Sunny day.

August  Oils on board  8 x 8 inches

Bright and cheerful day at the coast.

Studio Musings...

A small study painted this week which has found a new home.

I am always happy when a buyer comes along and this little piece hasn't gathered any dust.

August in a simple frame

In the mood.

Mood   Oils on gessoed watercolour paper  9 x 11 inches 

Weather over land and sea.

Studio Musings...

A second piece on watercolour paper.

Twice gessoed again to give the paper strength.

This piece has been through several changes along the way.

Rubbed down, turned around, back again, and so on...

I was beginning to think it was a waste of time and paint.

Not wanting to be beaten I gave it another shot. This time I wasn't so gentle.

  Adding more paint I pushed the oils around.

 Making marks and leaving them alone. No fussing.

I now have the effect I was after...moody weather.

Let there be light.

Light Touch  Oils on gessoed watercolour paper  9 x 11 inches 

Early light over a frosty water meadow.

Studio Musings...

Watercolour paper is a lovely ground for oil studies.

Twice gessoed front and back, the paper becomes stronger.

It can withstand my scrubbing and rubbing very well.

Dimples on the paper add an attractive addition to the work.

When I rub or scrape back, some of the paint remains.

The finished piece may also be framed without glass when it has been varnished.

This little study was a work in progress.

 After leaving it for a few days I think I like it. 

 No need to add more.  Keep it simple Anne.

Having sun.

Sun and shade...

My painting about sun on the sandbanks is highlighted

by this morning's sun and shadow through the window.

Studio Musings...

This oil painting is now in a traditional style frame.

After trying a few options, posting images on Facebook and Instagram

I received several comments from viewers about their preferences.

It was very interesting and made me realise how subjective this is.

Some liked off-white, others a darker colour and some liked this gold one.

It really doesn't matter too much.

My paintings can easily be re-fitted into any frame to suit the owner.

My frames are custom made by Graham Perkins,

www.forgearts.co.uk/aboutus.htm

Coming up in September...

I have three paintings selected for an exhibition in the Usher Gallery, Lincoln.

Dates and other details to follow...

In the frame.

Estuary  Oils on board  8 x 16 inches

A wide view in a traditional style frame.

Studio Musings...

I have been hand-finishing some frames this week.

As a change from using off-white I decided to have some gold effect frames made.

The freshly made frames are quite bright so I have been

 trying  different ways to 'tone them down' a little. 

Glazes of oils using the same hues as the painting have been applied to the frame.

Then I rubbed most of it off leaving a thin layer to dull the shine.

The outer ridged part of the frame was re-coated in a pale green/grey.

I shall leave it now.  It has a softer look and allows the painting to relax.

My frames are custom made by Graham Perkins

at Forge Arts, Hackthorn, nr. Lincoln

www.forgearts.co.uk/aboutus.htm

On the easel...

Day   Oils on canvas board  12 x 10 inches

Work in progress

Studio Musings...

This painting has been a very challenging piece.

Several times I rubbed oil off and began again.

Then suddenly the work came together.

I think I can salvage it.

Here is the finished piece resting in a frame.

I lightened the sky at the horizon

but left the foreground alone.

Glorious mud.

Lush   Oils on board  

Mud all around.

Studio Musings...

Mud has a wonderful range of colours.

This abstracted study was an exciting piece to work with.

Actually, it was a complete pain.

Several times it was abandoned and scraped back.

It went from landscape to sea.

In the end, my way out was laying on more paint.

Suddenly, the painting came to life.

Framed.

Weather over the shore   Oils on canvas board  10 x 12 inches

This seascape has an experimental frame.

Studio Musings...

I had a cream frame to fit this painting but wanted to do something different.

I painted three coats of oils on the outside...

black, burnt umber and some permanent rose.

When it was nearly dry I rubbed it down with soft paper towels.

The inner slip was painted light grey,green,blue.

Then I rubbed most of this off. It revealed a worn, cream appearance.

The effect was quite surprising. It has a weathered look 

I think it fits in quite well with the beach scene.

I might try it again.

Sun on mud.

Shore   Oils on canvas board  5 x 7 inches

Grey and luscious mud in the sun.

Studio Musings...

I love painting seascapes.

There is something intriguing about mud and water.

No particular place,

just a memory of sights already seen.

Quietly.

Relaxing  Oils on canvas board  7 x 5 inches

This landscape is gently resting in the warm sun.

Studio Musings...

Some paintings have a personality.

I have a feeling this one is calm and quietly relaxed.

Just a few shapes and forms in soft colours.

A second look.

First Light   Oils on board  7 x 5 inches

New day on the marshes

Studio Musings...

The fourth study in this re-working session.

When I get 'in the flow' I stick with it and see how many pieces I can work.

My world becomes very small when I paint...just me and my easel.

Totally absorbed I can work for hours if nothing disturbs me.

This painting has had changes to the sky.  I added pale blue

leaving a rough white strip on the horizon to depict light.

A brighter blue was pulled down the right side to give an impression

 of water but I decided to leave the remaining shore as it was.

I like the colours and shapes.  They add interest.

Peaceful.

Deserted bay   Oils on canvas board  5 x 7 inches

Peace and quiet on this beach.

Studio Musings...

A third re-work. Not a lot of changes. 

 The horizon wasn't touched.  I added more paint to the beach

and placed a few highlights here and there.

For starters.

Bright new day   Oils on canvas board  5 x 7 inches

Early morning walk.

Studio Musings...

Another small practice study.

This was re-worked over an existing painting.

I often do this.

  Taking an old painting and turning it into a new piece is fun.

Just letting it evolve into another yet retaining parts of the original.

Quick studies.

All of a sudden   Oils on canvas board  5 x 7 inches  

Light on standing pools at low tide.

Studio Musings...

Making quick studies is good practice for future work.

Painting fast and loose prevents too much thinking.

Thinking can be a hindrance and lead to tightening up.

I am not a 'tight' painter.  I like my work to be gestural and free.

Leftovers.

Soft grey day   Oils on gessoed watercolour paper  

The soft, muted light on a grey day at the coast.

Studio Musings...

This painting was made over a few days.

The sheet of gessoed watercolour paper had been handy for wiping

 excess paint from my brush as I worked on another painting.

This afternoon I thought about turning this smudgy mess into a piece of art.

There was enough paint left on my palette so I scrubbed a few marks over

the 'underpainting'.  It soon began to resemble a seascape.

Here it is...nowhere in particular.

Just a soft, grey day.

On the easel.

Work in progress.  

Oils on canvas board  12 x 10 inches

Studio Musings...

This painting is being very difficult.  It has a mind of its own.

Several times I thought everything was going well but the breakthrough didn't come.

It was rubbed off, turned around and generally re-worked.

Things began to improve when I added more paint and just made marks.

I have left it to dry and will review the situation later.

Impressions.

Glow   Oils on board  8 x 8 inches

An impression of flower meadows.

Studio Musings...

This rather late posting is a little study made this evening.

Just an imaginary scene...painted on a scrap piece of board.

I am getting low on oils and need to order a fresh batch.

Just three colours and white are on my palette.

Ultramarine, Winsor yellow deep and Permanent Rose.

The oils were pushed around with a large brush.

I wanted a loose, abstracted feeling.

Little studies.

Rough Track   Oils on mount board  7 x 7 inches

A Lincolnshire field

Studio Musings...

I like playing with oils on scraps of board.

This is a 20 minute study at bedtime.

It just fits in this painted wood frame.

Way out.

Marsh Light   Oils on box canvas  16 x 16 inches  

The tide is out...way out.

Light spreads across the shore and on shallow pools of sea water.

Studio Musings...

I painted this in two stages.

The first session was to map out the theme of the work.

I left it to dry and put it aside.

Several weeks later and a few rub downs,

paint applied and removed... it is finished.

I like the textured effect and feeling of paddling through pools.

Resting.

Later in the Day   Oils on board  8 x 16 inches

Snow...softly relaxing at the end of day.

Studio Musings...

Abstracting is a favourite occupation.

Just enough detail to give an impression.

A sense of place is my aim.

Saltmarsh.

Outlook   Oils on board  12 x 10 inches

The tide is far out.  Saltmarsh on a clear day.

Studio Musings...

Here is the final painting of this series.

I have decided to include this in three submissions for a forthcoming show.

It has been difficult to choose which ones to send.

I wanted them to look right together.

Now I shall see if any are selected.

Here are the other two...

Interlude  Oils on canvas board  10 x 12 inches

Sunlight streaks across the shore.

Calm  Oils on canvas board  20 x 16 inches

Looking up the shore to the sandbank.

Third time.

New work 3

Oils on canvas board  10 x 12 inches

Tide is out and light spills over the shore on this bright day.

Studio Musings...

Creeks and pools pick up light and act like mirrors.

The third painting for submitting to the selection team.

I enjoy making a series of paintings.

They give a sense of cohesion and will be framed in traditional gold.