More Paintings for the Burford Gallery

I took advantage of any sunshine we had this month and have managed to complete six paintings done at the allotments, some took more than one trip and some were finished in the studio, just the finishing touches really. I tend to put them up and live with them for a couple of days and if I notice something doesn't look right, I adjust it. Having said that, there is always the risk of tinkering with it too much, then all that immediacy is lost, so I take care not to do much after the painting session.

Varnishing on the kitchen table

These are my latest six, all 10 x 12 inches, landscape format (although the photo suggests otherwise) which just goes to prove that photos do lie!

They are all framed and I delivered them to the Burford Gallery this afternoon, they went straight on the wall as ALL of my winter paintings had sold which is fabulous. 

Although I would love to paint all the time, alas, life is not like that, I have workshops to plan, articles to write and I really must catch up on all sorts of things, so if you are thinking how 'it must be wonderful to be an Artist and paint all the time'…. I doubt if there are any who manage that! What ever time you have to paint, grasp it and enjoy it.

Writing for Leisure Painter magazine this week

After some wonderful feedback from various Art Societies and groups about the simple way in which I demonstrate flower painting, I thought it might be nice to share these ideas with readers of the Leisure Painter magazine, so I am currently working on a series of three articles to be published in June, July and August this year. If you don't have a subscription, do look out for these publications.

I cant reveal exactly what they will be about, that would spoil the surprise, but I have had such fun this week using wet in wet techniques and sumptuous colours.

That's the beauty of painting, you can do it indoors or out, so when I don't want to paint outside in the wet weather, I paint in  my studio. 

For those of you interested in workshops later this year, I plan to offer a 'loose flowers' day which will include similar techniques to those used in this image, I cant wait to start planning them in March!

Sunshine....I'm off to paint!

The calm before the storm, bad weather is forecast so when I saw the sunshine this morning I took my opportunity to go back to the allotments and complete the painting I began a few days ago.
This can be risky, you need to go back at the same time of day and who is to say things haven't changed? Especially on an allotment! It seems to look different every time I go, buckets moved, plastic sheeting put up, lovely coloured plastic bottles have appeared this time (but that must be another painting)

So working on my tonal base, I begin by adding the brightest colours I see, this is going to change, especially as the light changes but I need to establish these now.

This may not look too different, but I was aware that I needed to take photos and once I start painting it can sometimes be hard to remember to stop and take them. 
The lights go in next, the sky and anywhere the light hits, incase the sun goes in (which it will)

Now I start to work on the background area, focussing on the canopy of branches and twigs. This is when I need to stop myself from over doing things.... time just flies by when you start to add twigs!
Next its blocking in the mid ground.

The sunlight is quite bright on the right and its filtering through the trees, so I want to get that diffused light, those sumptuous mauves. In go the branches and twigs as well as more darks, warms and background bits.

Now I got a bit carried away at this point and concentration was total, so I forgot to take any more stages. Each time I stop I have to put the painting on the ground to take a photo because the easel gets in the way. It breaks up my concentration so I am afraid before I know it, Ive finished.

So this is the finished painting, you can see how the shadows have changed from the start of the painting, there is now light on the side of the shed and the lights have gone from the left of the water butts, but once those first tones are in I don't chase the sun, I stick with what I've got.

I also realised, I have no photo yet of the finished painting, I was so keen to get home and have a cuppa! It was surprisingly warm and I had such a nice morning, so this little painting is another lovely memory banked.

My walk home takes me along the river Windrush, you can see how the footpath is now totally under water today and we are due for storms over the week end. 

Another trip to the allotments

We had some sunshine this week end so I raced off to the allotments again, it wasn't very warm though, so my snug fingerless gloves were perfect. I find I can happily paint for an hour or two then begin to realise that I am feeling cold, that's when the concentration goes and I pack up and go back home.
This is my favourite 'pinny' (apron to most people) I can keep my brushes and kitchen roll in the pocket. 

This is the finished painting, I made a few changes, but essentially it was how I see it. I  really like these two little sheds and all the allotment clutter, there seemed so much to get in, so quite a lot of it I left out. 

On Sunday I began a second painting, I only got the first stage done but things turned cold, the light changed and I got no further. I am now hoping for a break in the weather so I can rush off again and finish it. Once that happens I will let you know!

Painting stages from the allotment painting

Usually when I paint, I switch off completely and just when I am nearing the finish I think... oh not again, I forgot to take photos during the painting.
This time I remembered to take some, I think they seem a bit washed out, the colours look much richer and fuller when I look at the actual painting, but I still think it may be nice to share the process with you. I managed to crop them so they look reasonably neat, without stuff in the background.

The canvas board is 10 x 12 inches, its small enough to carry with me and complete within a couple of hours. I first prime the surface (I usually do four, ready to paint on).
I start with a very dilute wash just blocking in the shapes and composition. I can change my mind and alter things, its just the start but its a nice way to work quickly.

Adding a few more blocks of colour now. Again I can change things, its all very fluid at this stage.

In go the lights.

Then the big rich colours, no more dilute blocking in, its down to the serious stuff now.

Then the finishing touches. Knowing when to stop before I start to fiddle. Often the weather or indeed the cold is the deciding factor!

Painting in the allotments this morning

After all the rain we have had, I have been busy indoors catching up on all sorts of things and haven't really minded not going out to paint too much, but today we had sunshine so I left everything and took the opportunity to go to our local allotments.
There I was merrily painting away when a passer by (you always get a few) came for a look.
Now people who watch you paint can either stand quietly and say very little, or they chat away to you (which can sometimes be a bit irritating, especially if you are trying to catch the light) it is often the case however, that people tell you either all about how they can paint, or that they know someone who paints... well... this morning, a chap got talking to me and told me that he used to go to art college indeed he was really good at painting, so good in fact, that he could have been a professional... but he got in with a bad group, people told him... he would have been really good but for the drink!!
Anyway, I thought I would share that with you!

This is my painting, done this morning on a 10 x 12 inch canvas board, fresh off the easel, the picture is a bit wonky and I will take a better one another time. I am happy with it, I'm all fired up again and hoping to go painting again tomorrow.

At the allotments Jan 23rd 2014

A wet start to 2014

Well, this was my walk this morning, splodging through water! It has rained non stop all day, the river Windrush is so full and is moving so fast that it has burst its banks in places.

The ducks are now having to swim instead of walking along on the river bottom (which seems to be what they often do) and they no longer have to leap off the side and into the water but can just walk straight off the edge!
We are due for more rain tomorrow so I shall be checking the river levels again later this afternoon!

The edge of the footpath is 3m to the left of me