Caffè Florian

Caffè Florian, oils 10" x 14"

Another Venice painting, this time I was standing outside my favourite place to have a coffee in Venice, Caffè Florian in St Marks square. At Florian prices you probably wouldn't choose to visit more than once in your trip, but it's a lovely treat if you do get the chance. It was established in 1720 and apparently must be one of the oldest coffee houses that has been in continuous operation ever since.

The waiters popped in and out so I started with a very quick sketch of them in my sketchbook in case they disappeared altogether.  I didn't want the painting not to have them in it, they were the focal point framed in the archway with the grand white canopies also offering a much needed contrast to the dark interior. At about 3pm I was surprised when they next came outside wearing black jackets, so I supposed they had changed into their evening wear!

On the second to last day in Venice fellow painter Valerie Pirlot and I treated ourselves to a warming hot drink and croissant in Caffe Florian, in between our first and second paintings of the day. Well even scruffy artists need a little luxury in our lives sometimes, don't we?!

I'm having a busy week planning big events for next year, there is so much going on I can hardly write it all in my diary fast enough! Plus I'm trying to organise Christmas in my spare moments ;-)

I'm very excited about tomorrow though, it's the preview of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters exhibition at the Mall galleries London. I will try to remember to take some photos to show you.
You can actually see the whole exhibition online which is fantastic, I think you'll love it! You'll also feel as though you're right there with me. To see the Royal Institute of Oil painters 2012 exhibition online click here!

Reflection

Self portrait November 2012

Here's the self portrait I did yesterday which I am actually pleased with. The brush strokes are really me, and it looks so painterly which I love!
The lighting conditions varied a great deal throughout the two hour session. With it being a winter afternoon I started the portrait with natural daylight coming through the windows and the warm electric lights on, and when I finished it was completely dark outside so I was totally reliant on the warm lighting.
My favourite bits are the orange on the ear, and the wispy bits of hair.
It's received lots of favourable comments on Facebook today which is nice, with some people remarking on how serious or stern I look in it. Well I have to tell you all my self-portraits have always looked intense and serious. It's called concentration! Try peering at yourself in a mirror for two hours while attempting to capture what you're seeing in that reflection on canvas, all the while trying not to shift position, and colour mixing and the rest... and I think you'll see the same 'self portrait expression'!
I had a really fun day in the SAA's tv studio filming the web clip. I don't know whether the edited four minute video will be any good or not but one things for sure- you'll be the first to know! :-)

Rialto bridge in early morning fog

Rialto bridge, early morning fog  16" x 8"

What do you get when you add one day's travelling plus three days of sickness plus one lovely family day plus two days of admin and a fab Christmas meal out with friends?
You get me, desperate to get a paintbrush back in my hands, that's what!
After spending half the morning cleaning the studio (yes very necessary after the cats have been left to their own devices in there for two weeks!) I spent the afternoon painting a self-portrait and I really really enjoyed it. Right from the beginning when I was squeezing out the oozy colours on to the clean freshly oiled palette. Ahh!
I couldn't get a photo of it because it's been dark here since about 3 o clock but I will show you it soon.
Tomorrow I'm going to be at the SAA headquarters all day shooting a little web clip video. Should be interesting! I think I'm going to demo how to prep a board for painting on. The video will only be four minutes long so I didn't want to take on too much!

This is another foggy Venice piece. Painting this I was standing on a narrow strip of pavement near the Rialto bridge (on the market side) which ends in a dead end just around that corner. I've stood in this spot and sketched on a previous visit. It's quite a private place because not many people walk past. Those that do soon pass back again when they realise they can't get anywhere.
On this particular morning the tide was very high. The water was almost level with the pavement, maybe two inches below. This made me a little nervous, and when a large boat passed nearby it also made me play 'jump the waves'.

Ponte dei Pugni

From the Ponte dei Pugni, looking towards Campo San Barnaba £285 

Another from last week's trip to Venice. I painted this one standing on the Ponte dei Pugni (which means bridge of fists), looking towards Campo San Barnaba which is one of my favourite spots in Venice. The large white building you can see on the right hand side is the Church of San Barnaba.
The ponte I was painting from is a bridge with an interesting history though - in the 17th century rival clans used to meet here to fight. In fact there are four footprints marked in stone, one on each corner of the bridge, to show where opponents should stand! Apparently the bridge had no railings at the time so you can only imagine the shouting and jeering and mayhem going on as grown men fell into the murky canal below. I bet it was quite a spectator sport.

Back from Venice!

Hello, sorry for my silence last few days! I got back safely from Venice and then immediately spent the next two days laid low with a horrible sickness bug! I think I must have picked it up en route, unfortunately.
I had to cancel my planned 'Painting from photos' workshop yesterday, sorry to all those disappointed. I will book in a day for spring and hope you can all make it.
Today I'm really on the mend and was able to unpack from the trip. It was physically quite demanding, painting from dawn to dusk every day and walking around with kit in between. I used a wheeled suitcase and a small backpack. Much easier to pull everything along than carry it, except for bridges when of course it had to be picked up and carried over.
I had a bit of a fright one day when I turned my back for a minute and my suitcase was taken! It contained my new Open Box M palette, new tripod, three fresh paintings in a panel carrier and all my brushes! Luckily I found it abandoned not thirty yards away, nothing taken. Just a timely reminder to be more careful!
I came back with 18 paintings, and I'll show you them in more detail over the next few weeks.

I've been alerted to a problem with people emailing me and the emails going astray and not reaching me. It's now happened at least six times from six different people which is scary!
If you have emailed me about buying Christmas cards, or the Festive prize draw, or anything else and - crucially - HAVEN'T received a reply, then it has gone amiss I'm afraid. Please try to resend directly to my email address which is thedrawingroomgallery@gmail.com

Thank you! I'm not sure whether its a problem with blogger or googlemail but it is a worry...

Grand canal, slightly hazy

View of the Salute from the Accademia bridge

Finally the fog has lifted, after two days. I had a better day today, yesterday I was flagging and uninspired by the flat light conditions.
This is my first of three today, the Salute painted from the Accademia bridge. I do think it's a great view if you're lucky enough to see the sun rise. We've been getting up super early every day but the sun has eluded us so far.
I'll be able to show you all the other paintings when I get home later in the week, I hope they travel well!

Venice in the fog!

The morning's work on the ground, St Marks square 

The basilica appearing and disappearing the whole time!

The sun never made it through the fog today! This photo is of St Marks square when we arrived at about 7.45 this morning! These are my three various stages of fog paintings! I did another this afternoon in a different campo. The fog came and went in varying degrees but never lifted altogether!
It was pretty cold too!

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!

Piazzetta, Venice

It's so lovely to be back in Venice! Magical! We arrived yesterday early evening and today was our first day painting.
This is an oil that I did this morning, 10" x 14". The sky was just breathtaking! I also love the pink glass in the lamps. Everything is conducive to being painted here.

Happy Christmas news!

Sunset over snowy paddock

I have some good news to share, my friends! Do you remember this painting that I showed you a couple of days ago? I told you that I'm having Christmas cards made of it, which I am, but there's more news now!
I entered it into The Artist magazine's charity Christmas card competition and ... it won!!
That means it will be published as the winner in the magazine in January, be an electronic greetings card for the magazine and best of all, they will donate £200 to the charity of my choice.
I have chosen The Rainbow Trust, a charity that provides emotional and practical support to families who have a child with life threatening or terminal illness.

All that standing around in the snow painting now seems more worthwhile than ever!

I'd like to donate further funds to the charity, so I am going to give 10% of the purchase price of every card sold. That's 20 pence for each card as the cards sell at £2.00 each.

If you would like to buy any please let me know, and I will charge only a small amount to cover postage.

The cards measure 144 x 144 mm and are blank inside with a little piece about the competition and the charity on the back of the card. You could even send them as thank you cards in January!

Don't forget to email me to enter the festive prize giveaway! Click here for details!