Very best wishes for 2015

I hope many good things are ahead for everyone in 2015, and I hope to see you all in the New Year. 

Snow and Trees.  Oil on canvas board

White Flowers

 

A few of my favourite pots and a few white flowers! I am trying out a new canvas board that has a lovely texture.

 

White Flowers. Oil on canvas board

Last of the Roses

It has been such a long time since I had time to paint and share the results of my labours!
I don't know where the time has gone, and I was lucky to catch these roses just in time before the frost turned them crispy! They are in one of my favourite vases.

Last of the Roses.  Oil on canvas board.

Sketching & painting from sketches

This sketch was from a couple of weeks ago, in the Botanic Garden with a little light drizzle. However it was lovely and peaceful, and some gorgeous colours.  All Summer there has been an outdoor exhibition of sculptures.  All very different and interesting.  These were of two men in amour.  The oil painting was done from another watercolour sketch done on the same day.

sculptures in the rain. sketch.
 

Autumn colours.  oil on linen board.

Japanese Maples in the Leicester Botanic Garden

I have been painting this larger canvas from a painting I did a while ago en plein air in the Botanic Garden.  I haven't done this before and enjoyed doing it, but I did find it quite difficult to start with, trying to paint with freedom by not copying the original too closely!! I am sure practise will help! I was back in gardens sketching last Saturday and the colours were amazing.

Japanese Maples.  oil on canvas  40cm * 50cm

The Walled Garden, Kelmarsh

At long last I have finished this painting started several weeks ago at Kelmarsh in the lovely Walled Garden.  The large greenhouse was the thing that really attracted me to the painting. During the afternoon it became very cold and stormy after a lovely morning. Since that time I found many other paintings to do, but at last here it is finished!



The Walled Garden, Kelmarsh.  oil on board



Autumn Hydrangeas

Yesterday was a great day at a Network Arts workshop with tutor Penny German. We started with a very interesting demonstration in oils and then we did our own thing with our still life.  Lots of lovely work was produced all very different.  Here is my own effort!

Autumn Hydrangeas. oil on board

Back to the Botanic Gardens in Leicester for the Autumn Colours

The wonderful weather means you just have to get out there and paint! Back to the Botanic Gardens and the lovely colours.  They were quite hard to find actually, it would seem that the very dry weather has meant that many leaves have fallen before they have had a chance to give a colourful display.  Luckily it was back to the Limestone Garden and some beautiful colours. In fact the tree with the lovely colours of fire, was a magic shade of green in one of my other paintings!

Limestone Pond.  oil on board. 

Leicester Guildhall and Cathedral.

We spent the morning painting and talking to passers by in front of the Guildhall and Cathedral in Leicester, and beside the very interesting monument to Richard III. We were accompanied by the sounds of the traffic, the work going on in the garden and the Organ playing in the Cathedral. Wonderful!!

Leicester Sketch Club is holding its Exhibition in the Guildhall, and there are two days left if you want to see some lovely art!!

Leicester Guildhall and Cathedral.  oil on board.

Reflections from the Shore. Staithes

This is a view of the boats with all gorgeous reflections, and the village of Staithes from the Shore. This is the second larger canvas currently hanging in the exhibition at the Alfred East Gallery, Kettering. The Exhibition is open until the 11th October. 

We were very lucky with the tides when we were there, lots of mud and puddles and colours! It could have all been under water! I wouldn't have thought of such things before my visit!! 

Reflections from the Shore. oil on canvas. 66*56 cms

Staithes, A View from the Shore

I have recently been working on a larger canvas from my stay in Staithes on the Yorkshire coast a few months ago.  This was a really lovely view on the shore with lots of colour and light in the sea.

This work is now exhibited in The Alfred East Art Gallery in Kettering. Pop along if you live this way there is some lovely work on display. 

Staithes shoreline. oil on canvas. 66*56cms

Japanese Maples, Leicester Botanic Garden

These Japanese Maples are in the Sandstone Garden, with some beautiful moss covered rocks, providing some lovely contrasts.  The sun came and went, but stayed out long enough to bring out the gorgeous colours....I shall have to go back, I think they have only just got to the point of beginning to turn!

Japanese Maples.  oil on board.