by Clare Bowen | Nov 1, 2016 | Boats, Lake, Lake District, Landscape, Panoramic
A beautiful and still morning on Lake Windermere. It was frosty, zero degrees and very cold hands and feet, but I didn’t really notice until I finished as I really enjoyed painting this scene of soft light and pastel colours. Initially I was waiting for the...
by Clare Bowen | Oct 26, 2016 | Boats, Cliff, Harbour, Pastels, Seascape, Staithes, Sunrise
This is the last sunrise from Staithes, I have enjoyed painting at this quiet time of the day and capturing the beautiful colours which are so quick to disappear. I have been experimenting with thicker paint, and not doing an under painting to start, just doing...
by Clare Bowen | Oct 23, 2016 | Boats, Harbour, Harmonious Colours, Seascape, Sky, Staithes, Sunrise
Another windy morning but lucky with the rain and had some great fluffy clouds. I really enjoyed painting the sky, a real test of observation under limited time.I had to strap my pochard to the railings as the wind would blow it over and difficult to do any detail as...
by Clare Bowen | Oct 22, 2016 | Boats, Cliff, Harbour, Seascape, Sky, Staithes, Sunrise
Haven’t posted in a few days as I was prepping for an eight day painting trip we are now on. My husband and I are away in North Yorkshire Staithes, a small fishing village I previously visited in the summer. It’s a really inspiring place and everywhere you...
by Clare Bowen | Oct 15, 2016 | Blue, Boats, Clare painting, Palette, Pochade, Seascape
This was the final painting I did in Lyme. Absolutely loved painting the fishing boat, and emphasised it in the composition and the detail which I included. I spent 3 hours on site painting and was exhausted afterwards, a really complex subject but the sort of thing I...
by Clare Bowen | Oct 6, 2016 | Boats, Bridge, London, Palette, Water
This was the painting I started last weekend outside in London. It was a complex subject and good size painting to tackle en plein air and in the rain! See pic below.I used my ‘Best Brella’ for the first time and it was a boon! I couldn’t have...
by Clare Bowen | Sep 25, 2016 | Blue, Boats, Hampshire, Sea, Seascape, Water
This is the same subject as yesterday but I experimented with different combinations – a warmer blue, Ultramarine base. Paint thickness, putting it on in thick strokes, no medium to thin it. Letting some of the dark tone underapitnign show. This was the...
by Clare Bowen | Sep 24, 2016 | Beach, Boats, Oil Sketch, Sea, Seascape, Sky
This weekend I was planning on going to ‘Brush with the Broads’ its a plein air painting festival on the Norfolk Broads. I had to cancel as my dog is very poorly again with an eye ulcer and has gone blind ( I really hope it’s temporary) with administering...
by Clare Bowen | Sep 14, 2016 | Boats, Hampshire, Seascape, Water
I had planned the night before that I wanted to be in Bosham for sunrise I left at 5am but arrived and it was still dark, I held off setting up as I couldn’t see the view! I put my easel right next to the water as it was the best view. I thought the tide...
by Clare Bowen | Sep 6, 2016 | Boats, Fruit, Seascape, Still Life, Studio
As I said in the previous blog I entered some paintings into the Royal Institute of Oil Painters at the Mall Galleries London. I have managed to get the above 2 through the first round, sooooo pleased and feel like I’m on the right track with my work.All things...
by Clare Bowen | Sep 4, 2016 | Boats, Landscape, Surrey, Water
I’ve had a few days break form painting. But still really busy lesson planning for start of teaching next week, we are doing some landscape painting which will be fun to teach. Also framing work ready for 3 exhibitions coming up. One locally with Haslemere Art...
by Clare Bowen | Aug 27, 2016 | Blue, Boats, Emsworth, Landscape, Seascape
I wanted to get back into painting after our trip as soon as I could, as it would be easy to not get back into the swing of it. I was wondering along looking for subject matter and this boat was next to Slipper Mill Pond in Emsworth. I like the shape of the boat...
by Clare Bowen | Aug 5, 2016 | Boats, Hampshire, Landscape, Seascape, View, Water
These huts look simple but are deceptively tricky to paint, it was a struggle painting with lots of wiping off and angst! It’s the biggest board I’ve worked on to date. I wanted a long thin one, but my order for them hasn’t arrived yet. I like the line of huts but...
by Clare Bowen | Aug 2, 2016 | 10x8", Boats, Hampshire, Landscape, Seascape, Sky, Turquoise, View, Water
I was so lucky with the weather and light. The colours were gorgeous, and I loved the contrasted sandy spit with the deep turquoise blue sea behind. I used fast thinly painted strokes to cover the board quickly, then go in with thicker paint over the...
by Clare Bowen | Jul 30, 2016 | Boats, Emsworth, Landscape, Seascape, Trees, View, Water
The sun was sparkling on the water, directly behind this red boat. I quickly set up and by the time I sketched it out with my brush the sun had moved and it was no longer behind the boat! I carried on anyway and got the main shapes in especially the water....