Allotment hens

Allotment hens

Here's a change, not a November painting of the allotments but one of my very favourite paintings from late spring. Quite a difference looking at those fresh spring greens now. I had a fantastic session painting this one, I was so happy there with the hens in the sunshine listening to the radio and summer stretching out before us.

Rather a special one this, and so I saved it for the Royal Institute of Oil painters exhibition. It's one of three that I'll have on show with the ROI at the Mall Galleries. The exhibition is open from the 30th November to the 11th December and I will be painting in the gallery on the 2nd December. I'd love to see you there :-)

Shepherds hut and geese

Shepherds hut and geese
6" x 10"

A different location today and an extremely difficult day for plein air painting - barely tolerating the cold wind and drizzle I had to retreat to the car when the rain poured down. Luckily the car was very near. Although I had a warm hat and gloves I got very, very cold painting this one. I was so happy to get home and warm up and not leave the house again for the rest of the day!

And I must say, a few cups of coffee and the favourable reaction to this painting from my Instagram followers cheered me up no end :-)

Leaning sheds and allotment hens

Leaning sheds and allotment hens
Oils 8" x 12"

Do you see what the hens were doing when I painted this one? They were queuing up to take turns in that lovely dust bath, so funny.

I really loved the strong lean on these characterful sheds and yes, I may have over emphasised the extent to which they leant ever so slightly ;-)

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

Roof with a view

New roof with a view

We went to Granada for a couple of days and the second day was really hazy in the afternoon - no strong sunshine or shadows to be had. We walked uphill to the Plaza San Nicolas to overlook the Alhambra palace. The previous afternoon we had painted here while enjoying a fabulous clear view of the palace and the snow topped mountains.

After the uphill walk I needed a little sandwich and recuperation time while I considered what to paint. It was then that my friend Karl Terry called out to me "I've found a great subject Haidee. You're going to love this!".

I did indeed love it! Karl had found these workers laying a new roof against the backdrop of the hills and palace. It even had cypress trees - which I love - and a tree in the foreground covered in Seville oranges. It would have been great to see some rim lighting around the men and the bits and pieces on the roof, but the hazy afternoon light had it's own charm. 

Painting next to Karl

Yellow pavilion with Mercury fountain

The yellow pavilion

I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the gardens at the Alcazar Palace in Seville. Fountains, hedges, palm trees, Seville oranges growing on trees, ornate arches, peacocks, shady corners and vibrant warm colours... and all seen in the most beautiful light imaginable. Plus, Sorolla painted here so I was walking in giant footsteps. All this made it very difficult to calm down and actually paint! This was my first attempt in the gardens, I couldn't resist that wall of yellow and it's reflection in the pool.

Horse and carriage

Horse and carriage
Oils 8" x 10"

My first painting from the Seville trip was this study of a horse and carriage. I was really taken by these horses lining the streets ready for tourists to take a scenic ride. When this one arrived in front of me I noticed the light along the horse's back and around the ears. Captivating. Of course I didn't know how long I would have but decided it was worth the risk. It could have been that that five minutes later I was wiping the board down because the subject had gone, but actually I had probably forty-five minutes or more before the horse moved. I think the horse in my painting is perhaps not anatomically correct but this kind of quick study is much more about capturing an impression of the light for me. I'm pleased with the atmosphere and the palette of colours captured so am tempted to make a studio painting based on this - in which case I would be able to take more care with the drawing. The light in Seville was nothing short of marvellous, such a contrast from the winter light in the UK.

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!

The blue carrot shed

The blue carrot shed

The third day of filming in Cornwall was a beauty, and we found ourselves in this south facing cutting garden. It was very hot but I was so happy to be there surrounded by such fantastic subject material. In part my choice of viewpoint was influenced as to where we could find space for three people to stand with three camera tripods. But had that not been the case, it would have been very hard to resist this little blue shed with the pink roses in front!

Again I was working with a little pochade box and an 8" x 10" board. I used to really struggle to paint small sizes outdoors and found that I had a tendency to tighten up and get a bit fiddly. I decided long ago that 8" x 10" was as small as I was happy to go.

I think I've overcome that now as I was very comfortable with the 8" x 10" format. The trick is to keep using a good sized brush and not feel you have to go tiny. Plus I had to make extra choices regarding selection and simplification. There are areas I would have worked more information into had I been using a larger canvas.

Detail

Huge thanks to Susanne of The Blue Carrot for allowing me to visit and paint in her beautiful space. If you are on Instagram look up @the_blue_carrot for beautiful images of flowers and weddings!

And while you're on Instagram, did you know I'm there too? I put more on Instagram than I do on Facebook or twitter, I find it's the perfect place for sharing a quick snap of something exciting or beautiful - without the need to add text! I'm there as @haideejosummers 

Old milking parlour and snapdragons

Old milking parlour and snapdragons
Oils 8" x 10"

I had one of those 'coup de cœur' moments when I came across this scene in Cornwall. I first saw it on a cloudy day when I was struck by the great shapes of the doorways and the mysterious dark within.

When I returned to paint here the sun was shining, which heightened the contrast between the outside and the inside of the barn, and the exterior stone wall that you can see through the doorway on the right.

Getting the darks in first

There was an interesting shadow from a fence to the right casting diagonal shadows across the front of the barn, and they could even be seen over the foliage of the various weeds and snapdragons that have self seeded right in front of the barn. 

Detail

A favourite spot!

Outgoing tide and ferry, St Mawes
Oils 11" x 14"

Here's another from my Cornwall DVD, one of my favourite places to paint - St Mawes. I love it here when the sunlight is dancing on the water but even on a cloudy day it's a terrific place to find a subject. Pendennis castle in Falmouth can be seen on the distant headland here.

Detail of harbour area

I absolutely loved the sight of the ropes contrasted against the harbour wall. For a detail like this in a alla prima painting I have to use an extremely light touch and a swift movement. It can't be done falteringly. I always hold my breath while I do it!

Detail of sky and sea

Regatta day, Bréhat

Regatta day, Bréhat

I can't remember if I've shown you this before, but it's a small plein air painting from the île de Bréhat last summer and I really like it. We'll be back there very soon - if the French ferry workers will please stop striking and let us cross!

But first I'll be going off to Umbria in a couple of days to teach a group with Arte Umbria... exciting! So here's a few busy days unpacking from Cornwall and packing supplies for Italy... look forward to seeing you there if you're joining me on the trip!

If you're not joining me and wish you were - check out next years trips, workshops and demos on my website here - and book in some time to paint with me in 2016 :-)

Back to the roses

Walled garden, Belton House
10" x 14"

I grabbed the chance to go back to the garden a couple of days later. I was rained off on this one, spent about half an hour fiddling about with the umbrella. Undoubtedly I would have gone on longer but really what more was there to say? I think it's all there, with a refreshing spontaneity. Sometimes we just go on too long... like an after dinner speech...

As seen (unframed) in a group of paintings in the studio

All of these paintings except the two small ones on the right are now wrapped up and on their way to Josephine Harpur Fine Art, to be exhibited in Suffolk shortly. 

Where in the world...

English summer pasture
12" x 16"

This is my second painting as part of the Illume Gallery's 'Where in the world is plein air' event. For three days over a hundred artists took part from all over the world and made short videos to accompany their paintings.

It is so much fun watching the videos and fascinating to see where everybody has been painting this week. You can see my videos here and then click on 'artists' to choose which other videos you'd like to see.

I was amazed what I heard Lori Putnam say when she was filming for day one, about the passers by who stopped to chat!

Now all the finished paintings are for sale with the Illume Gallery of Fine Art in Salt Lake City in Utah, so I will be wrapping mine up and posting them off there. 

The team involved has done an incredible job co-ordinating all the artists and uploading the videos, and now they have a big exhibition to organise! 

'Down on the farm' - just needed a piece of straw to chew on!

Blowsy clouds and Patchings

Blowsy clouds and dappled light
Oils 16" x 20"

I only have time to show you quickly this new painting from the allotments, it's becoming an impressive display of greens there now :-)

I've been at Patchings Art Centre all day setting up my stand for the festival, and I'll be there each day from now until Sunday. Hope you can make it over to see me, and all the other exhibitors of course!

Painting with friends

After four hours painting - unfinished 24" x 26"

I'm happy with my own company, but also I'm very sociable and love a chance to paint with friends. Yesterday I drove to London to meet with two of my favourite artist friends and two lovely young models to paint together by the canal. It was a perfect day!
I worked on a large white oil primed canvas, 24" x 26" which was a lot of ground to cover! After around four hours I got to this stage. I love the composition and I wanted to get the main colours on and the white covered. The swan kept coming back and forth so I really had to include it in the painting.

The light was challenging. We started with heavy cloud cover but by the end of the session it was full sun. I couldn't start to introduce strong shadows at that point. If we can arrange another day together I'd really love to finish the painting from life. Otherwise I will do my best with it in the studio.

With Michele del Campo and Adebanji Alade and a chocolate brownie thief

Turkey at the allotments

The pens
Oils 12" x 16"

It's been a week off school and a week of birthdays and celebrations at our house. I've had little time for anything else, but it's been good fun. Great to get back to a working routine today though!

The week before I had a most enjoyable afternoon at the allotments with my friend artist Mo Teeuw. I mostly talked while she painted the view behind me and at some point in the proceedings I managed to paint this fabulous shed with the corrugated metal fencing that has seen better days. 

The turkey was a little further away and was making a big show of his feathers every time I walked near to warn me off. I thought he would make a great subject but there was nothing of interest to me in his environs. I did however like this shed, and it came with the added bonus of being within talking distance of Mo. And this was the outcome.

By the way you might like to look at Mo's blog - in January she managed to get out and paint every single day, which is no mean feat in the UK! Well done Mo x

A cold corner

Sleeping awhile
Oils 14" x 18"

My big painting from the allotments last week in the snow. I really am pleased and excited with this. I feel as though there is a real breakthrough going on for me at the moment, and that the recent studio work I've been doing with the Christmas market scenes is now impacting on my plein air work. It's hard to put my finger on exactly what's going on but it's all very exciting. It's all to do with being able to say it more succinctly - "marked by compact precise expression without wasted words".

Incidentally I should tell you that it doesn't always go swimmingly and sometimes progress seems just beyond reach but I always know that it will come. When I'm going through a period of self doubt I just believe that it means a change is coming. I had this belief strongly in November and December last year and now I'm starting to see why. I just tell you that in case it's any use to you, to encourage you to develop that belief for yourself and carry on when it feels like you're dragging your feet through mud!

In situ

So for now I'm very happy to see where it takes me!

A detail showing brushmarks

I love the interesting marks and edges in this painting and I'm going to hang on to it for a while here in the studio. It's leading the way for now...

View with a room

View with a room
Oils 8" x 16"

We were blessed with a covering of snow again last week! It arrived overnight and by three o clock the next day it was all but gone. Luckily I had the chance to make the most of it and was able to get out early with all my paints and equipment in the car. After dropping the children off at school I was ready to go and I managed to find an allotments which I knew existed but I'd never been able to find before.
Everything there was covered in a blanket of snow, and my excitement level was at about fever pitch!

At first the sky was quite brooding and overcast while I had a good look around taking lots of photos, but by the time I was back where I started the sun was shining and things really started to warm up.
This is the second painting I did there, which took less than an hour and a half. You can see how rapidly the snow was melting by looking at this photo taken after I'd finished. It went from everything blanketed in snow at 9am to mostly mud and greenery by 2.00pm. The plus side to this rapid thaw was that I was lovely and warm standing in the sun, and of course I love the chance to paint strong clear shadows on snow which I wouldn't have had if the sun had stayed hidden.

The thing that really grabbed me here was the table and stack of chairs which looked kind of inviting in the sun there, although covered in a fine coat of snow. I also loved the light valued canes against the dark trees behind.
I must confess I was really pleased with the economy of my mark making on this one, was able to describe effectively what was happening with just a minimum of shapes and colour.

A detail

On my screen the shadow area of this picture looks a ghastly blue, which it isn't in real life. It really is a lovely subtle violet. Hope it looks ok on yours!

A holiday snow day!

Snow over Wilsford
12" x 16" Oils

In between the fun and feasting and visits I was able to get out locally and paint the snow that had fallen overnight - such excitement after not having had snow here for at least 20 months!

I didn't have a suitable board prepared with an under colour, so I had to start with a white surface for this one which I don't really like to do. So I used some glaze medium mixed in with the paint and turps for the first stages adding thinned blues and purples, very much like a watercolour technique. 

This was dry enough to add thicker lighter paint on top within the hour, without any difficulties.

 

Painting in situ

A Boxing Day sketch, family watching TV