olha pryymak

Another lovely corner of local streets, buzzing with action any time of the day.

Today’s picture is of a lovely occasion – the Arnold Day at the Arnold Circus in East London: brass band, tea and cake, colorful balloons and balmy weather.

The Netil House had opened up their studios for visitors the other night. A stroll down the corridor (a real maze) made me realize how many fantastic creative things are going on in the building. Knowing this, I will definitely be using my studio there more often. This painting is of the Tattoo gallery on the first (?) floor.

Usually a buzzing place, there was no one inside the cafe today, all sunning themselves outside, lingering over their coffees and cakes, irrespective of the very ugly at the moment lake outside, all emptied out, fenced in, with pigeons basing in last remaining water. I think the builders will have us stuck with the site for the rest of the summer. Still, need for the sun prevails and we unflappably take our coffee outside.

Had a lovely sunny weekend in the neighborhood. The temperatures went up so much, many people pulled out their sandals and sunscreen.

A cute small place of organic food on Broadway market. The hangings above the produce looked of super bright color today in the full-on sunshine.

Have not seen the sun here in over a week. Reminiscing on the beauty of even the ugliest streets lit with soft sunshine. See the biker riding off into the sunrise.

As you may have noticed here, I am fascinated with the City and particularly with the folk working in it. Yesterday I took a ride to the Liverpool street for my favorite dim sum take out. It was so bright and clear, most office workers spilled outside around lunch time to take in the sunshine. Sidewalks were hard to navigate from the sheer number of sunbathers. I looked straight at the sun and the colors distorted to the point the human figures shimmered. I tried to represent it here.

2011, oil on panel, 20 x 20 cm, £159 (click on picture for purchase info)

I am thinking a bit what drives me to keep painting the Dennis Severs’ House (I yet have not gotten to all of the rooms in it) and can’t exactly pin it down. It must be the allure of a soft warm bed, the coziness, pot of tea on the  card table, a hint of a fireplace present in the room. It’s my way to beat the winter blues.

Here is a large rendition of the Dennis Severs’ House, Unmade bed, as compared to the initial small painting. A friend of mine had a laugh when looking at it the other day, commented: “It looks like an upmarket Tracey Emin’s bed to me”.