THE CORNISHMAN - MAY 2006

PENWITH PORTRAIT

This painting St Ives remembered by Melanie McDonald marks the start of a new feature in The Cornishman - Penwith Portrait. Each week a landscape picture of a Penwith scene by a Cornish artist will be accompanied by a few comments about the work from the artist himself. "St Ives remembered is one of my favourites - it depicts my husband and daughter looking out at the harbour in St Ives. I remember it was a glorious summer evening and we had been dining alfresco in a restaurant. I was still seated and took a photo to help me remember the moment. I like to make paintings which refer to our collective memories and to ground them in a particular place, in this case St Ives. I paint 'loosely' with large areas of colour wash to make the painting atmospheric and create a joyful mood, conjuring up those feelings of being with young children in a place that you love."
You can view Melanie McDonald's paintings, including St Ives remembered, which is priced at £750, at her gallery at Celtic Pine & Oak, in Chapel Street, Penzance, 01736 333202.