Whelk sheds, Brancaster Staithe

Whelk sheds, Brancaster Staithe

Yesterday was just what I needed after a couple of frustrating days in the studio. I drove over to Brancaster Staithe and met with my hardy fellow painters who hail from Lincolnshire, Rutland and East Anglia. We have formed a group and try to meet to paint here once a month, and there can be anything up to about 20 artists present which is not bad considering it's been all the 'worst' months so far throughout winter. If you are in this area and are thinking you would like to come along just drop me a line. You can either reply to this email (if you receive my blog posts by email) or head to my website and contact me from there www.haideejo.com

Anyway, as I was saying I was starting to go a bit crazy after two days working in the studio on my own and things not going that well... you know?! 

So getting outside to paint in the bracing fresh air and then enjoying a rollicking good lunch at the Jolly Sailors with my jolly painter friends was just the tonic! (and would you believe it today the studio work went well - yay!)

Near the start of painting

So it was a mostly overcast day with occasional sunshine and high tide when we arrived. I love the mud and rivulets of water there when it's low tide, such as in this painting which was sold in my exhibition last month -

Wet mud and reflections at Brancaster Staithe
SOLD

But yesterday was high tide and the water surface was rippling due to the wind so although I love the boats I didn't find the reflections particularly inspiring. I love the view I did find of the sheds, as there was great structure and shape and colour and the subject wasn't overly reliant on the light.

I was very grateful to the fisherman for letting me stand outside his shed. He was telling me how flooded they were in the storms in December, and about all the debris washed up outside including a caravan!

Mind you, I think he was getting fed up of me in the end when he started to hose his car down right behind me and I had to pack away in the middle of the swirling water!

I've STILL got my exhibition online on my website with prices, but only for a couple more days so if you haven't had a chance to look yet please go there now before it's too late! www.haideejo.com