Crossing the Meadow

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

Another May plein air, this one in a different meadow near home! I was determined to try and capture the warmth of the day. But that warmth meant I had to work quite quickly, because I was becoming exhausted from sitting in the sun!

The windows were easily the hardest detail to get right; I think I had to wipe them and re-paint a few times. I've found a better technique for doing windows now, which you'll see in a newer painting I'll upload soon. In the mean time, though, I'm satisfied with how they came out here.

I also challenged myself to add a figure, one of those things I rarely do - but whenever I do, people tell me I should do it more! So it must work out all right. I hope it did this time.(Also, again with the bright buttercups - I love when they're in bloom and I'm so glad I caught them in some paintings this year!)

A Return to the Meadow

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

Here's a plein air sketch I completed in late May. It was a lovely warm day, so I went to one of my favourite painting spots. I like returning to the same view each year, to see how differently I approach it this time around. I seem to be going a month earlier each time, though! The original was August 2016, and then I returned in June 2017.

I was very lucky when I arrived; there was a pleasantly shady spot on the path, and the grass was full of colour! There were big swathes of beautiful yellow buttercups catching the sun, and the little shed at the end of the meadow was cast mostly in shadow. The painting came together quite quickly, and I had a lot of fun working on it! It's interesting how it seems to combine the bolder and more confident brushwork of the August piece with the brighter colours of the June one. And how I've shifted the shed to the left this time around.

Sitting by the Fountains

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

I've done a few plein air paintings in the town centre lately. It can be intimidating to work with people passing by all the time, and there are a lot more distractions. But it offers a whole new array of subjects to explore, and that's been a lot of fun. This was a real challenge to paint; I wasn't entirely happy with what I produced on location, so I touched it up a bit when I got home. I'm satisfied now!

A fun fact; the people sitting on the bench were one of the first elements I painted- a good thing I did, because they left about five minutes later!

Hidden Pond

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

Here's a plein air which I forgot to post a couple months back- a little overgrown pond, tucked away on our local nature reserve up a tiny side-path. It's a very quiet spot, mostly filled with the buzzing of insects and the rustle of wind in the trees- a pleasant place to sit and paint.

Last Autumn Leaves

6x8" oil on canvas board. On sale, $25! Available here

Well, perhaps not the very last, but with the winds we're getting lately, they won't last much longer! I painted this one on location, and VERY fast, as I was sure it was going to start raining while I worked... luckily it stayed dry. I'm going to have to start carrying my fingerless gloves again though... my hands got pretty cold!

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.

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!

Summer Path Study

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

Another plein air- this one of a path I've painted many times. At the moment, it's lined by the soft purples and blues of the comfrey, which I'm falling in love with painting! Still trying to learn how to paint dappled light- but there's no better teacher than nature, so I'll continue getting out there as much as possible!

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!

The Red Shed, June

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

I painted this view in August last year, and loved it, so of course I had to go back and do another plein air painting of it at some point! It's fun to return to the same location and see the way it changes through the seasons. At the moment this spot is full of colour- purple (comfrey) yellow (buttercups) and white (chervil) as well as the vibrant green grass.

A Row Of Shadows

6x8" Oil on Canvas Board. $45 Available here

The weather's been so pleasant this last week or so I've been out a lot, painting en plein air. This one was done on the main path through our local nature reserve- an open, grassy area bordered by woodland. I really enjoyed how the late afternoon sun was creating long shadows across the grass. As I was painting, I spotted several rabbits and a muntjac deer- sadly the deer moved on before I could add it in. Ah well- maybe another time!

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!

Spring Sun Study

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

A study of the tree in our back garden on a particularly sunny day- the tree looked almost black against the bright light, and the colours were all so vibrant. I wasn't happy with this when I first completed it, so it's had a few touch-ups since, and I think it's finally pulled together.

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...

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.

After Strong Winds

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

A small plein air painting from a few days ago- I came across a tree which had blown down and was blocking the path. The one next to it had several broken branches. I'm guessing it happened fairly recently as the only people who really walk through this little area of woodland are locals, and quite a few of them seemed surprised to see it.

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!