ya ElinorMc… so great tae see ye here…
August 19th, 2007 at 7:33 am
Same goes for me Jean!!!!
My Grandmother was a Scot (a McCallum!) she used to sit me on her knee and sing “The Campbells are coming ..hoorah, hoorah!” my best friend at school was a McMaster, she and the rest of her family all played in the local pipe band and I would tag along behind revelling in the chills that went up and down my spine when I very happily would listen to the tunes. It stirred something very deep inside!
I always read Elinors comments!
August 21st, 2007 at 1:23 pm
I too have seen the northern lights, Jean, a few times, and they’re always spectacular, but the best was once in Alaska. In reality, your painting doesn’t look like them (stay with me, this is a compliment!), but it is to the real thing what Van Gogh’s painting is to starry nights, it captures the emotional impact perfectly. But I’m inexorably drawn to natural phenomena. I’m been in the eye of a hurricane, experienced serious earthquakes, watched erupting volcanoes, and it’s all amazing, humbling in in the face of the power of nature. Great stuff!
August 21st, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Wow John….you have experienced life at its most dramatic and natural! I always love watching a “good storm!” When once I lived on a farm that was perched on top the only hill for miles - I had an exclusive view of any storms that pervaded the area. I have always been in awe of a good lightening “show”. To watch it lick and flick out across the sky, lighting up the world in an enormous x-ray, keeps my existence in perspective!
August 21st, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Thanks John
You know me well enough to know I am never shooting for reality so that is a very great compliment indeed! I did toy with the idea of placing a horizon line as demarcation between sky and reflective sea… but decided against it as the work is destined for the abstract section of an upcoming group Exhibition and I needed it to qualify! LOL
Re Van Gogh… someone once gave me a very funny greeting card…
Picture Van Gogh and friend… stretched out in a wheat field gazing aghast at the stars (according to Van Gogh of course) The caption reads:
“WOW Vincent… that’s terrific! And you can really get these on prescription?” (((giggles)))
August 21st, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Jools… I once witnessed the hub caps of a tradesman’s ute being blown off by a lightning strike. It was awesome! The ute was parked outside my neighbours house and lightning struck a nearby tree lighting up the ute and everything around it. It left a 2ft ditch in the ground where it returned to earth!
I love the storms… my favourite time of year in the tropics. Afterward… the surrounding mountains shrouded in mist and heavy with the fragrance of green. I also love the delicate pink light of early evening especially in summer… the firey red ball of the sun at sunrise… and the full moon as a giant golden aub rising up from the sea. But my favourite sensory moment is the transient and beautiful reflection of cumulus clouds on a still leaden sea at dusk. That always stops me dead in my tracks!
August 22nd, 2007 at 7:51 am
Jean, your words sound just as beautiful as what they are describing….I could see what you were saying!!!!
Holy cow!!!! now that is a lightning strike - thank heavens there was no one in the ute!!!!
Most of our bush fires are started by lightning strikes..thats Australia all over! I once asked a keen golfer about why lightning seems to strike golf courses a lot - most golf courses are built on iron stone, they attract the electricity!
I’m thinking of doing a lightning strike as a painting!
August 22nd, 2007 at 8:09 am
Jools… you need to visit the Top End… now that’s a place for spectacular lightning! But please promise me you won’t paint en plein air! (out in the open) *wink* LOL
I didn’t know that about golf courses. Makes sense though. And you’re right a lot of people are struck playing golf. Back in the dairying days we lost 12 cows in a lightning strike. They were all standing under the one tree. That’s when mother nature gets fair dinkum!
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Lightning…..dangerously beautiful! I promise I shall be careful!
August 24th, 2007 at 12:55 am
Does this mean I can’t do any more nude plein air painting? [grin]
August 24th, 2007 at 1:12 am
Of course you can John! Just be sure to wear your rubber flip flops tho… (we call them thongs here… but we won’t go there!) (((LOL)))
August 24th, 2007 at 7:32 am
And a smile!
August 24th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Oops… I feel a cartoon coming on! (((chuckles)))
September 12th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Oh this is wonderful therapy laughter and more laughter John ,watch out for a caricature drawing . Jools a McCallum is an ice cream here (or used to be ) and my grannie sang “the Campbells are comin’ Jock Todd, JockTodd”
September 13th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
McCallum’s… an icecream? Gosh and I thought the aussies had funny names for things… (meat pies for eyes etc)…. I guess being Scots a ways back… that’s where we got it from?
LOL