Relaxing

Taking it easy      Oils on board  5 x 7 inches       SOLD


I am a lover of anything rusting and ageing.  From a possible painting point of view of course.  I loved the way this little boat was relaxing into its marsh environment.  A good example of how something simple can become a challenge.  Great fun.

Impression.

Low tide, sunrise   Oils on canvas board  5 x 7 inches   SOLD


This was a really 'fun to paint' study.  Using a fairly large brush I resisted the temptation to smooth the paint out too much.  I wanted the strokes to lie where they were first placed.  The low tide had left pools of water which reflected the colour and light.

Winter colours.

Slow Thaw   Oils on board   5 x 5 inches  

I like these quiet muted colours and the shapes formed by the snow.  A little lane in South Carlton near Lincoln.  

Dawn spectacular

Sunrise, Mablethorpe  Oils on board  10 x 8 inches 


There are no cliffs, rocks or deep blue seas...BUT...there are huge open skies, and our Lincolnshire coast faces east so we often have a spectacular sunrise.

Summer holidays...pebble beach at Sheringham, Norfolk

Sheringham beach    Oils on board  10 x 8 inches  SOLD


Wintery weekend approaching reminds me of summer walks along beaches and camping holidays with the children when they were very small.

All is calm...

Winter Violet    Oils on canvas board  5 x 7 inches   SOLD


Dusk across the fields.  I am alone with my whippet and the occasional barn owl silently flying over the hedgerows.  

Breezy days...

From the Roaches   Oils on canvas board  5 x 7 inches  GIFTED



In 2002 I went on a walking holiday in Derbyshire.  Climbing up onto The Roaches there were good views across the landscape.  It was a breezy day with occasional squally showers but in between the sun streaked across the fields below.   

Desolate but home for some

Horseshoe Point   Oils on board  5 x 7 inches   

This sandy beach is on the east coast near North Cotes.  When the tide is out it is home to wildlife and is a nature reserve.  The raised sandbanks with shallow creeks give the shapes.

Snow

Winter Blanket  Oils on board  6 x 6        Sold


Near my home is a small cottage across the fields.  Covered in snow and nearly bedtime.

Another painting from one of my favourite places.  Down memory lane.

Fence Line  Oils on board  5 x 7 inches   

There is something quaint about the Fitties at Humberston.  It is in the area where I lived as a child and I remember exploring the little roads where these bungalows nestle below the sand dunes at the coast.   Many have been lovingly restored but a few have signs of ageing like this little fence at the roadside.  I love it for that...it gives the place a relaxed feeling.

Harvest time and golden fields in August.   

West Corner   Oils on board  5 x 7 inches  



This field is next to our home so when I saw the baler arrive I knew it would be an ideal opportunity to capture the contrasting colours of stubble and trees.  The trees are mixed deciduous with a copper beech at the side of the track.   

I have one small painting to share today...   

'Back lane to South Carlton'  Oils on board  5 x 7 inches    SOLD


A walk with my whippet in the snow across the fields near my home.  This lane leads to South Carlton, north of Lincoln.  It was a very still day after a heavy snowfall.  There was a monochrome feel to the scene with a slight pink tinge in the sky.  

My new winter quarters painting table arrived today.  Attempted 2 new paintings but I am not happy with them.  I shall see what can be done when the paint has dried.  I do like my table though.  It has two drawers and a shelf and fits nicely in the corner of the conservatory.  

Sea Bungalow  Oils on board  6 x 6 inches  SOLD

A small sketch of a seaside bungalow at Humberston Fitties. 

 Quickly painted yesterday evening before bedtime.

I am loving my daily painting.  Getting a little better at producing something that I dare expose to the world.  My main challenge is staying loose and keeping the brush large.  This little sketch was fun to paint and although there are parts I would 'mend' I shall refrain so it keeps a spontaneous feel.  

Poppy Field   Oils on board  5 x 5 inches  £ 35

                                     Washday   Oils on board  8 x 8 inches SOLD


Towels on a line in the orchard.  

Yesterday was dedicated to decorating and painting walls.  However, I managed to finish this little sketch.  

Pumpkin Pie    Oils on board  5 x 5 inches   

 These pumpkins were nearly ripe for a pie when I visited the walled garden at Gunby Hall in Lincolnshire.  It was a warm autumn day and I liked the contrasting colours.

This week I shall be busy again with home decorating.  My easel is beckoning but I must get the walls and ceiling finished this week.

I have been working in my temporary studio for two days.  The light is excellent and the warmth is very comfortable.  The only downside is having to clear away my materials as I am using the dining table.   But the warmth wins.

I have 6 little paintings nearly finished.  I wanted them to dry before putting in the highlights later today.

I made a decision to stay out of my outdoor studio as the weather is too cold for me to paint comfortably.  It wasn't an easy decision as I like to paint alone but I have set up a studio corner in our conservatory.  This has better heating and good light so until the weather improves I can concentrate on my small paintings in the house.

I have been to town today and bought several new brushes, some gessoed boards in a variety of sizes and a folding table easel (not so space intrusive as my studio easel).    The easel will sit on a console table which has two drawers for materials.   Other purchases were two cardboard boxes with lids, and a matching folder to store reference sketches and photos. They can sit on the bottom shelf of the table.  

So...all set.   I am feeling quite pleased with myself.  Now the work can begin.

Bright and sunny with a good hoar frost.  The garden is looking wild and woolly but it has a textural quality with the frost on the seed heads and berries.

Malus 'Sentinel' fruits.


This could find itself included in one of my paintings.  Watch out for some of the shapes and colours.

I was involved in 'house-keeping' duties yesterday.  I mean in the art sense.  Printing labels for attaching to the back of my daily paintings.  Also applying a light coat of re-touch varnish to some of them.  I try not to have a shiny appearance on my work but a thin coat does give a little protection.   Some of the oil paintings already have a gloss due to the oil and any medium I may be using.  

These duties have to be done along with the office side of having a website but they take me away from my easel.  I try not to get side-tracked into management for long.  It is a comfort zone which can be distracting so back into my studio today for a little bit of painting.

'Light on the saltmarsh'  Oils on board  8 x 8 inches

This little sketch was done this morning...it came to life quite quickly and I resisted the urge to mess with it.  I shall leave it alone and share it with you.

This saltmarsh is on the Lincolnshire coastline.  At low tide there are little creeks and raised sandbanks which catch the sunlight.  The time was 3pm in August on a clear, fresh day.

Happy New Year.  

My painting year began quite well.  After 2 hours in my studio this morning I emerged with a second small 8 x 8 painting called 'After the rain'.   It was not without a struggle however, as I wasn't happy with the first attempt and wiped most of it off.  

The second try resulted in an oil sketch which gives an impression of a breezy day in the hills of Derbyshire.  The sun broke through briefly to give a startling effect of yellow green on the distant fields.  It was September and the weather was very unsettled with sudden heavy showers.

I have also posted the painting on Daily Paintworks.

After the Rain  Oils on board 8 x 8 inches

The afternoon didn't go so well.  More struggles which ended in overworking the picture.  I have wiped over the image and left it to dry overnight.  I will begin a different scene in the morning and catch up with you later.