Fountain study, Seville

Fountain in Seville
Oils 8" x 10"

I've just got back from a wonderful painting trip to Seville with friends. The sunshine and laughter was such a tonic for me. I've had an email this morning from a blog subscriber who said 'Are you ok? I am missing seeing your paintings'. I had forgotten that not everybody sees my posts on Instagram (I put almost daily snaps on there) or on Facebook, which I update about once a week. So I will get to work sending you, my lovely blog subscribers, some recent images of paintings!

To start with this is a little plein air contre jour study of a beautiful fountain in Seville. There were lots of people around and I was hoping to catch a figure sitting on the wall of the fountain but I didn't get the right person in the right place. When I visit Seville again I most definitely need a model with me!

Fast, loose and alla prima!

The Artist August issue

The August issue of The Artist magazine (in the UK) is now out in shops, and in it I have an article on painting faster and looser with oils - alla prima or all in one sitting. Actually I say 'sitting' as a figure of speech, because I strongly recommend standing to paint!

You may recognise some of those paintings in the feature! Did you know that you can subscribe to this brilliant magazine even if you live outside of the UK and can't buy it in your shops? I have another article in the September issue on painting seascapes and plenty of others in the pipeline but of course it's not just me, the magazine is packed with artistic inspiration every month.

Take a look at the website for subscriber info by clicking here :-)

One of the other articles I did this year was on 'Finding your own style' and if you didn't have a chance to see it before you can read the whole thing online right here!

That's all for now, I'll be back to you soon to talk about studio paintings, and my part in a huge London event this week. Have a great day :-)

Oscar

                                                       Oscar, oil on canvas 12" x 10"

I was painting Oscar this morning and painting the windows of the house this afternoon!
Oscar was tired but happy after an overnight camping/ kayaking adventure with his Dad.
A week tomorrow he will begin secondary school, another adventure!

Cupcake and roses

Cupcake and roses
Click to bid

Oils on stretched canvas, 10" x 12"
I wanted to work again with the same subject that I was using for the thirty minute exercise, and this time get the teacup in! It's a teacup filled with candle, it's very pretty. I also wanted to use the same colour palette and even more importantly, I wanted the same boldness about the brushstrokes. And economy! I wanted to use the minimum of brushstrokes as necessary, place a mark and leave it alone.
I didn't have a time limit this time! I think I've achieved everything I set out to do, I like it very much! Would quite happily keep it but I'll put it up for auction in case one of you wants a chance!

Here's a detail, lovely smooth lusciousness...

Yum, I could eat those colours... or I could actually go and eat the cake I suppose...

Ten min prim

Ten minute primula
Click to bid

I'm still thinking about my faster painting workshop and decided to challenge myself with a ten minute time restriction today! Simple enough subject, small board (18 x 13 cms) and paints ready to go.... it was achievable I think!
It's such a good exercise as it forces you to consider what are the most important things about the subject that you need to get down!
Here's a close up so you can see how lush and thick the paint application was...

Still euphoric over the success of yesterday's thirty minute painting I find myself asking why isn't it possible for me to do ten such paintings in a single day? It's a great theory isn't it? So why doesn't it actually WORK like that?! Answers on a postcard please...


Hmm... sounds like a challenge though...

Fred's paddock in snow

Click to bid
Fred's paddock in snow

I loved the long deep shadows and the pinky warmth from the setting sun, the patterns of the stone wall broken up by snow and the way the trees seem to huddle together, bracing themselves for more snow to come...
Oils on canvas board, 24 x 18 cms

Pizza slice

Click to bid
Pizza slice

I had a lot of fun painting this today! I was intending to paint eggs in their cardboard tray, but when I went to the fridge to get them this bit of leftover pizza jumped out at me and said 'paint me!' - it was something like that anyway! I find that often happens, and I always choose the idea that shouts loudest! Anyway, I really enjoyed this, it's surprising how many gorgeous colours there are in a slice of pizza!
This oil painting on board is 15 x 20cms and is available to buy at auction now. The starting price of this auction is only $60 which is £38.99, an absolute snip for an everlasting slice of pizza! Click on the link above to take a further look!

Late afternoon at Guerzido beach

Late afternoon at Guerzido beach
Sold

Question: What would you do on another insanely hot October day if you were here with me on the Ile de Brehat? Head for the beach? Yep! Me too! But not for me the swimming or sunbathing because I took my oil paints, so I guess that makes me a little odd because no-one else seemed to be painting....
I am so glad I did today though! Guerzido beach is south facing and I love the silhouettes and the sparkling of light on the water that you get here. Time after time I have tried without too much success to translate that magic into paint on canvas but today I am actually very satisfied that I caught it! I really managed to get what I was seeing - the tones, the colours, and all with a real simplicity in my brush strokes. The whole painting was started and finished in situ and I feel it says enough. So without further ado, here it is for you!
It is oil paint on canvas, 25 x 30cms, and if you like it you can take a look at further information and view all my current auctions by clicking on the 'click to bid' link above.
Please, if you enjoy my blog, tell your friends! Thank you!

My favourite coffee cup

Click to bid!

It's my favourite first-thing-in-the-morning-filter-coffee cup! It's such a chunky, smooth, rounded little cup and fits into my palm, all warm and comforting! I love it! This dinky little oil painting measures 15 x 15 cms and when it is dry it could be yours, click the link above to bid.
I'm afraid the glare on the photo lets it down a little bit... taking the photos is proving to be the biggest challenge! I don't know if the problem lies with a) my camera, b) me, c) the quality of daylight or d) the wet shiny oil paints! Probably a combination of all four!