The Arcade From The Wynd

6x8" oil on canvas board. $45. Available here

Painting all those windows was a real challenge- trying to get the values right. But I couldn't resist this subject- the side entrance to the Arcade. I really loved the presence of the purple fence around a building site- it helps the greens and oranges pop.

Waterfall Study

7x10" acrylic on paper. $60 Available here

Experimenting with colours, using one of my favourite subjects! I enjoyed trying to find colour in the grey rocky areas.

Comfrey and Forget-Me-Nots

6x8" oil on canvas board. $45. Available here

A plein air piece from earlier today. I spent a little longer than I usually would for this size- I was really enjoying trying to capture the plants in a little more detail. I had a little Burnt Sienna on my palette, unusual for me as I usually stick to the primaries and white. But I might keep it around for a while.

A lot of the people who walk past me when I'm out painting totally ignore me... and then lean in to their friend once they think they're out of earshot and say "That painting was really good." It always makes me laugh. I wonder if it happens everywhere, or if it's just a by-product of Britain's social awkwardness...

Fences

5x7" oil on canvas board. $40. Available here

A little study for the Brushstrokes challenge. I'm really enjoying watching the Spring colours emerge whenever I go out- bursts of pink and yellow appearing against the green.

Trafalgar Crowds

8x10" acrylic on canvas board. $65. Available here

A view of Trafalgar Square from among the crowds- it's fun to paint such a famous place from a slightly different angle. I was trying to capture the light here, I loved the dramatic contrast of the light sky and shadowy statues, and the silhouettes of the tourists.

Cherry Trees, The Wynd

8x10" acrylic on canvas board. $65. Available here

 Another painting of the cherry trees in The Wynd, looking the opposite way from yesterday's work. I'm really grateful to the person who left their bicycle in this spot! It helps capture something of the relaxed atmosphere of this street, I think- away from the traffic and bustle of the centre of town. A nice place to sit and enjoy the beautiful weather!

The Wynd in April

7x5" acrylic on canvas board. $40. Available here

Another painting for the Exaggerate challenge. The cherry trees in town are blossoming spectacularly at the moment, and I've been having a great time painting them. I had fun with the colours on the street, pushing the warm/cool contrast between the light and shadow areas.

Crashing Wave

5x7" oil on canvas board. $40. Available here

I got the urge to paint a seascape recently! I dug out a reference photo from my last trip to the Isle of Wight. It's really fun painting greenish-grey water, the colour shifts are very subtle and a great challenge. I also had fun trying to capture the beach, which was strewn with pebbles and seaweed. 

The River Lea, Hertford Castle Grounds

8x10" oil on canvas board. $65. Available here

We had to make a trip to Hertford a couple of days ago, and while there we decided to walk through the Castle grounds. What a good decision! The whole area is full of fantastic painting spots, sadly I wasn't able to bring my painting gear that day, but at least I snapped lots of photos. Here's a study of a bridge over the river Lea, lined by willow trees and daffodils. It seems no matter where I am, I'm drawn to the water!

Sliced Strawberries

5x7" acrylic on canvas board. $40. Available here

A study of some strawberries for the weekly DPW challenge! I really enjoyed the vibrant colours here.

Out of the Dark

8x10" oil on stretched canvas. $80. Available here

I have this mug which I have painted once before- it's so dark, and not particularly reflective, and can become a bit of a "black hole" in compositions, so I don't use it a lot. But here, I found some lighter subjects to surround it with- some dried flowers, and clementines, which actually bounced some light and colour off it! Here, everyone gathers around a fallen leaf, speculating on its fate...