Prince Charles' Watercolor Paintings Will Be On Display At The Garrison Chapel: 'One Of The Most Relaxing & Therapeutic Exercises I Know'
Did you know that Prince Charles loves to paint?!
The royal's watercolor paintings will be shown at The Garrison Chapel in London until February 14, where people can come and look at some of his works of art, which feature outdoor scenes from Scotland, France and more.
The 73-year-old first turned to painting because he "found photography less than satisfying," he explained.
“Quite simply, I experienced an overwhelming urge to express what I saw through the medium of watercolor and to convey that almost ‘inner’ sense of texture, which is impossible to achieve via photography," he said. “I very quickly discovered how incredibly difficult it is to paint well in such a spontaneous medium, and the feeling of frustration at not being able to achieve on paper the image that your eye has presented you with is intense."
Charles admitted that he has been able to become a better artist over time.
“Looking back now at those first sketches I did, I am appalled by how bad they are. But, nevertheless, the great thing about painting is that you are making your own individual interpretation of whatever view you have chosen," he said. “I am under no illusion that my sketches represent great art or a burgeoning talent. They represent, more than anything else, my particular form of ‘photograph album’ and, as such, mean a great deal to me.”
Now, the dad-of-two turns to painting when he needs to take a beat.
"You become increasingly aware of things that may have escaped your attention previously – things like the quality of light and shade, of tone and texture and of the shape of buildings in relation to the landscape," he said. "It all requires the most intense concentration and, consequently, is one of the most relaxing and therapeutic exercises I know. In fact, in my case, I find it transports me into another dimension which, quite literally, refreshes parts of the soul which other activities can't reach."
Rosie Alderton, who curated the exhibit for The Prince’s Foundation, added: “His Royal Highness has said before that he likes to sit in the actual environment … his passion for creating beautiful art is conveyed strongly in this exhibition.”