Cloud Shadows

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

Will I ever get tired of painting these skies? I think not! In this one, I particularly tried to focus on the shadows - both those on the undersides of the clouds, and the shadows the clouds cast on the landscape below them.

Off Into The Waves

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

So, this unquestionably turned out a bit cheesy, which isn't really my thing. I prefer landscapes that you can project your own mood onto. But I guess flipping through all those old photos made me a little nostalgic! I questioned myself the whole way through about whether to paint out or leave the figure. I left it, deciding I was happy with how it was painted. Even without it, the painting has a similar mood - that 'memory of a happy summer holiday'  feeling. I think the colour palette is what does it! I might try another version sometime that's a bit more toned-down.

I'm happy with this painting - but I definitely surprised myself with how it turned out, because as I say, it's not the kind of image I'd usually seek to create. Still, I hope it strikes a chord with people!

St Michael's Mount From Long Rock

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

As the weather gets warmer, I always feel more like painting seascapes. However, living in a landlocked county, there's no conveniently-close beach for plein air work. So I dig in my archive of photos for ones I haven't used yet...

This was painted from a photo I took quite a few years ago during a family holiday to Cornwall. I really like how the seaweed on the beach came out!

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.

Gospel Oak

6x6" oil on canvas board. $40. Available here

I'm finally starting to feel up to painting city scenes again! I went through a bit of a block for a while, and they just weren't working out - but I'm hoping that's clearing up now. The other night I was feeling brave and decided to do a painting from a photo taken in London last summer. The composition made me a little nervous - the railings, the placement of bridges - I was worried they'd confuse the focus. But I stuck with my instincts and painted the scene anyway, and I'm actually really pleased with how it came out!

The Killary 2

5x7" watercolour on paper. $40. Available here

The second of my little Irish scenes. I really love playing with all of the different shades of green, blue and brown found in these landscapes- and trying to capture the texture of the grass and trees, and the light reflecting in the water!

The Killary 1

6x6" watercolour on paper. $40. Available here

I've been having trouble with oils and acrylics lately so I've started painting watercolours again- it's been a long while since I've used them. I'm having a lot of fun, remembering all of the techniques and tricks I like using! Here's the first of two little Irish landscapes I painted a few days ago.

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.

Lost in Thought

21x15cm, Acrylic on Watercolour Paper. Available here 

This is painted from a photo I snapped in London back in June. I was struck by how the light was catching the young woman, illuminating her. I used a bit of artistic license to simplify the background and make sure she is the sole focus. This was a challenging painting to work on- the pose, the skin tones, and the angle of her head- but you don't learn unless you push yourself! And I definitely learned a lot through working on it.

Watching Over The Garden

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

 My uncle's garden is pretty amazing- full of statues and carvings he's created over the years, watching you from unexpected places. I couldn't resist taking some photos of a few spots and painting them. I really love the way the pale shells in the flowerbed are catching the light here!

Patchy Cloud In Places

6x6" acrylic on watercolour paper. $35. Available here

I've been busy the last few weeks finishing up college work, hence my lack of daily painting- but I'm hoping to get into the swing of it again soon. Here's a sky painting in anticipation of a little visit to the fens in early September- the views of the sky there are to die for! I'm really excited to go back.

St Pancras Hospital Water Tower

6x8" acrylic on canvas paper. $45 Available here

I was struck by this view of the water tower from outside Camley Street Co-op, on the other side of the canal, and had to paint it. I really enjoy the browns and greys of the buildings set against the green foliage and blue sky! This was a real challenge to paint and I almost gave up on it at one point, but I'm glad I stuck with it.

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!

Regent's Canal, London

7x10" acrylic on paper. $50. Available here

On our most recent trip to London we walked along Regent's Canal- it was a gorgeous sunny day and the light was fantastic! I really loved this particular view, with the curving tree trunks along the wall, and the light hitting the boat in just the right spots. This painting gave me the opportunity to paint a few things I've wanted to work on- dappled light, and a brick wall. I'm quite pleased with how it came out!

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!