Compassion, Spring 2023

Spring 2023 - Compassion | tcf.org.uk 17 please may I paint it?” she asked me. Of course, I was happy for Gill to paint the picture. A few weeks later, Gill had completed working her magic on the canvas. The tranquil beauty of the scene is enhanced by Gill’s expertise in conveying the essence of the light, the reflections and the softness of the sun glowing through the trees. The people crossing the bridge are omitted; now the eye has uninterrupted passage across the bridge to the other side. The water looks gentle and calm. There are traces of the underpainting that is a trademark of Gill’s work: she uses a dilute mix of French ultramarine blue and raw sienna shades of paint as a ‘wash’ onto the canvas. She then begins to pick out the features which enhance the photographic detail that she replicates faithfully with the skill of her brushwork. To my mind, my photograph captures a moment in time that simply reflects the mourning light. Gill’s further exploration and interpretation of the overall view gives the whole a deeper atmosphere. I would go so far as to say that the painting typifies the relative serenity that exists in my heart at this stage of my grieving process. Gill’s skill in interpreting my image with oil on canvas exemplifies the mourning light at its best: smooth, mellow and peaceful. Andrea Corrie BEM is the author of two grief support books: Into the Mourning Light (2014, paperback and e-book) Living in the Mourning Light (2019, paperback, e-book and audio)