Tuesday 22 May 2012

A special commission

May is an exciting month for The Book of Summers, what with the UK paperback release and publication in the USA. To celebrate, I'd like to unveil a painting that I've specially commissioned. Lake Balaton is by the artist Alwyn Hall - aka my dad. 

Lake Balaton by Alwyn Hall

Detail

In The Book of Summers, Villa Serena is pervaded by the spirit of creativity - Zoltán's art, Marika's bohemia, Erzsi's freedoms - and in Erzsi's bedroom hangs Zoltán's painting of the lake. Originally my dad planned to recreate the 'brightly splashed canvases' of the Hungarian artist, but in the end favoured a more precise, detailed interpretation that is closer to his own work. The painting perfectly captures Lake Balaton - the endless blues of sky and water, the quality of light, and all the serenity of a perfect summer day.