Back Garden 1938

Prudence Heward made 'Back Garden', a painting that doesn't have a known date. The way Heward painted this scene is with a kind of restless energy, like the colours are alive and vibrating against each other. Look closely, and you can see the physical work that went into making this image. The paint is applied in distinct strokes, and the texture gives the whole thing a sense of being alive. You can almost feel the weight of the paint. The colors are rich and intense, but they're also kind of unexpected. Like in the way, Heward mixed a bit of green in with the red for the house on the left. That fence at the bottom is great, right? Each stroke is like a little decision. It's like Heward is having a conversation with the painting, figuring it out as she goes. Reminds me of Van Gogh’s use of colour and bold brushstrokes, though Heward brings her own distinct vision to the canvas. Art's all about these conversations, isn't it?