California sunset

California sunset
14" x 18"

A recent painting inspired by my April trip to California, with memories of a very special evening amongst artist friends and new friends. The waves were incredible crashing against the rocks and I could have sat and watched for hours. The rocks and sea surrounded the beautiful house - what a dream house! If you lived here would you ever need to go anywhere else?

Rocks and waves

Rocks and waves at Mousehole
Framed size about 21" x 25"

Back in the southwest of Cornwall again with this one - and you can see the pretty village of Mousehole nestling in the background. Maisie loves to run around on these rocks and bark at the waves! For now I'm enjoying having it up on the wall in the studio, but if you'd like to purchase this painting you can contact me and we can discuss framing/delivery etc.

Shadows at Bedruthan

Shadows at Bedruthan
Oils, framed size 16" x 19"

Here's another new studio painting of a different view at the Bedruthan steps. Oh my, I'd love to live with this painting. It takes me right back to the hypnotic motion of the waves swirling around over the rocks below, the feel of the sun on your face and the salty breeze. That turquoise water, those scudding soft clouds, and that brightly lit grass on the cliff top... just lush.

Alas, I won't be keeping the painting because it will have a nice home waiting for it somewhere. I am having it made into greetings cards though, so far this is one of four brand new card designs that I will be showing at the Patchings festival in June. There will be many more new ones, original paintings and 2016 calendars too!

But if this gorgeous painting belongs with you, feel free to contact Mark here. I don't think it will be on the gallery wall for long.

Beach at Bedruthan

Beach at Bedruthan
Oils, framed size 19" x 23"

The stunning rugged National Trust coastline on the north Cornwall coast at the famous Bedruthan steps. Really wished I lived closer and could get here at different hours of the day, and to be able to make the most of good weather days such as this one!

This painting is also heading to the Scarlet Hotel which is within two miles of the steps. The price, framed, is £850 and again if you'd like a closer look you can contact Mark at the Harbour Gallery because he's a lovely and helpful chap!

Breaking wave

Breaking wave catches the light
Oils, unframed size 16" x 20"
Framed size 23" x 27"

Here's a change from all those lovely wintry paintings I've been doing lately - I've also been busy painting lovely seascapes so I'll show you a few of those this week. I really love this one, that marvellous green glow as the sun illuminates the breaking wave. This is a studio painting but I have stood on these rocks at Mousehole and painted the waves coming over the rocks from life, so I hope I have captured some of that feeling of urgency and movement here. As always, distilling the information received down to it's essential components, is what counts.

This one is being framed up for the Scarlet Hotel in Cornwall, and will be for sale there at £1100. If you'd like to rush in and grab it before it even makes it to the gallery wall or the Harbour Gallery's website please contact Mark here :-)

Glimmer

Glimmer
Oils on canvas 12" x 16" £795

I painted this at Hook Head in Ireland a couple of years ago, and although I was always happy with it I've really enjoyed making a few minor changes to it in the studio this week and now I love it. The 'idea' or story behind the painting is really that fleeting light effect on top of the headland there, in the midst of an oncoming storm. By the time I'd packed up big fat spots of rain were starting to fall, and as I reached the car it started to hammer down!

The photo above doesn't show the subtle colour shifts so I've added a few close-ups to give you a better look.

This painting breaks one of the rules of atmospheric perspective, by placing the more saturated high chroma colours in the distance. To balance this unsettling effect somewhat I made sure to place the strongest tonal contrasts in the foreground, see the light valued sea spray against the dark crevices in the rocks in the section illustrated below -

Detail of waves and rocks

The distant glimmer, fleeting light

I am taking this painting up to Hull this weekend with four others, where it will be part of a mixed group show called 'Water runs deep' at the Studio Eleven gallery.
The exhibition opening takes place on the 19th July from 2-4pm, and the show is then open until the 7th September. 

It stopped raining!

Towards St Michael's mount, from Mousehole

Work in progress

Hooray, it didn't rain today so I was able to get out and paint two pieces in Mousehole. This one was a really interesting view looking towards St Michael's mount, which was lit by the sun for a couple of hours. I also liked the little glints of light on the buildings in the distance. And of course I fell in love with the waves against the rocks here, all over again :-)

Rock study

Preparations to leave the island and return to England are now under way. It's been a wonderful month, gloriously relaxing and a chance to recharge my batteries. Next week it's back to writing and teaching and planning, back to school for the children and a time to get freshly organised for the upcoming autumn and winter events for me.
I will leave you for now with a little study of the pink rocks at Guerzido beach, and the gateway to the hidden garden. I am really glad I ran out of time on this one because I love it as it is in it's half painted, sketched and bare toned canvas state. I've learnt that it's best to leave a gem like this alone and if I still hanker after the subject I can start a new studio painting based on it.

Hook head - horizon

Hook head
Oils on canvas 12" x 16"

I've been on the computer for about 24 hours (not quite but feels like it!) designing a 'self-publish' book of my latest paintings. I'm hugely excited about it and I think it's going to look great. It's 100 pages long and I've included all my favourite paintings from 2012 so far, plus it's absolutely littered with inspirational quotes about painting and life! I can't share details of it with you yet until I've received an actual physical copy to hold in my hands and see that it's as fantastic as I hope it will be!

I'm also working on two current portrait commissions so I can't show you pictures of those until completed.
I can show you this however! I painted Hook Head back in summer in Ireland with my new friend Lori Putnam painting nearby.
I was really happy with it as it was my best painting of the week but one thing niggled me - the wonky horizon line! Today I finally got around to fixing it, I don't know how hard I thought it was going to be exactly but it took me all of five minutes to sort it!

Before - with wobbly horizon! I'm using masking tape to make a straight edge

I'm off to London again tomorrow, handing in two paintings that have been pre-selected for the New English Art Club (do not hold your breath - I'm not!), and hopefully will be meeting with someone special...

Hook head, big surprise!

Hook Head, oil on canvas 12" x 16"

Incoming tide at Hook Head, oils on canvas 12" x 16"

I must admit, I had my doubts. This morning was the worst rain yet. I could hear it beating down outside as soon as I woke up, you know, the kind of rain that slaps the pavement!
We were heading out to the tip of a peninsula, to a lighthouse of all places, the most exposed painting location of the week.
We had a plan, me and Lori my new friend. Turn up, get canvasses stamped, turn heel and drive inland. Somewhere with shelter.
But what was this? As we drove towards Hook Head, spots and patches of blue started to appear in the clouds.
We arrived in glorious sunshine! We painted in sunshine all day, and it was my best painting day of the week, without doubt!
Now I'm off to the Festival BBQ! It's pouring with rain again now, but that doesn't matter at all!