Revisiting the Summer in the Pyrenees!

I thought I would share some sunshine from France in the Summer. This is a studio painting I did from one I painted whilst staying at Manzac over looking the beautiful Pyrenees.

May I take this opportunity to wish everyone a wonderful 2016, with lots of great art!!

The Old Mill, River Arize. oil on board.

The rushing River Lyn in north Devon

I was in north Devon in the late Summer and visited Lynmouth. The River was rushing towards me under the bridge, and I took the photo directly into the Sun.  I was very lucky it worked and I could capture what I hope the great speed of the water.!!

River Lyn - North Devon. oil on board
 

Exhibition @ The J Gallery

'POP UP EXHIBITION' J Gallery, Moulton, Northamptonshire

2-22nd December. Open Wed - Sat 10-4 Sun 10-2

Lots of artists and here is my contribution to the Exhibition!

Please come along!!

First snows in the Pyrenees.

I have finally finished the painting I started whilst I was in Manzac.  I wanted to capture the view to have the memory of the wonderful Pyrenees, and to capture that first dusting of snow, which did not last too long in the heat of the day!

First snows in the Pyrenees. Oil on board.

Carla Bayle

My last post from beautiful France, the week has absolutely flown. The town of Carla Bayle is perched high with beautiful views all round. All the houses are painted in wonderful colours. This is part of a lovely house painted in these gorgeous blues.

Yellow Hosepipe! Oil on board

Le Mas d'Azil

A view of this pretty town from the fields above. We were all set up, eyes down concentrating on capturing everything before us. Then a very irate and cross farmer decided we should go.....Now! So we all packed up and went down into the town to a lovely spot by the River. We then had a lovely BBQ in a much cooler spot!

I finished the painting yesterday. 

Le Mas d'Azil. Oil on board. 

River Arize in the town of Rieux

A lovely day in the small town of Rieux with the weather being much kinder to us. Loads of gorgeous reflections from the Old Mill, and the colours reflecting Autumn coming sadly.

We are staying at Manzac en Bas where we are so well looked after including a picnic lunch!,

The old mill River Arize. France. Oil on board

Hello from The Pyrenees

A beautiful place with stunning views of the Mountains in the distance. A little chilly and damp, so painting sunflowers in doors to bring some sunshine in!!

Sunflowers. Oil on board.

Harvest time!!

Yesterday it poured all day, in fact I think Market Harborough was buried in clouds!  Today the sun shone and after a long gap I have managed to get out and find some lovely harvest colours not far away.

The Foot Path.  Oil on board.

Iconic View at Kelmarsh Hall & Gardens!

This is a familiar view of Kelmarsh and the Yew Trees to anyone who has been there.  It is actually called the Double Border, and changes with the seasons.  I painted this a week ago in the rain and the sun, and it has taken me a week to photograph it, as I do it outside and it was raining all the time!!

Double Border, Kelmarsh Hall & Gardens.  Oil on board.

Exhibition Time!!

It is Exhibition time for Roz Bradshaw and I.  We are at the Alfred East Art Gallery in Kettering from next Wednesday 29th July.

We both love painting in oils, so hence the title "Two Views in Oils".  You will be very welcome to come along and enjoy our work!

Lots of Hydrangeas!!

I started this painting on the Patio, then I was driven indoors by the weather. Eventually finishing it off back where I started! I am rather fond of these lovely flowers, and can not resist when I find a particularly gorgeous one.  The very pale pink one is a variety I just happened to come across recently at a local garden centre.  It is called Charme and all the petals have a very fine pink outline to them.

Lots of Hydrangeas!  Oil on board.

Frisby Grange Farm, Gaulby

It seems a very long time since I managed to get out and do some painting!! As part of Leicester Sketch Club we went to Frisby Grange Farm and had a lovely time wandering around.  Eventually we got down to some work with our pencils, paints, pastels and brushes!! Then the sun came out!  Our host Daisy Fawcett really spoilt us by cooking up a cream tea.  Every one agreed it felt like we were on holiday!

Frisby Grange Farm.  Oil on board

SWEET PEAS

I had forgotten this little painting I did at a workshop a couple of weeks ago.  I decided that sweet peas are not the easiest flowers to paint!!  The painting was done on a six inch square gesso board with a lovely smooth surface. Great to paint on!

Sweet Peas.  Oil on board.

KELMARSH HALL & GARDENS

A great day painting by the Lake in the gardens at Kelmarsh. It was good to have some lovely sun to add to the reflections in the water.  There were some pretty yellow iris on the far bank.

The Lake at Kelmarsh.  oil on board

Cromford Mill - Derbyshire

Another lovely spot to paint! We left in pouring rain and howling wind in the morning, and by the time we set up the sun shone on our efforts to capture the scene.

Cromford Mill. oil on board.

Derbyshire - The Peak District

A few lovely days away in the Peak District, glorious scenery, and despite the wind and rain we managed to dodge the showers and find some lovely spots to paint. Not always out of the wind!! We just stopped at this spot having been attracted by the little barn which made a lovely focal point in the sun.

Hazelwood - Derbyshire. Oil on Board.

Hannington Pocket Park, Northamptonshire.

I am not sure I knew they did pocket parks, but Hannington does!  Although I have to say it is more like a pocket wood! But maybe we did not scramble through the undergrowth to give it a thorough exploration!!

Off next week painting in the Peak District. Hoping for a bit of nice weather to paint some gorgeous scenery. :-)



Hannington Pocket Park.  Oil on board.

Glass Pot with Pink Flowers

Yesterday Leicester Sketch Club had a great workshop with Penny German as tutor, creating a still life.  Working with the light coming from one direction.  A lovely day was had by everyone, and there was lots of great work created. here is my offering.

Glass pot with pink flowers.  oil on board.

Woodland Walk at Kelmarsh Hall & Gardens

At last I finally made it outside to paint, which is not good!! Yesterday the Leicester Sketch Club had a day sketching and painting at Kelmarsh in Northamptonshire.  Lovely sun although I was really cold because I was painting in the shade all day.  Lovely though with all the dappled shade.

Woodland Walk - Kelmarsh Hall & Gardens. oil on board. 30 * 24cms



Lots of lovely Tulips

These lovely pale tulips were again painted with a palette knife over an application of textured paste.

A Vase of Tulips. Oil on canvas. 40 * 50 cms

Light & Reflections

I have finished the painting I started at the Workshop last week.  Done with palette knives that I am getting rather fond of!!

Light & Reflections. oil on linen board. 30 * 40 cms

Pepper mill and Pots

This was painted with a palette knife in a very interesting Networks Arts workshop with tutor Max Hale. This was a fast one in the morning, and I haven't quite completed the afternoon painting. It was an excellent day.

Pepper Mill and Pots.  oil on board.

More Spring flowers - A Pot of Hyacinths

Can we say Spring is nearly here? I think nearly, hopefully! I love Hyacinths and particularly this colour, and the smell! So here is another painting created with a palette knife, over canvas board with a layer of modelling paste to give additional texture.

A Pot of Hyacinths.  Oil on board. 40cms * 30cms

A Jug of Daffodils

I thought it was time to dust off my large collection of pallet knives and make them do something creative! I firstly covered the canvas with some texture using modelling paste to give some lines and flow. After doing the painting I finished off with some splattering!!

As there are some lovely spring flowers around at the moment, I think I will do a series, next one will be some gorgeous hyacinths. 

A Jug of Daffodils

A lovely Workshop with Network Arts

Yesterday we had a great time with an oil and acrylic workshop with Mo Teeuw who is a wonderful tutor. It is always amazing how many different styles and talents you find in a group of enthusiastic artists. Here is my painting, done from a photograph from my trip to Staithes in Yorkshire last Summer.

Staithes. oil on canvas board.  40 * 30 cms

Winter Chill

I loved the light and the colours that a Winter morning brings.

Winter Chill. oil on canvas. 40 * 50 cms

Christmas Leftovers!

Really not so much Christmas leftovers, as forgotten at the back of the fridge. So with very best wishes for 2015 I give you a bowl of sprouts!

Leftovers. Oil on board.