Hunters yard

Hunters yard
14" x 18"
Sold

One of my favourite paintings from this year, actually one of my very best yet I think! You probably know that I like to bite off a bit more than I can chew when choosing a subject, I think it's how to keep growing my painting skills. Always strive towards something that you think is a little beyond you, that's my advice.

A subject like this is fraught with difficulties. What are the focal points? How to deal with the background (exterior scene) without it coming forward? How best to describe the value relationships between the dark interior and sunlit goings on outside? How to simplify all the busy objects and shapes within the boat yard? How to capture some of the figures that pass through and even.... can I get the dog in? What about the shine on the floor? The electric strip lights? And all these decisions to make while answering questions from onlookers.

But I was truly gripped! As soon as I saw it I knew it was my subject. Wild horses wouldn't have dragged me away from Hunters yard that afternoon.

Detail from Hunters yard

Donkeys on the beach

Donkey rides
10" x 14"
Sold

During the two hour 'quick draw' event in Great Yarmouth I found out there were donkeys a short walk away and just had to give them a go. It's such a nostalgic subject isn't it? But more so the shapes and the way they connect just fascinate me, away from the storytelling or human element.

The sun didn't come out at all during the two hours - it was there beforehand and then again as soon as we finished! I suppose it was for the best in my case, I had enough to be going on with as the main parts of the subject were constantly moving. At least I didn't have to worry about shadows as well!

It was a really interesting challenge and I loved it. I actually was really pleased with the resulting painting and I didn't expect it would work out so well. 

Probably the hardest thing was that the pier bounced as people went by me, so that was a little disconcerting! 

Painting from the pier

Hunters boatyard demo

Hunters boatyard
9" x 12"

On a busy Saturday at the boatyard I painted a demo for a lovely group of artists in the sunshine. A very nice chap positioned this boat for me as all the others were to be taken out that day, and a lovely lady called Joan stood for a few minutes so that I could have a figure in the painting. Her jacket tied around her waist made for a lovely bright colour accent. 

The main focal point for me was the sail against the dark interior of the boatyard.

In the afternoon, I went inside the boatyard and painted from the inside looking out.

For more information on Hunters heritage fleet of beautiful wooden sailing boats see here.

Ken's fruit and veg

Kens veg, Ludham
11" x 14"

I was on my way to a different painting spot with my friend Mo  when I saw this beautiful sight and came to a screeching halt. Coup de coeur! This kind of subject is just my cup of tea. So many interesting shapes to get stuck into, some terrific shadows, an interesting colour palette and even lettering - tralala! Not to mention the warm feel good factor of homegrown fruit and veg for sale in a humble shed in a village, everything rustic and home made and just right.

I didn't even go into the shed as I was so busy painting but I did sample some very nice produce as I worked with the sun on the back of my neck. Yes it was a great experience for me.

Ken came back in his van and seemed delighted that I was painting his fruit and veg shop. He wandered across the road a few times to check on progress, and I had chats with walkers who were passing by.

Started with marking out the major shapes

Quickly moved onto colour and value, trying to 'nail it' in the first hit

Fun with all the little signs!

Work in situ, beautiful day and great fun!

Apparently Ken would have liked to buy the painting when he saw it in the evening exhibition, but the price was rather out of his league. I asked my lovely friend Kate if she might be able to produce a print of a photo of the painting for him and look what she did - a lovely print and framed as well. He looks over the moon with it! Well done Kate x

Happy Ken with his colour print :-)

Water gardens

Dappled light at the water gardens
8" x 10"
Sold

I was in Norfolk last week painting with friends and taking part in the 'Brush with the Broads' painting festival. It's the third year of the festival and we had as glorious weather as we have enjoyed the previous years. Norfolk seems to be the place to be at the end of September! 

This little painting took place at Fairhaven water gardens. I didn't have very much time there but it was a magical place, a beautiful wooded glade with a network of little rivers and larger lakes. 

I would like to come back here and paint another time, I really like the challenge of the little glimpses of light here and there amongst all the dense foliage.

Painting in situ

Mud bath

Mud bath
20" x 30"
SOLD

My exhibition in Putney with Paul Curtis NEAC is finished now but was a great success. I was so busy with the house move that I didn't get a chance to blog about it so I'll try to make up for that now and show you some of the work from the show. 

This is one of the large studio cow paintings that sold. I found I couldn't get a good photo of this piece but it gives you an idea anyway. It excites me the way the cows become a part of the mud, and the light catches the wet surfaces with little glimpses here and there in the darkness. I look forward to returning to this subject, I just need to find a local dairy farm willing to help out an artist.

Graze
20" x 24"
SOLD

Waiting at Harriets

Waiting at Harriets

The wet day in Norwich turned out to be such a blessing. In the afternoon it stopped raining but look at the incredible subject I found thanks to the wet streets! I just fell in love with the deep aubergine colours of the jewellery shop and the purple and white striped awnings, as seen with the warm cosy glow through the windows and their reflections. 

I'm sad that I don't have a better photo of this one but it sold at the Paint Out Norwich auction before it was even dry. Am happy that it's gone to a very good home though :-)

Solo exhibition in Nottingham 'A lighter touch' opens on Friday 13th November until Sunday 22nd November, at 71 Friar Lane Nottingham NG1 6DH. I will be in the gallery each day and showing around 70 new paintings. We will have late night openings until 7.30pm on Friday 13th, Saturday 14th and Friday 20th. All other days opening hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm. Ten days only, don't miss it! 

Flowers in the rain

Flowers in the rain

Last week I took part in Paint Out Norwich again, now in it's second year. It is such a fun event and so well organised. I had to miss the first of the two painting days and on the second morning it poured with rain without stopping. I stood under a tree in the market square with an umbrella but that didn't manage to stop all the rain reaching my palette and the painting. Still, there's always something fascinating to paint even on the dullest day. I looked across the road at the colourful flower stall. My big challenge was making everything dull enough so that the brightness of the fluorescent strip light within the stall would stand out on the painting as it did in reality. The trickiest part to get right without competing with the electric light was the white and yellow canopy.

Solo exhibition in Nottingham 'A lighter touch' opens on Friday 13th November until Sunday 22nd November, at 71 Friar Lane Nottingham NG1 6DH. I will be in the gallery each day and showing around 70 new paintings. We will have late night openings until 7.30pm on Friday 13th, Saturday 14th and Friday 20th. All other days opening hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm. Ten days only, don't miss it! 

Dusty's deckchair shack

Dusty's deckchair shack
24 x 30cms

This is one of many lovely small works that may tempt you when you visit my exhibition this year. I painted this on the beach in Great Yarmouth at the end of September - it was such a gorgeous day! One of the last real summer days this year and what a fantastic subject :-)

I'm happy to say that I'm able to take credit card payments in the gallery this year as well as online. The whole exhibition will be available to view and purchase via my website when it opens in real life so if you're too far away to get in to the gallery to see me you can still enjoy a browse.

If you'd like to have your portrait painted during the exhibition please let me know in advance so we can book in a date.

Solo exhibition in Nottingham 'A lighter touch' opens on Friday 13th November until Sunday 22nd November, at 71 Friar Lane Nottingham NG1 6DH. I will be in the gallery each day and showing around 70 new paintings. We will have late night openings until 7.30pm on Friday 13th, Saturday 14th and Friday 20th. All other days opening hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm. Ten days only, don't miss it! 

Ormesby pumpkins

Ormesby pumpkins
12" x 16"

I should have posted this one for Halloween! I painted it at the end of September when I was in Norfolk for the 'Brush with the broads' plein air festival. I was delighted to find the allotments but the light was pretty flat and uninspiring that afternoon. Never-the-less I was taken with the shapes and colours of this pumpkin patch. The painting was feeling pretty flat and uninspired until I took a palette knife to it and started breaking up edges and letting colour travel around. I really liked it in the end. I'm afraid there's a bit of glare on the photo though. I used a gamblin solvent free gel to speed up the drying time. It also gives a pleasant overall sheen but makes taking a photograph more difficult!

This painting is currently on show at the Picturecraft Gallery in Holt, Norfolk with the Institute of East Anglian Artists.

My solo exhibition in Nottingham 'A lighter touch' opens on Friday 13th November until Sunday 22nd November, at 71 Friar Lane Nottingham NG1 6DH. I will be in the gallery each day and showing around 70 new paintings. We will have late night openings until 7.30pm on Friday 13th, Saturday 14th and Friday 20th. All other days opening hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm. Ten days only, don't miss it! 

My 2014 review July to September

Inham Nook allotments
12" x 16" £795

Welcome to the third instalment of my busy year - the weather continued to be pretty fantastic the whole summer long. It's lovely to see these sunny paintings at this time of year and remember that we have all that sunshine and those long light evenings to look forward to again soon.

The painting above was a demo piece at a plein air workshop in Nottingham which we based at a fantastic allotments. That was a great day, and I could find a subject at an allotments any time of the year. Definitely one of my recurring subjects these last twenty years.

In July I took part in Pintar Rapido, a two day plein air painting event in London. If I remember rightly there were around 300 artists taking part, painting on the streets of Kensington and Chelsea all day Saturday, and then framing the painting before the one day exhibition which took place on Sunday. Manic really, but good fun, especially as I knew so many of the other artists there. Always fun chatting to passers-by too when painting a busy street scene like this. 

Duke of York square, Chelsea
Private collection

This painting of the market in Chelsea is another example of where I've been stretching and challenging myself this year. At 22" x 24" it was the largest plein air piece I had tackled until then, all in one day. I was happy that it found a buyer at the exhibition the next day.

The long stretch of summer
Private collection

For this one my inspiration was beautiful St Mawes again in Cornwall. I painted it in early summer and then entered it into the annual RSMA (Royal Society of Marine Artists) exhibition and happily it was accepted, together with one of my Staithes paintings from June.

A summer stroll £850

In August we were extremely fortunate to be able to spend three weeks on the island of Bréhat in France. It was three glorious relaxing weeks of sunshine and sketching and painting. I only wished I had a friend to paint with me, as I'd loved spending time painting with Lori Putnam the previous summer. I missed her, but of course I had the family to spend time with when I wasn't painting.

Tout ce qui flotte
8" x 16" £695

Mogador boys bathing
36" x 38" £2500

I would say this was my most ambitious studio painting of the year, an enormous (to me) 36" x 38" canvas that I stretched myself. The framed size of this piece is 43" x 45", and it made a nice big statement in my autumn exhibition at Patchings. It is of course based on reference from my trip to Essaouira in March, where I watched and painted the local boys diving into the harbour.

Regatta at Falmouth
Private collection

We got back from France just in time to travel down to Cornwall to see the tall ships in dock at Falmouth before setting sail for London.
It was a terrific experience to paint there and I got a lot of work done in three days. However, it was probably the busiest place I have ever attempted to paint! (the Queen's pageant was of course a sea of people, but we were separated from the throng being up on the bridge) This brings it's own set of problems, especially finding a viewpoint.

It was also a wildly busy and exciting subject!

Painting at Falmouth in August

Tall ships at falmouth
Private collection

Tall ships
12" x 16" £850

September issue The Artist magazine

In August I was thrilled to see my painting on the cover of The Artist magazine. It certainly has had it's fair share of exposure, that painting! 

Now another big project that I'd been working on throughout the summer months was my two competition entries for the Buxton Spa prize. This was a brand new UK plein air competition that I'd heard about on twitter back in April. I was in France at the time and I remember reading the information on the website and thinking 'oh I'm really busy and I'll be away all of August but I've got to do this. I'll make sure I fit the necessary days into my diary, I'll make it happen'. That's the way my mind works actually 'I'd love to do this - is it really possible to do this? - I don't know how or when I can do this - never mind that, I'll find out as I go along - I'm going to do this'!

The key to actually doing it of course is being organised and putting all the necessary dates in the diary to ensure that I'd had time to prepare equipment and stretch my canvasses, register and have my canvasses stamped, paint on site for three separate days, finish the two painting entries in the studio for however long necessary, produce an entire book of sketches which I also entered into the competition, arrange to have the frames made, paint and wax the frames in my studio, fit the paintings and fill in the entry forms, and make sure I'd done all of the above before leaving for France in early August!

Walking through buttercups
Winner of the Buxton Spa prize
Private collection

Back home in September it was time for the preview evening of the Buxton Spa prize exhibition, an event which I was really looking forward to. Buxton is several hours drive away and I didn't fancy driving back late at night so I'd booked a lovely room for myself above the tearooms at No 6 The Square, which was quite a treat I was excited about!

I never could have imagined that I was about to win the £5000 first prize for my painting 'Walking through buttercups, Harpur Hill'!

Prizegiving and exhibition preview evening
with Keith Wilkinson and Rob Wilson

Painting 'Walking through buttercups'

Wow, that was a really special night! After the prize giving the winning artists and judges (including the artists Ken Howard RA and Harold Riley) and organisers all went for a fantastic meal. One of the judges had bought my painting too. I was on cloud nine as you might imagine! Yes, a very special time indeed.

Buxton Opera House
24" x 30" £1800

My other painting for the competition was of the majestic opera house. Again, pretty enormous for plein air at 24" x 30". I painted this two separate days on location and then another couple of days in the studio. I was really happy with the resulting painting, I think it's very fresh and painterly and it's so easy to become tight when painting subjects where the drawing really matters like architecture and figures. Another painting which I think was breaking new ground for me.

A few weeks later I was painting on the Norfolk broads for a couple of days, as part of another new plein air event 'A brush with the broads'. The weather was gorgeous again, I was so lucky for the whole summer. I always thought I wouldn't paint a windmill (bit chocolate boxy) but fell in love with the solidity of this strong brick red structure, and it's reflection in the water. Passers by told me it was a shame (for my painting) that they'd removed the sails for essential repairs, but I disagree. I loved it exactly as it was.

Horsey Mill
Private collection

I couldn't stay for the whole event as I was flying off to Venice but I framed and left two paintings for the exhibition. I was delighted to learn that the painting of Horsey Mill had sold and that the painting of the boat house had won me a prize!

It was a gorgeous £200 brush bouquet from Rosemary brushes, how exciting was that?! 

I was certain that after such an amazingly successful year that would be the last prize I would win in 2014 for sure... I could hardly keep up with myself, goodness knows how you felt reading about the whirlwind events!

Boat house at Hickling Staithe

I love the boat house painting and subject, and I'm determined I will continue this theme with a studio painting. Sometimes when you're painting plein air you just know 'yes, this has got all the ingredients I need, and a dash of magic'. This was one of those days.

Now as if all of the above didn't make for enough activity for one summer, I was also busy preparing and framing around sixty paintings for my next solo exhibition. This was my newest, a gorgeous subject with a thrilling light effect. I painted this large oil on canvas in the studio, from a watercolour sketch in my sketchbook and some photos I'd taken earlier in the summer when I'd gone into Lincoln for a radio interview and was driving past this scene. Always be on the lookout because you never know where your next painting subject may be!

Gathered in the shade
Private collection 

If you are thinking that you'd like to take part in any of the events I've mentioned this year, take a look at my website. I've put links to all these events on the links page, and also I've listed all my forthcoming workshops and demos, and exhibitions that I've got coming up in 2015 so there may be something there of interest to you :-)

My 2014 review January to March

Exhibition portraits January 2014

It's that special time again, time to look back over what I've been up to in 2014, take note of my achievements, remember fun times and travel, see what direction my paintings have grown and yes, pat myself on the back for a job well done before putting it all behind me and forging ahead with the exciting and new!

January 2014 got off to a cracking start with my solo exhibition in Nottingham and a whopping 30 paintings sold and off to new homes. I painted a different portrait in oils each day for ten days of the exhibition, while also handling sales and enquiries and putting the kettle on frequently! I was very grateful to my patient models!

Andrew

Jenny

Painting Ant who also painted me!

The large gallery with about 80 of my paintings hanging

February included a ten day holiday in France with the family, some plein air painting in Norfolk and some coastal studio paintings, plus an article I wrote about gouache painting was published in The Artist magazine.

Crab hut at Brancaster Staithe
Private Collection

Whelk sheds at Brancaster Staithe
Oils 11" x 14"
£650

By the boat sheds, Brancaster Staithe
Oils 16" x 20"
£1095

I was really starting to get somewhere with studio paintings and actually enjoy doing it. I found ways to keep much of the freshness of plein air paintings and yet on a larger scale. I realised I needed as much background information as possible, e.g. paintings and sketches made on site, to help me keep the excitement and inspiration alive. The more I do of studio work, the more possibilities present themselves to me. It could never replace plein air of course, but I feel they both feed off each other. 

Kevin Macpherson describes it so well in his book 'Landscape painting Inside and Out':

"Many outdoor attempts fall short of successful, yet possess qualities that can be improved on into a grander statement in the studio. Each truthful colour note on a plein air study is a priceless seed of information that can transform your studio work to higher levels. Also, in the studio you can practise picture-making principles and experiment in a controlled environment.

Indoor and outdoor painting are complementary experiences. As memories of nature breathe life into your studio work, the disciplined approaches and principles you practise indoors will enable you to attack the canvas outdoors in new ways."

End of a perfect day, Sennen beach
Private Collection

In March I had two trips - first to Cornwall and then to Essaouira in Morocco with a group of painter friends. In Cornwall the weather was a bit disappointing but I managed to get some plein air work done and also enjoyed a fishy still life when it was pouring with rain outside.

Fairmaids of Mousehole
Private Collection

Towards St Michael's mount from Mousehole
Private Collection

Silver light, Mousehole
Private Collection

In contrast the weather in Morocco was dry, warm and idyllic for plein air painting, and I had a fabulous time. The locals were on the whole very interested and kind, and several remembered me from the year before. We even got invited to the private view of an art exhibition with an artist friend who I'd met while painting the year before and kept in contact with via Facebook, and I made some lovely new friends too. Plus of course the enormous benefit of having artist friends painting at the same time there from the UK, USA and Spain. What a great trip! 

One of my Essaouira friends, Monsieur Bouabid

Butchers shop Essaouira - poultry
Oils 10" x 12" £550

Butchers shop Essaouira - mutton and veal
Oils 11" x 14" £595

Boys diving into harbour
Private Collection

I'll finish this first quarter of the year with this bobby dazzler, companion painting to the one you know well that you'll be seeing again in the next instalment, when I take a walk back through April, May and June. I warn you now it might be a long blog post with a lot of excitement and exclamation marks!

Heading out of harbour
Private collection