Fishermens shelter and London workshop

Fishermens shelter
Oils 14" x 18"

I had the immense pleasure of spending a couple of days in the fishermens shelter in Portscatho last year, when I put on a little pop-up exhibition with The Harbour Gallery. I was really inspired by the large window overlooking the sea and the way the sunlight came into the room. I did paint this view while I was there but I always felt that I had another one in me. 

Now I've painted this larger version in the studio and I'm really happy with it. It's one of six paintings that I'm framing up at the moment to send for selection to the Mall Galleries for the annual Royal Society of Marine Artists exhibition. 

This August I'm going to be running a day workshop at the Mall Galleries in London about 'Capturing the essence', talking about the ways I use simplification in my work. What is important to include and what can be left out?

Find out more and book yourself a place here :-)

California flowers

California flowers
Oils 14" x 10"

I've come back from the convention full of inspiration, refreshed and raring to go - which is exactly what I was hoping for! It was terrific to spend time with my friends and meet lots of new friends and put a face to existing Facebook friends! Especially Cory who's been following my blog since just about the time when I started it in 2011 :-)

 The coastline in this part of California is incredible and I know I will have to come back here to paint. The light seems crystal clear and of course for me the sunshine makes a subject of just about anything. Take the backlighting on these flowers for example.

It was a wrench every day - be out painting or be in the conference centre watching all the wonderful demos and talks. Did I tell you they laid on free coffee all day too? Yes that pleases me ;-)

Look - freebies!

Look at all the gifts! I love gifts - and stickers! There are stickers for my easels ;-)

How finished is finished?

Morning sunlight on the campo

Ah, the eternal question! When do you know a painting is finished... if indeed, a painting ever is finished? And does 'finished' mean 'finished off' as in, well... I think you know what I mean!

Here's an interesting case in point. I was working on this studio painting a couple of weeks back and then I had to put it on standby and get on with other work. In my head this painting was labelled 'needs further attention, needs a lot more work, must go back to it, it's quite a way off being finished (the dreaded word)'.

Now today it's caught my eye again and what's happened? Have the studio elves been working while I've been in France? It caught my eye and my mind said this 'that's an interesting piece, it evokes a mood, what more is there to say? By golly I think it's .... (insert dreaded word here)'

What do you think? How much information is enough? For me this is the eternal question. Firstly you should know what you are trying to say in your painting. Then, it's easier for you to recognise when you've said it. That's about all the help I can give today but I know it's a topic I'll come back to ;-)

And now I'm a teensy little bit excited because the suitcase is zipped shut, my passport is in my hand and I'm heading to Heathrow ready to fly tomorrow. See you in California!

Silver light at Mousehole

Silver light at Mousehole
8" x 10"

On the one day that it didn't rain for me in Mousehole this is the other painting I achieved, and I'm really pleased with it. You get such blinding sunlight on the water in Mousehole when the sun is shining. Although this looks a lot like a sunset it was actually painted in the morning. In the foreground of the painting you can see that it's high tide in the harbour. The other noticeable feature is the one boat. In winter the vast majority of boats are taken out of the harbour and onto dry land to decrease the risk of damage. A very good thing too when you consider the awful storms we've had this winter.

When I next visit Mousehole in April there will be a lot of boats back in the water, which is good for me for painting. Although, I do very much like this simple uncluttered scene too.

The colours in the dark area of the harbour wall have subtle differences of hue and value which are not apparent on the photo really.

All three of these paintings were delivered on Friday and available to buy now at the Harbour Gallery.

Today I am travelling to a hotel at Gatwick airport ready to fly to Marrakech in the early hours of tomorrow. I may not have any access to wifi while I'm over there so if you don't hear from me that's why. I'll show you all the paintings when I get back.

Morning light at Staithes

Morning light at Staithes
SOLD

Here's one of my paintings from Staithes last week. It was all about the light hitting the top of that Landrover on the slipway for me, plus of course the sparkle on the water.
It's fairly large at 12" x 16", one of my favourite sizes to work outdoors with.
I wanted to show you some close up shots of the brushwork, because at first glance you may think this painting is very detailed but it's not at all.

I did finish off a couple of touches in the studio from memory, the few photos that I took didn't come out at all because of looking towards the sun. All the information was painted in there on the spot, it was just a case of reconfirming certain passages.

It's quite a tricky subject when faced with lots of buildings, especially white and light coloured buildings that are in the shade. There's a tendency to make them too light in colour value (because you know them to be white) and also to dot all the i's and cross all the t's when it comes to things like putting all the doors and windows in. Personally I am far more interested in the effects of light, rather than architectural details, so I have to take a broad view of the scene. Of course I also have to work very quickly to get the information down before the light effect has gone.

Hidden garden by the sea

Hidden garden by the sea

I think this must be my favourite from the trip! A magical place, with magical light.. this is a hidden garden by the sea. And that little building above the rocks may well be my studio one day... well a girl can dream can't she? And when it is you must join me there for a petit café or a refreshing glass of Brittany cider :-)

Sails up in harbour

Sails up in harbour

Glorious weather again today, and a day away from the oil paints. I had the luxury of three hours 'waiting time' in Paimpol which I was happy to turn into sketching time at the harbour.
This is my fourth and final drawing of the same scene, and by this one I felt I was getting somewhere!
I was elated when the red sail was raised on that boat, do you know that? Just elated!
I would have completely missed that if I hadn't been sat there sketching. Stopped and watching and waiting. Absorbing the sights and sounds. Every time you snap a quick photo of a scene and move on you miss so much.
Also it was a lesson in perseverance. I struggled throughout the series of sketches and each one got better and closer.
And I feel a studio painting coming on!

If you are on twitter, you can find me there as @HaideeJoSummers
I am posting a drawing every day in August, along with many other people who are #drawingaugust. Today I posted all four!

And after all that sketching and two boules of ice cream I picked up my good friend Lori Putnam from the train station, and I'm very excited to show her the island and be able to paint together over the coming few days :-)

Venice love!

Early morning light, Santa Maria della Salute

There's no other light like it, is there? It really is great to be here and the weather has been lovely today. This is my first painting of four today.
Within thirty minutes of starting this the sun came up and the whole scene changed completely. For a while I tried to continue with the original impression fixed in mind but realised I had to stop at this point.
This afternoon I stood in the shade painting gondolas moored in the foreground and the buildings on the other side of the grand canal in brilliant sunlight.
Then another facing across the canal to a terracotta building which was half in sun, half in shadow with fabulous terracotta reflections in the water.
My last painting of the day was a nocturne, I don't think it was terribly successful. In fact, I'm sure that when I see it in the daylight tomorrow I'm going to be horrified!

A pear of cows

Click to bid
A pear of cows

I challenged myself to paint the china cow creamer again, but this time I wanted to use broader strokes and really simplify the object. I turned the jug around so that I wouldn't get too distracted by the writing as there isn't any on the other side! Was that cheating?
Another change that I made was to paint from the other side of the table so that I was looking at the objects with the light behind them which did help me to see the jug as a simpler form and I think helped me to create an exciting composition.
I also removed a pear and added another cow...  did you spot it?
Sorry the photo isn't too clear, I had to use my phone as my camera is playing me up! I do love my old iphone but the photo quality doesn't even come close to an iphone 4!
This painting is the same size as yesterday's, 18 x 24cms, oil on canvas panel.
I'm really pleased with this one too, and like it equally as much as yesterday's, even though it took a lot less time to paint! Which do you prefer? I'd really like to know!

Cow creamer with the last pears

A pear of cows

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