| JOAN DAY Mark Rowden |
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"Joan was an inspiringly artistic, graceful and intelligent woman.
The first time I met Joan was in her Granchester studio. She asked me
what I wanted to paint, and I replied that it was landscapes that
interested me. ‘Oh… oh dear,’ she replied, evidently disappointed. She
suggested I walk Granchester Meadows for a couple of hours with a
sketch book. ‘Sketch anything of interest,’ she said, and then added,
‘and then we can discuss over a cup of tea.’
Two hours later I returned for the said cup of tea and told her of my
exploits. I told her that I had discovered it wasn’t landscapes that
interested me, but buildings and telegraph poles; those junctions where
man meets nature. ‘Good!’ she exclaimed, as though I’d suddenly come
to my senses and then, with renewed passion, poured the tea. We
proceeded to have a most wonderful conversation.
There was a great warmth from her, a wonderfully sensitive heart and
wisdom – and a lively sense of humour. We got on so very well that I
joked that had she been younger (the joke being I was less than half her
age) that perhaps we might have eloped together. We both roared with
laughter, and from that moment on we seemed to understand each other
perfectly."
The first time I met Joan was in her Granchester studio. She asked me
what I wanted to paint, and I replied that it was landscapes that
interested me. ‘Oh… oh dear,’ she replied, evidently disappointed. She
suggested I walk Granchester Meadows for a couple of hours with a
sketch book. ‘Sketch anything of interest,’ she said, and then added,
‘and then we can discuss over a cup of tea.’
Two hours later I returned for the said cup of tea and told her of my
exploits. I told her that I had discovered it wasn’t landscapes that
interested me, but buildings and telegraph poles; those junctions where
man meets nature. ‘Good!’ she exclaimed, as though I’d suddenly come
to my senses and then, with renewed passion, poured the tea. We
proceeded to have a most wonderful conversation.
There was a great warmth from her, a wonderfully sensitive heart and
wisdom – and a lively sense of humour. We got on so very well that I
joked that had she been younger (the joke being I was less than half her
age) that perhaps we might have eloped together. We both roared with
laughter, and from that moment on we seemed to understand each other
perfectly."
"On the right is a sketch I produced for a painting of the window in the studio. The window
itself is shown on the left. Joan was enthusiastic about the final painting, at one point telling
me to paint it upside down, which for a spell I did. The painting (not the sketch shown here)
remains in my living room in Cambridge. It always reminds me of her."
itself is shown on the left. Joan was enthusiastic about the final painting, at one point telling
me to paint it upside down, which for a spell I did. The painting (not the sketch shown here)
remains in my living room in Cambridge. It always reminds me of her."
The tumble of paints below Joan's easel
Mark is an experienced graphic designer and renowned for his expertise in identity and branding. More
about his life and work can be found at http://www.markrowden.com
about his life and work can be found at http://www.markrowden.com