Looking for the Seasons
This exhibition at the SOC in Aberlady presents watercolours by Jonathan Sainsbury, inspired by the iconic Ladybird books series “What to Look for in Winter/Spring/Summer/Autumn”.
About Looking for the Seasons
This exhibition presents watercolours by Jonathan Sainsbury inspired by the iconic Ladybird books "What to Look for in Winter/Spring/Summer/Autumn". Published in 1959-60, the books were written by EL Grant Watson and illustrated by C F Tunnicliffe, and highlighted the seasonal changes in the landscape and wildlife.
Over the past two years, Jonathan has sought to respond to the original illustrations, retelling the stories of the seasons. He explains: “I wanted to put my own slant on this classic series in tribute to them and to Nature. I am a huge admirer of Tunnicliffe as a field artist and since childhood I have devoted my life to painting the same natural world.”
Jonathan initially worked exclusively in sepia watercolour, responding directly to Tunnicliffe’s illustrations and trying to keep step with the unfolding seasons. Working in monochrome allowed him to work faster, but also seemed appropriate. Like black and white photography, sepia abstracts from reality to create something timeless. Now in the second year of the project, Jonathan has created some larger paintings in colour that seek to encapsulate each season, as well as some specifically Scottish scenes, with different landscapes and wildlife to the Tunnicliffe originals which were based largely on Anglesey.
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