oils

Back to Cornwall – A ’plein air’ dream!

Mine ruins, Botallack, painting

Cornwall is a special place for artists, a ‘plein air painters’ dream. I try to get there every year for a weeks plein air painting. Being a peninsular, it is surrounded by sea, which reflects the sky, and results in that ’special’ light which artists crave. It’s small coves, often very rocky, and usually hosting

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Painting the Brecon Beacons, an Inspired Journey!

The worms head, wales an oil painting

The mountains of wales drew me once again, painting the brecon beacons! Wide open mountainous landscapes Once again, I was drawn back to the mountains of Wales, this time the Brecon Beacons in the south, formed during the ice age,  leaving us with rounded summits and valleys, unlike those of snowdonia. Such powerful and ancient

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What does a plein air artist do in Winter

Red Cyclamen and mirror, painting

Keep on painting! This is the answer to the question, ‘What do plein air artists do in winter?’ Well, you can hardly expect to stop because it’s cold outside! But there are many fresh challenges to face so here are some ideas,  Daily painting or sketching A course, learn a new skill A new subject,

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A new year, new challenges, How will you challenge yourself?

Linseed oil, for oil paintings

A new year, new challenges, How will you challenge yourself? I have decided to try and improve my still life paintings. They require all the skills of observation, working from life, checking the angles, proportions, tonal values etc. In the past, I was rarely happy with my still life paintings, I always felt it was

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Painting in North Wales – Such a delight, even in the rain!

My set up at Llanberis pass

It was such a delight painting in North Wales, even in the rain! I have always adored North Wales and especially Snowdonia, ever since I was first taken there as a child over 60 years ago. So I was delighted to visit again, after last year’s lockdowns and to reminisce on my childhood exploits, whilst

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Cornwall and Norfolk, how I captured them in paint!

Oil painting of old sheds at Brancaster Cornwall

Following the lifting of our long lockdown I took myself off to Cornwall and Norfolk. How I captured them in paint after being stuck at home for so long is an interesting story.  Way back in 2019 I had arranged a trip to Cornwall to paint watercolours with friends in the spring of 2020. Well

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Bridges, Meadows and Bluebells, exciting choices!

Fordwich on Stour, painting

Bridges, meadows and bluebells are excellent subjects that give plenty of excitement to nature lovers and artists! As an artist, I look for colourful subjects such as bluebells, or blossom, which appear only briefly, in springtime.  I also try to find a mixture of man made objects within a natural environment, and bridges fulfill this

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