Path to the greenhouse

Path to the greenhouse
8" x 10"

Still loving this series of autumn paintings at the allotments, on this day I made a new friend, and this is Don's greenhouse. Again with the low sun I was looking at a dazzling effect through the glass against the rich darks of the fences, sheds and houses behind.

I really enjoy a lot of the marks I've made in this painting, as well as the colour palette which feels suitably rich and autumnal.

 Detail

Pumpkins aglow

Pumpkins aglow
8" x 10"

You never know when you head out with your paints if you're going to find something really special. Any day could be the day when you find the proverbial pot of gold. It doesn't happen too often, and you know it when you see it.

Well, picture my face when I reported for duty at the allotments the next day not knowing what I would paint there, and then saw the way the low sun lit up this greenhouse. Not just the blinding light effect through the glass which was accentuated by the fabulous dark silhouette of the terraced houses behind but lo! The fabulous orange pumpkins and yellow squashes sheltering from the frost inside and visible through the glass. Yes, a 'red sail' day :-)

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Beetroot and pears

Pear blossom by the greenhouse

At last we are enjoying some gorgeous spring sunshine this week, and happily I was able to get out to my favourite local allotments. I didn't spend time looking around because this dilapidated greenhouse caught my eye immediately, and I especially liked the pear tree next to it with the sun glowing through its leaves. 

In situ, bright and breezy day

Afterwards I couldn't resist a little study of these beetroot plants nearby, with the gorgeous little glimpses of pink and red amongst the green leaves.

Beetroot going to seed

Summer greens

Summer greens and blowsy clouds
SOLD

Here are a couple of fresh and green allotment paintings that sold at my exhibition in Putney, both plein air paintings from different allotments. The variety of greens on show is one of the many reasons I love painting at the allotments so much. I'm not much of a gardener myself, but I do so appreciate the efforts of others. And of course as painting subjects go, you can't beat the light reflecting off the greenhouse glass. 

Inham Nook allotments
SOLD

Spotted dog at the allotments

Demo at the allotments
12" x 16" Oils

I've enjoyed some great workshops in the last month, here are some photos from one I did in Nottingham with the Spotted Dog art group. Hello to you and the guest artists who came! We had a great day with gorgeous weather and were based in Inham Nook allotments. The allotment association were very good to us, and we also had use of the village hall so all in all a perfect set up.

Here's the demo I did before lunch, I probably could have gone for a simpler subject but well! It was all about that light hitting the glass greenhouse roof. A few of the members said to me that they weren't sure they would even find a subject of interest to paint at an allotments... but I think they'd seen the light by the end of the day. :-)

"How does it all fit together then?"
"Well it's like this...."

Better crack on with this so folks can have lunch

Thanks very much to Dave Singleton for these two photographs.