Tag Archive for: oil painting

Hydrangea in blue vase

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I’m just packing up to fly home from Cyprus after a few days painting…….glorious.  I thought I’d just post this as I haven’t blogged for a while.  This was the very last of my lovely autumnal hydrangeas.  After this, they go a bit too red and a little bit crispy but I’ve been following @arthurparkinson on Instagram and he shows how to keep them going for longer.  Roll on next year.

Lots of fun in Cyprus but if you’d like to hear or see more, it’s best to sign up for my newsletter which is no doubt going to be late this month!!

20x20cm oil on canvasboard

 

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Damsons in a coffee cup

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I’ve been on something of a damson odyssey lately.  Every time I think I’ll paint something else, I spot them fallen on the lane in our village when I’m walking the dog.  I just get seduced by that blue bloom and I’m hooked.  Oh go on then, just one more.  Bubba looks at me with disdain.

Thank you to all those who came to see me when I had Open Studios, it was lovely to meet you and/or see you again and I was overwhelmed by the sales – it makes me think I’m doing something right and enables me to keep doing what I love. If you’d like a more newsy posting, do sign up for my monthly newsletter which you can do here 

So now, I think we’ve seen the last of those damsons along with pretty much everything else Mother Nature has on offer for the autumn but my Cafe au Lait dahlias are still going strong so I might be tempted.  Anyway, here’s possibly the last damson painting for 2019 but never say never right??

 

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Damsons

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Hi there, you’ll have to excuse the sporadic blogging.  I’ve been very busy lately and out and about painting.  If you’d like to read about it, and in fact if you’d like to hear from me more often (but not too often), my monthly newsletter is probably your best bet.  You can sign up here and all usual privacy safeguards apply.  I tend to share news, tips AND offers i.e. sale works.

I wanted to let you know about my open studio next week.  I’ll be opening my studio and home to all comers who’d like to see my work and/or have a coffee and a chat.  Paintings, prints, cards and Christmas cards will be on sale and there’ll be some veritable bargains in the sale box.

This week, I’ve been painting damsons whilst they are still around.  I love their blue colour and the bloom on their skins.  Bubba and I go to fetch them in the mornings as they drop onto the lane from over-hanging trees and we have to be quick in picking them up before any cars come down the lane and splat them.  Sadly, Bubba doesn’t quite appreciate the urgency in the mission and likes to take his time, leaving little messages for his friends on every bush en route.

Here’s one I made earlier:

damsons

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Cherries and spotty jug

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Hi there.  I’m having a bit of an admin day today as a) I’m just back from Aldeburgh and am sooo tired especially after yesterday’s heat and b) I’ve had my nails done!  It doesn’t happen very often and white spirit and nail polish are not a great combo.  Professional or what?

Aldeburgh was great fun and I said adieu to several of my favourite paintings so that’ll be me back to the drawing board next week.  The trouble with Aldeburgh is there are just sooooo many nice things to eat, it’s a job to hold back!  I didn’t.

I’ve got a few weeks exhibition free now so maybe time to restock the galleries and perhaps even do battle with the weeds in the garden which just seem to let out their rallying cry whenever I go away.  I have to say, they’re the victors.

Here’s a little cream and cherries, done at Childwickbury Arts Fair last week and has a summery theme.

cherries and spotty jug 9454

20x20cm oil on canvasboard

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France and Pheasant’s eye

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Hi all. I’m just back from France where I had a fab time painting with friends. We got up to all sorts of mischief and jollities but mostly painting. Some of us (not I) managed five paintings a day. Can’t keep up with that I’m afraid! The weather wasn’t brilliant and strong winds were trying their best to impede our progress but we’re a pretty hardened lot. The area is beautiful and besides painting the countryside and the canal, we were able to paint in a garden on the canal where I found a fabulous old Piaggio van which was well past its sell-by date.

The canal was beautiful and the village (Le Somail) is known for its beautiful bridge


Breton stripes abound!

The house we stayed in is beautiful – here’s the website in case you feel the need to go

Anyway, enough of all that. I arrived back to an explosion of colour in the garden and no time to paint. I managed a quick sketch of the last of the Pheasant’s Eye in the borders and started a large one of some Queen of the Night which will have to be finished later. Note to self: don’t book two long trips in May next year!! Still, I’ll be back for the roses. I’m off to Washington tomorrow to be ‘Granny’ – my second-favourite job. In the meantime, here’s the Pheasant’s Eye and I’ll be in touch when I get back in three weeks. Enjoy the sunshine……..when it arrives.

20x20cm oil on gessoboard

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Fruit bowl

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It’s Friday!! Nearly Easter so I shall be heading north next week for a family visit, taking some friends, walking, scoffing and a bit of painting thrown in if I have my way.
I’ve been working on gallery work but last week I had a great workshop with a lovely group over three days! Exhausting but fun and they did some great work. Here’s my effort which I made as a demo for them. I’ve been working on my next little one and taking progress shots so hoping to give you a bit of an insight into how I work but in the meantime, here’s a little fruit cocktail for you. Have a wonderful Easter!

9436 fruit bowl

20cm x 20cm oil on canvasboard

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Cornishware and lemons

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Ooooh, I have been enjoying this weather but it sends me into a panic with everything I want to paint coming on thick and fast. I’ll show you what I’ve been doing below but firstly, here’s a little one to take you into the weekend. I’m in summer mode I think.

20x20cm oil on canvasboard

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So anyway, I’ve had a bit of a pash this week for Magnolia Stellata, a somewhat gorgeous example of which is growing in my neighbours garden. After a couple of days of coveting over the fence, I had permission to scrump. So I’ve done these two and since Jobbers is away, I’ve managed to finish these two, one of which is a monster, in the week! I have to admit to a bit of a pash for these Fired Earth tiles too and I found this lovely old toolbox in a local bric-a-brac shop. Now you know where my money goes.

Yes, ok, so the last one is Ranunculus but I slipped it in there for good measure.

Anyway, that’s my week done. Off to Waitrose for some weekend goodies since everyone’s coming home. Happy Mother’s Day all you heroine’s of the bedtime stories.

Cherry blossom

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I’ve been a little bit captivated of late by Monty Don in Japan. I’d love to see the cherry blossom but having to make do with a gorgeous tree in our village which heralds the very beginnings of spring each year. The owners kindly let me pinch a bit so I did this little oil sketch and then worked on a larger one for Surrey Contemporary Art Fair which is next weekend (let me know if you’d like a complimentary ticket).
Anyway, happy International Women’s Day to all you lovely people, regardless of gender (or not?)

cherry blossom 10951

20cmx20cm oil on canvasboard

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Snowdrops 2

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Oh this glorious sunshine is doing the soul some good!  The snowdrops in my garden a fairly twinkling.  I couldn’t resist doing another one.  Bubba has been out sunbathing in the garden for the first time this year. It must have been exhausting as he’s sparko in his basket now.  It’s a dog’s life.
Incidentally, I’m painting up a storm ready for the Surrey Contemporary Art Fair on March 15th-17th where I’ll be standing waiting for you in my best bib and tucker (well……..I’ll do my best). I have free tickets if you’d like them.

9416, snowdrops 2

20x20cm oil on board-SOLD

Hellebores

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Ooooh, I’m loving this spring weather and these little chaps are popping up all over.  There jewel-like colours always inspire me to paint them.  Meanwhile, it’s Friday chaps and the weather is looking fine.  What’s not to like!  Have a lovely one.

9414 hellebores

20x20cm oil on board £150

 

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