#493 Venice 8
Monets spot - a place where Monet produced some beautiful paintings and in present day where the bin boat moors and rubbish men assemble! I find it such a tricky subject as it's busy and tough to get all the elements working. Simpler when its contra jour and...
#492 Venice 7
Bascilica, St Marks Square 10x12" Third attempt at this beautiful building, each year I have a go at it and don't like the result but this time I'm happy! I took a slice instead of painting the whole thing and simplified the shapes. Keeping the colour limited as well.
#491 Venice 5 & 6
A resisted spot from last year, only room for two to paint there as its on the vaperetto stop. I like it because it's closer than the painting I posted before which was done from the Arsenele. There's always lots of boat and gondola activity, and the afternoon...
#490 Venice 4
Who can beat sparkles? Low sun over the Maria Della Salute, Grand Canal. You can only glance up through squinted eyes as it's so bright coming off the water. The challenge is to get the sparkles looking lighter and brighter in tone than everything else. The Salute is...
#489 Venice 3
Revisited this subject 4th time now, this is on a 11x14" board. Went in closer to the arches, solid shapes and curves. Subdued light but enough to reflect onto the ground.
#488 Venice 2
Posted in order of finishing not necessarily in chronological order! This is probably my 20th or so painting of this view from Accademia Bridge. But I haven't painted it like this before - its always different - size/shape of board, weather, time of day... Painted at...
#487 Venice 1
My first paint in Venice, blessed with sunshine and water sparkles! Enjoying the company of artist friends Sally Balick and Emma Perring who are staying with me on the first week of this 3 week trip. Felt a bit nervous being back, higher expectations than last year on...
Painting Equipment for Venice
Painting EQUIPMENT Post! I thought you may like to see what I’m taking to Venice ???????? we are there for 3 weeks of painting with my husband taking photos. So excited to be going again, it’s a special place I find very inspiring. We are travelling there &...
#485 ‘Brezetta’
Painting in Haslemere High Street, on the green with the busy traffic slowing down to see what we were doing! It was to publicise our yearly exhibition. I painted a model for the first time and really enjoyed it! Especially being outside with the sunshine lighting the...
#484 Lifeboat Station, Mersea Island
This was the first painting I did with Graham in Essex, I choose a low horizon line to emphasis the dramatic windy sky. I drew and re drew the Coastguard building in different areas on the board and also different sizes. It was the first time there and it takes a...
#483 Boats at Mersea Island
I spent the day in Essex with a painter I admire called Graham Webber. We painted side by side and it was a real treat! I loved watching him work and chatting art all day 🙂 Sometimes it feels very solitary as a painter but when these sort of days happen it feeds...
#482 Worcestershire Hills
We were recently staying with friends in the countryside near Kidderminster. I've not been before and I loved the patchwork of hills and sheep grazing in the foreground. I drew the scene and took photos so I was able to produce this painting in the studio. I choose...
#481 ‘Trundle’
There are many factors that make plein air painting a challenge. This time it was the wind! Being very exposed on top of the Downs the wind was whisking up the hill into my face. It buffets my arm when I place the paint on the board, and I have to hold onto the easel...
#480 Sunflower and Buttercups & Daily Painting
I had an hour to spare in between commitments. It would have been easy to think - I don't have enough time to paint. But it made me focus and work quickly and with intent, no procrastinating! It's come out and fresh and lively. I committed to a year of 'Daily...
#478 Sunflowers in Glass Jug
I fancied another go at these lovely blooms! Using a sky colour as a background - Kings Blue Deep and Cerulean mixed together. On a bigger canvas - 16x17"
#479 ‘Bosham Creek & Artist’s Life En Plein Air
The trial and tribulations of plein air...I stopped 5 times to find a suitable place and subject to paint, I but came home with no painting! (I actually went back the next day and did the above painting.) To give you an idea of what sometimes happens when I am...
#477 ‘Boats at Dell Quay’
I taught 4 very friendly plein air painters last week. Typical that it was the hottest day of the year almost ever in our part of the world - over 38 degrees and humid. Tough conditions to paint and for me to teach. The morning session I helped them all get settled...
#476 The North Downs
I taught a 1:1 plein air teaching day with Chris, this was the view near his house. We enhanced what was there - I liked the wheat field so made bigger and the feature. Also when the sun came out I put the foreground shadow in. I walked a little left to see the hills...
#475 Sunflowers
An apt flower with all this sunshine and heat! I seem to paint flowers better when they are in the garden instead of inside my studio with sunshine falling on them. Chunking together petal shapes not painting individuals. Cadmium Yellow Deep a useful colour for this...
#474 ‘View from Tilford Bridge’
I painted this subject this time last year in Surrey. I like going back to a place and painting it again as the knowledge and experience from the first time is there and helps inform the next go. (in theory!) I liked the willow trees and their reflections in the...
#473 West Wittering
A commission. I don't do many, as I tend not to advertise, but I'm willing to do them if people ask. This one was for a ladies 50th her siblings got together to buy it for her as a surprise. Sadly they didn't give me much time so had to go when it wasn't sunny! This...
#472 The Four Sisters, Morston
Taken from a quick tonal sketch made on a morning in North Norfolk before these 4 boats were taken out. They are a seal watching company and while we were there the boats were packed full of expectant watchers. This painting was the only one in Norfolk I did where...
#471 Mortson Quay
I timed the paint to be in-between tides, but the water rushed in so quickly I painted the edges of the banks first so I had a pleasing shape before it disappeared. (see picture below for how the water looked when I finished) Contra jour light, around 8am. I used a...
#470 ‘Sunday Sailing, Morston’
Quite tricky to find a composition that worked with lots of comings and goings of boats and people because it was a sunny Sunday morning. I was there with the ROI (Royal Institute of Oil painters) and the IEA (institute of East Anglian painters.) A painting day with...
#469 ‘Wells Next the Sea, Norfolk’
There are many ups and downs of being an artist and I was feeling a bit self doubting. We had arrived in North Norfolk the previous night and I was keen to explore this area which I've not visited before. It was raining and grey I could see there was lots of subject...
#468 Pink Peonies
I wanted to get the colours as vibrant a possible so kept mixing until they we’re bright enough - I used Magenta to help with the intensity. Peonies are such happy flowers!! ????
#467 Morning Light, Langstone
7am in the summer time and the sun is already quite high but there is some warm interesting light. Driving down to the coast I thought I'd check out Langstone first before I went further along the coast towards Bosham. But this scene grabbed me and I could envisage...
#466 Blue Canal Boat
Not a subject I would have gone out to paint but a friend asked me to help her with plein air painting. When I first started painting outside I would choose a single object like this boat as it was similar to a still life - light a dark on a single element. So she...
#465 Daisies & Grasses
I wanted a light an airy feel, difficult with light flowers and a fairly light background. Contrasted dark grasses helps with the tonal composition.
#464 Cow Study
A quick sketch, I saw them all through the window of my studio I was painting something else at the time but couldn't resist them. So I crept out not wanting to disturb them - they are so curious and friendly. Managed about 15 minutes before they all got up to come...
#463 Towards Chelsea Bridge
Working on a larger scale again out en plein air. Was lucky with the sun coming out so provide sparkles on the water and great silhouetted shapes. My sort of subject! I wanted to paint as much as possible outside -because it takes me out of my comfort, pushing to make...
#462 Early Summer, The River Wey
Clambering over dewy wet grass some of it as tall as me in search of an inspiring composition and scene....Morning light with the greens so bright plus the gate and reflections, worth a paint! A canvas bigger than usual 35x45cm as I want to challenge myself which I do...
#461 Daisies & Peonies
I have rather neglected the blog recently having returned from London and my solo exhibition to distributing sold paintings and sorting out framing for people plus getting ready and taking part in the Open Studios its all go! So here is a combined post of two recent...
#460 Langstone Harbour Reflections
A familiar area to me (because I used to live around here and Ive painted here many times), looking slightly more east than usual though, I liked the contour of the South Downs on the horizon. Plein air is not easy! When I arrived it the clouds fluffy and reflected in...
#459 Garden Peonies & Open Studios
I painted these in my father in laws garden, I worked on getting the greens to work with the dark pink - complimentary colours and quite similar in tone, pleased with the outcome! It's been a busy week trying to fit some painting in and preparing for the Surrey Open...
Solo Exhibition London 2019
The last few weeks have felt a whirl wind and I'm finally able to do a blog post about my solo exhibition! My husband Nick and I drove up on the Sunday unloaded a whole van full of stuff and started to unwrap the paintings. Monday spent all day hanging the show. The...
#458 Walk Through The Bluebells & Solo Show Invite!
Its been hard to stay on top of the blog during this incredibly busy time before my solo exhibition - which starts a week yesterday!! More about that at the end of this post. Painting in the bluebells with a stunning carpet of bluey-purple flowers a heady scent, &...
‘Sunrise, Langstone Harbour’
Some paintings just paint themselves, and this was one of them! Gorgeous colours and light, making the most of the recent good weather. I set up usually an hour before the sun is due to rise as it gives me time to mix colours and do a small quick study of light, helps...
#456 ‘Dawn, Tower Bridge’
Painted on the same day as the previous Tower Bridge I posted, just a little later in the morning about 7am. I finished it in the studio as it was a bitter morning -1 degree! Seems a distant memory now with the lovely sunshine we are having. The cloud was actually...
#455 Evening Light, Hammersmith Bridge
I have been working hard on all the elements required to put on an exhibition in London. Only 4 weeks to go now and I'm counting down... If you are interested in my paintings and want to see a taster of the show I have uploaded some of the paintings on my website...
#454 ‘Lights on Tower Bridge’ 6×12″
Up crazily early 3.45am to get to London to capture the the illuminations before they were turned off! And the deep ‘blue hour’. It's surprising how quickly it changed from this to daylight see pic below - about 20 mins! I do enjoy the race against time and putting...
#453 ‘Frosty Meadow, The River Wey’ 10×12″
A really chilly start it was -1 and frosty grass with a contrasting beautiful glowing sunrise. A new painting find for our local area, I like the open meadows, windy river and the sheep were a bonus. Will go back in Spring...
#452 Sunset Walk, Chelsea Embankment
Beautiful light and pastels colours! I wasn't going to include the left side of the embankment thinking it was to contrasted but I think it helps the composition and really shows off the light colours. Plus the romantic stroll aspect has a good feel.
#451 Admiralty Arch, London 10×12″
It’s funny how you can love a painting you’ve done one moment & hate it the next. I started this last year en plein air & abandoned it in disgust when I got home. Saw it again recently & thought that’s worth working on! & now I’m happy with the result....
#450 Snowdrops x 2 8×8″
I have decided to move my blog to my website to encourage visitors onto it, help search engines find me and to look more professional. I think the new blog looks better than the google blogspot version - I hope you agree! All 450+ posts and comments are on...
#449 ‘View from Battersea Bridge’ 30x40cm
I have painted this bridge many times - easy to get hooked onto such a great subject! Plus it helps to really get familiar with something painting it over and over like Monet did. Recent paintings: Morning, midday, golden hour, twilight, and this one at 2pm. Also...
#448 ‘Twilight, Albert Bridge’ 30x40cm
Started en plein air. When the sun goes down the colours intensify! I might come back to this one and lighten the bridge a little more. A contrasted painting with very lights and very dark darks, so I had to lighten the darks and darken the lights so they weren't so...
#447 ‘Golden Hour, Albert Bridge’ 30x40cm
No wind, beautiful light and cloudless sky. Such a great combo, with the silhouetted shape of the old Victorian Bridge (built in 1873.) I maped out all the dark structural areas first, not much detail just main shapes and then the lighter sky. Tricky when it changed...
#446 ‘Midday Light, Albert Bridge’ 30x40cm
The end of last week was so sunny and warm, feels like spring is coming (already!) But I wouldn't say no to another snow day to paint 🙂 Painted on a very textured canvas - one I was given as a prize from the Royal Talens Company. I hope it adds to the impressionist...
#445 ‘First Light Venice’ 40x50cm
One for my exhibition, an idea taken from a small 8x10 plein air did in Venice September last year. I loved the building on the right with the light shining on it. I took a risk with the wooden poles, quite dominant structures but it gives depth and a sense of place....
My plein air experiences, insights, battles and painting life blogged as often as I can.