Keith
Bennett Adam and his Glockenspiel, acrylic and pastel, 24*173/4in (61*45cm). ‘Adam is a professional musician who I have regularly painted in complex pictures with his amazing collection of percussion instruments. In this picture I have simplified the subject to focus on him and the reflections in his glockenspiel. The warm orange and cold turquoise areas were carefully balanced with the medium-temperature neutral green background. He is very recognisable, though I do not regard this as a portrait painting. I was careful to integrate him into the surroundings with the bright light from the window accentuating the extreme tones.’
Keith
Bennett Lowtide, acrylic and pastel, 223/4*9in (58*23cm). ‘This reflects an exhilarating sunny day in Mousehole, with plenty of bright light and shade. I was in a joyful mood and painted quickly. The boat and its shadow became the focal point. I paid great attention to getting the tones correct. No figure is needed to satisfy the composition. It is painted very loosely in broad sweeps and marks of pastel with contrasting colours and tones giving depth. The vertical format emphasised the intimacy of the port and the unknown open sea beyond.’