#349 ‘Peonies in a Ceramic Jug’ 12×12″
Peonies by Mary Oliver “This morning the green fists of the peoniesare getting readyto break my heartas the sun rises,as the sun strokes them with his old,buttery fingersand they open -pools of lace,white and pink - and all day the black ants climb over...
#348 ‘Evening Light, The South Downs’ 11×14″
Late summer evenings are wonderful to paint, I tent not to make them very often because I'm too keen to paint first thing and I'm usually tired by the evening, but I geared myself up for this one and went for it! I loved the shadows on the white chalk path. they...
#347 ‘Box Hill Surrey’ 12×16″
I was feeling confident from my previous large scale peonies painting so decided to go large on this one as well. I wouldn't usually on a new subject but was egged on by Sarah Manolescue who also went big.We struggled a little with noise pollution - young people with...
#346 ‘Peonies & Stocks’ 24×24″
This is a whopper for me - two foot by two foot! I enjoyed it and surprised myself that I could do it and it turned out nicely :-)I did start on a a 11x14" but it still felt crampt so I routelled around in my cupboard and found this canvas, I thought why not...
#345 ‘Chicken House’ 10×10″ & NEAC
Back in our friends garden, I didn't plan to paint this but thought is had a charm. I made a quick 'Notan' sketch before - which is a Japanese name for light and dark design:This allowed me to see that most of the painting was mid and dark tones with a few pops of...
#344 ‘Daisies & Sweet Williams’ 12×12″ & Open Studio!
I am enjoying these still life paintings as you can experiment so much with colour & harmonies, composition, subject...I tried with no hard line background this time, bigger in size and reflected vase on the table.I can't write so much today as just preparing for...
#343 ‘The River Wey, Tilford’ 24x30cm
It was a toss up between Waggoners Wells and Tilford Green. I was painting with Sarah Manolescue when we got to Tilford there was bridge works happening and it wasn't obvious what to paint. We walked around thinking we should maybe try Waggoners, but often the grass...
#342 ‘Daisies’ 9×10″
Painted yesterday during our Open Studios. A busy day with 21 people coming to visit, I've sold 12 paintings to date - got plenty more!! But exciting to have sales and lovely feed back!This year there are many wild daisies, great blankets of them, they look lovely and...
#341 ‘Afternoon Light, Albert Bridge’ 6×12″
The sun was from behind and directly lighting the bridge, not easy to paint as it's more about colour less tonal than I have been working, but a good challenge! This was the final painting of the day with my 1:1 student Christopher Mike. I wanted the bridge to...
#340 ‘Boats by Albert Bridge’ 10×12″
A one to one plein air teaching day with Christopher Michael, choose Albert Bridge area and we were lucky with lots of sunshine!I helped Christopher with the practicalities of working outside, equipment, layout of paint and using a viewfinder and then tonal values and...
#339 ‘White Peonies’ 11×14″
I saw these lovely white peonies in the supermarket, a sweet scent and blousie look. I managed to paint them while our Open Studio was on last weekend. Quite a challenge to get the tones and colours right. The tonal scale in the flower is so small e.g. Light...
#338 ‘Peonies’ 12×12″ & Open Studio Video
Painted with haste and gusto! The background a blue black to set of the light pink flowers peonies which are so fun to paint, quite addictive! (There will be more 🙂 I think they are a good subject because of the globe shape so you get great light and dark...
#337 ‘Dune’ 12×16″ & Surrey Open Studios!
My first attempt at a portrait!! I haven't even tried to paint one in my studio, just felt quite scary and uncertain, so went on a ROI painting day at The Mall Galleries to make me do it! I decided to act as if.... pretend I felt confident even though I didn't...
#336 ‘Purple Iris’ 10×10″ & Tonal Value Tip
Painting these flowers in a friends garden was a fine way to spend a bank holiday Monday! When I began this painting I had no idea whether it would work as I wasn't sure how to tackle it. This is how I started, by blocking the two main greens. The tricky...
#335 ‘The South Downs’ 30x50cm
I went back to the same area as last weeks painting. I wanted to do it again and really study the tonal values and colours. I am pleased with how it turned out.I will be using this painting for an article I am writing to go into The Artist Magazine. The title of the...
#334 ‘Pink Peonies’ 10×12″
I have wanted to paint peonies for a while, last year they felt too scary to tackle! So I decided to go for it! I painted outside in natural light, there was no sunshine but it didn't matter. I placed a purple piece of paper under the flowers and decided the green...
#333 ‘Morning Meadow’ 8×10″
We looked out the window and saw gorgeous morning light so dashed down to the end of the garden. My husband hopped over into the field and being a photographer lapped it up. But the camera wasn't enough for me so I grabbed my plein air gear out of the studio and...
#332 ‘Trundle Path’ 8×10″
Second painting of the day on the 1:1 plein air day last week. As you can see it was overcast but still pleasing to paint - the greens, shapes and path... It was a quick study getting the essence fo the place.I'm using more earth colours - Burnt Sienna and Yellow...
#331 ‘Early Summer, The South Downs’ 9×19″
I held a 1:1 plein air painting day with an artist called Rosie Copeland. Typical it was a windy grey day but actually was easier as it was stable light, so we weren't chasing shadows or squinting into the sun.We covered a lot of ground from boards, gesso, equipment,...
#330 ‘Sunrise, Bosham Hoe’ 30x40cm
A quick sunrise painting of Bosham on a largish canvas. Getting the essence of the scene, brush marks still visible, did this in a hour. It was a beautiful morning, so still and glass like refections.Tricky to paint as there was an ethereal quality to it, sort of...
#329 ‘May Day, Richmond Bridge’ 8×19″
The sun was shining and the masses were out! Absolutely heaving for bodies - I painted the people before it got to busy.It's a bigger scene than I'd usually tackle so I'm pleased it worked out, I was about 15 minutes through when people started gathering...
#328 ‘Bosham Quay’ 9×12″
I haven't painted in while because my lovely Mum in Law died last week, it wasn't expected and very sad.I am now back to work and this weather has been glorious for plein air allbeit a little hot!I timed it just right for this contra jour - sparkle on water - tonal...
#327 ‘Slipper Mill Pond’ 8×10″
I drove past this scene and thought it looked good but still went to 3 other places first thinking I could find better! I had seen this subject in the winter and thought it had promise, but its even better now with the spring foliage. Getting a good...
#326 ‘Footbridge to Eel Pie Island’ 9×12″
An early start up to Twickenham on Friday morning. I wanting to make the most of this glorious weather, although standing in full sun was quite hard work! I painted at Twickenham last July with the Wapping Group it was my first time with them as I was...
#325 ‘Daffodils & Narcissi’ 8×14″
On Thursday this week I was part of a demo evening with Haslemere Art Society. There were 3 artists including me showing how we work, our process from start to finish.I decided to paint something from life as I find it more inspiring than a photo. I was a bit worried...
#324 ‘Spring at Richmond Bridge’ 9×12″
I have been visiting my sister in South Africa a hard decision not to take my paints but lovely to have family time and a break. So I'm fresh and ready to go and what a day to start back...Painted this yesterday in glorious spring weather. So warm it felt like...
New English Art Club 2018
'Silver Birch in Snow' 8x10"I have just found out that this painting has been selected for the New English Art Club annual exhibition. I am so pleased as it's a really competitive show to get into and this is the first time I have done it!! The...
#323 ‘Sunrise over Albert Bridge’ 11×14″
I saw this scene last week on the Thames, it was quite magical! But I couldn't paint in plein air as the sun was too bright off the water - I couldn't see the subject!I did start a painting see below but when I went to work on it in the studio realised I was...
#322 ‘Mixed Daffs’ 8×8″
I wanted another bash at these flowers with a lighter background and in a glass vase. I choose this green as I thought it looked a bit like grass colour! Wishing you all a Happy Easter and heres to more spring like weather 🙂
#321 ‘Early Morning, Chelsea Bridge’ 8×10″ & The Artist Mind
An artist mind and attitude has so much to do with painting as their body! It can really get in the way sometimes. On Thursday I went to London I had prepped a lot the night before to make me feel ready and have some sort of plan. The last time I went to London I...
#320 ‘Spring Daffs’ 8×8″
Quite fun to choose the colour combinations when you do a still life. I have lots of coloured paper that I try behind my subject to see what works. This dark blue-green paper made the daffodils really pop and also I liked it that it was close in tone and colour to the...
#319 ‘Early Morning on Bramshott Common’ 10×12″
I decided this was going to be a more tonal painting less colour more about tonal shapes and brush marks. Leaving some of the board colour showing gives a sense of unity. The foreground trees are on the golden line - where it's the most pleasing to the eye - about a...
Plein Air Workshop May 2018
Just two places left on this workshop I will be running May 19th in Hampshire. It will be structured teaching and include a handout, short demo, lots of one to one help and plenty of painting! Contact me if you are interested. Clare
#318 ‘Snow Shadows’ 9×10″
On the last day of snow the sun came out, I wanted to find shadows and light to paint. I loved these colours. The sun was behind me and close to the tree line, I didn't know how long I had to paint the bit I liked! Usually I would have started on the structure first -...
#317 ‘Spring Snow at the Devils Punch Bowl’ 8×19.5″
On the first day of snow I tackled this scene in a panoramic format. I went back yesterday - the last day of snow and did it again. This time a lot bigger as I found the small board crampt for the scene, see below:6x15" initial oil studyThe light & shadows...
#315 ‘ Homefield in Snow’ 8×14″
Such a wonderful find! A new painting in snow place, looked on the map before leaving and choose this area because of the farm. The church and big tree was a bonus. When I arrive there was an amazing stampede of cows running towards me as I entered the field next...
#316 ‘Tracks Through the Snow 10×12″
I went back to the same area as the previous painting the following morning - you can see the church in the distance, I'm stood further away. I loved the tracks and countryside feel.Enjoyed the colours of the bushes on the right side and the strong fence line. I try...
#314 ‘Low Tide Crossing, Bosham’ 8×14″ & When to Scrap a Painting!
My husband Nick and I went down to Emsworth - Hampshire/West Sussex coast line to paint and photo for a long weekend. This was my first painting from it.It was a struggle painting and I nearly ditched it 3/4 of the way through. I didn't think it was working and...
#313 ‘Snowdrops in Ceramic Jug’ 8×8″ & Viewfinders
Last of the spring flowers for now especially with the snow falling outside! These little snowdrops were still good after the previous day painting. I didn't want to repeat the painting so changed from glass to a jug. I use a viewfinder for just about all my...
#312 ‘Snowdrops’ 8×8″
Carrying on with the spring flowers theme this week. I chose a dark background to show them up. It needed to be darker than the darkest tone of the white petals as I didn't want them disappearing too much. The little glass vase seamed to mimic their...
#311 ‘First Spring Dafodils’ 8×8″
I have spent the past 3 days painting in my studio instead of en plein air, a change mainly because it was raining in the beginning of the week and I fancied painting some spring flowers.....I was given this posy by mother in law for Mothers day. I liked the natural...
#310 ‘Winter Covers, Bosham Quay’ 10×12″
Yesterday was blowing a gale in Bosham Harbour but it was a bright wintery day and of course the best spot to paint was at the windiest point!I like the bright blue covers of the yachts and the old barn style building - the sailing club. A challenge to make...
#309 ‘Meon Valley’ 9×10″
First visit to paint in the Meon Valley with the Isle of Wight in the distance, a lovely area and will do lots more here.Surprisingly cold with still some snow on the ground, I was drawn to the rounded shapes of the hills overlapping and skeleton tree shapes of...
#308 ‘Sunset over The South Downs’ 10×12″
A painting I'd started just as the snowy weather arrived. It was so bitter exposed on the top of the South Downs, but a stunning sunset. I had been painting another but stopped and started this one, which turned out better as the colours are stronger and I honed in to...
#307 ‘Hammer Vale in Winter’ 8×10″
I started this when it was a blizzard, the ice crystals landing on my board and palette congealing into little snow balls! I struggled on but the conditions weren't conducive to say the least! I went back the next morning and decided to start...
#306 ‘Snow falling on Bramshott Common’ 10×10″
I started this by at 8am because I knew the heavy snowfall was due. I have painted this scene before back in 2016 when there was a light dusting and the path still visible. The shape of the foreground tree I emphasised with light and dark contrasts, as I liked...
#305 ‘Gateway to Bramshott Common’ 10×10″
It's been a while since I posted, returning from Devon I painted 3 or 4 that I either haven't finished or don't like! And now the past couple of days I've done 3 snow paintings here's the first.....Painted this morning I've been waiting eagerly for the snow!! and it's...
#304 ‘Afternoon Light, Woolacombe Beach’ 8×14″
The last painting of our Devon trip....Nipped home for lunch and came straight back as we knew the light was going - rain due. I didn't know what I would paint which often happens, you just have to see when you get there what looks good and inspires.This was it,...
#303 ‘Woolacombe Beach’ 8×14″
Quite often when I'm painting I would look around the in the other direction and there is another painting to be had! I saw this sky when was I painting the previous post - 'Morning Shadows, Barricane Beach'.Some paintings are real struggle but this one did...
#302 ‘Looking down on Barricane Beach’ 10×12″
Had a great day today, 3 paintings and lovely weather! This was my first, a challenge to say the least. The rocks were hard, to get the tonal differences right and working with the rest of the painting. The sand shadow may still need work, it started off a bit...
My plein air experiences, insights, battles and painting life blogged as often as I can.
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