Misty October

10x12" Acrylic on Canvas Board. On sale, $50! Available here

Have you ever been plein-air painting and had the weather change completely as you worked? That's what happened in this piece. I settled on the view becuase the clear, crisp autumnal colours were really exciting me. And halfway through, the mist rolled in, thick and grey! I had to choose between painting from memory or "chasing the weather" and I went with the latter... I'm so glad I did! The soft, muted colours really appeal to me.

Get Ready for the October Sale!

As October's my favourite month of the year, I'll be holding a big sale at Daily Paintworks from the 1st to the 31st, with original art on offer at fantastic prices!

Here's a preview, and a link to my gallery, so that you can get a better idea of what will be on offer...

Cherries in Bowl

10x12" acrylic on canvas. $95 Available here

I was in the mood to challenge myself, so I set up this deceptively simple arrangement. The metal throws up all kinds of reflections; you have to look closely and place your strokes carefully to ensure accuracy. I had a great time painting and it was very satisfying to watch it come together!

Summer, The Solent

10x12" oil on canvas board. $75 Available here

A view from the Round Tower in Portsmouth, looking out over the Solent. I really enjoyed capturing the subtle shifts of blue and green in the water, and trying to depict the way the light dances across the waves.

The Meadow, June

10x12" oil on canvas board. $75. Available here

Another view of the meadow- I really enjoy this spot! Here, some of the grasses looked almost purple against the bright yellow buttercups, and the sun brought out the intense greens of the trees. It was a really hot day, and I ended up wishing I'd chosen a shady spot to sit in, but I'm pretty happy with how the painting came out so I'm glad I stayed where I did.

Greenhouse at the Allotments

10x12" oil on canvas board. $75. Available here

Time to post a few plein air paintings that I haven't had time to share yet- this one's of a greenhouse at our local allotments. I walk past quite a lot and have always wanted to paint it. Sadly when I arrived on this day, I realised the perfect view became obscured by fence if I sat, so I had to stand, painting while holding my pochade box up in the air- I usually just rest it in my lap. By the end of the painting my wrists were really sore, but I feel like it was worth it!

Dappled Light, The Fallen Tree

10x12" oil on canvas board. $75 Available here 
(plus there's a pic of it on location at the link above!)

This tree blew down quite a few years ago now. It lies across a small stream, the trunk forming a little bridge (most often used by dogs) and the branches hanging low over the path. I've wanted to paint it for a long time, but couldn't find a composition I liked- but on this particular day, with the strong light creating a beautiful pattern on the ground, it was easy! I loved painting this and I hope it's as enjoyable to look at as it was to create. This might be one of my favourite plein airs to date!

Dog Walking In The Meadow

10x12" oil on canvas board. $75. Available here

Finally posting this plein air from a week or two ago- I walked to the meadow down the road and found a mass of buttercups growing there. Plenty of people were out enjoying the good weather and walking their dogs as I painted, so I decided to add one in. It was really enjoyable watching the pups bouncing through the flowers. Dog-watching is always a highlight of working in this spot!

Sunlight on Water

10x12" oil on canvas board. $75 Available here
(There's an extra picture of the painting on location at the link!)

Another recent plein air! This was painted in a slightly new spot for me, looking at the river from a new angle. I really enjoyed it, very peaceful- though as I worked, the sun started to move right into my eyeline which was a bit inconvenient- so I'll have to pick a different time of day in future! The strong light really made the river shine, though, and I had great fun trying to capture the reflections.

Ducks on the River

10x12" oil on canvas board. $75. Available here
(There's an extra image at that link too, of the painting on location!)

We've been having some lovely sunny weather recently and I've been rushing out to paint a lot. As I was sitting down to capture this view of the river, a couple of ducks swam into sight. They kept disappearing from view, and then returning just when I thought they'd moved on for good- but in the end I managed to work them into the painting. An experience that makes me feel spring has finally arrived!

Submitted to the Daily Paintworks "Spring" challenge.

The River, March

10x12" oil on canvas board. $75. Available here

Here's another plein air from earlier this week- the first sunny day we've had in ages! It was so lovely to feel the warmth on my shoulders as I sat painting. I had been heading to a spot further along the path, but when I crossed the bridge and glanced over at the river I knew I'd found my subject! I loved how the light was hitting the water, and bringing out the uneven shapes of the riverbanks. This is almost entirely done on location- I've included a pic of it in my pochade box on Daily Paintworks- just a few stray brushstrokes touched up when I got home.

Longmead From The Woods

10x12" oil on canvas board. $75. Available here

Here's a recent plein air painting- I was testing out my new, larger pochade box! I love it, it's still light to carry and easy to use. I've painted in this location before, last summer, with all the trees full and green. It looks very different in late winter- you can see through them to the meadow and the houses on the other side of it. I'm really looking forward to recording the way it changes through the seasons this year!

Summer Light

10x12" acrylic on canvas board. $75. Available here

A return to one of my favourite subjects, sunlit paths through trees. I bought myself a larger pochade box recently, and I'm looking forward to going out and capturing the local nature reserve on a larger scale this spring/summer! So I'm trying to practice completing paintings at this size.

Misty January Morning

10x12" acrylic on canvas board. $75. Available here

Trying to capture that cold, winter morning feeling. I really enjoyed how this path curved through the landscape!