Althagen in hibernation

The winter pictures, watercolour pen and ink drawings of Ahrenshoop, unfold their very own charm. The melancholy mood of cloudy winter days is softened and enlivened by small accents. Elizabeth Shaw sparingly places figurative elements in this wintry world, which - in contrast to the summer hustle and bustle - shows Ahrenshoop from its quiet side. There is the little black tomcat who cannot be dissuaded from his tour of discovery, even when "Althagen is in hibernation". This work is full of poetry and lightness and, in typical Shaw manner, mischievously refers to the beauty of the everyday. The melancholy silence of the seemingly deserted village submerged in snow is immediately present when looking at it. But the little cat, who attracts all eyes, takes the burden of this mood away, even elicits a smile from the viewer. Few things, such as a few pipe-roofed cottages and sheds, an aerial, a power pole, a pile of wood or a dustbin, are enough to tell of the inhabitants of the simple fishing village. Reduction - almost comparable to Japanese woodcuts ¬- can also be seen in the form: Areas of slightly tinted white are set against delicately coloured ones and outlined with loose lines. Structures find only a hint through small short strokes to keep their secret under the surface. That is all that is needed to convey the special atmosphere of this landscape.