29.7.11

seclusion

Portrait of a Man (Jan Jacobsz Snoek?), Jan Gossaert, about 1530. Image © National Gallery of Art, Washington.

I've spent this week writing an article about visualising speech and thought via speech balloons for Varoom. The first couple of days were predominantly head-scratching and brow-furrowing time. But then gradually the words - and the ideas - come flowing. It always works like this. One of the most painful processes - but ultimately so enlightening. It's been hugely helpful in consolidating my thoughts ready to head to the States in a couple of weeks.

The above image, not just because it appears to be a writer in his ivory tower, with a focused stare of concentration, but because of its use of words within a painting. It was shown at the National Gallery, London in Jan Gossaert's Renaissance but unfortunately I missed it.