Paintings from Nature with Passion
Wow! What a Question! Why do I Paint? “Life obliges me to do something, so I paint.” Rene Magritte Why do I paint? Because I have to! – Because of the excitement if I succeed! – I think its the same thrill that drives an athlete, the feeling that they can always do a little […]
It will soon be Exhibition time again and I have been busy ‘preparing’ new works for the various exhibitions I’ll be taking part in. See the list of exhibitions here. News from the artists studio . The first and hardest task is to select the works which would best be displayed in frames. Then I
Pintar Rapido is a Spanish idea – brought to London by Roger Beckett. Can you imagine coming across over 500 artists on the streets of Kensington and Chelsea. They are all being madly creative and painting on every street corner. It’s an unbelievable sight for an artist like me, but can you imagine the impact
In Pt 1 click here I explained how I go about the planning of a painting and the importance of deciding about the composition and placing of tonal values, ie: where the darkest darks and the lightest lights will be positioned. You wouldn’t believe the number of times I’ve seen someone take out a photo from
Suitable subjects are anywhere and everywhere! When they find me, I know what to do! How do I choose a subject? This is an excellent question which I have occasionally been asked! Many years ago, I found myself driving through the country lanes of west Kent – looking for a view to paint! Having spent
How do I choose a subject? I Don’t – The subject chooses me! Read More »
How I compose a Painting Here is an explanation 1) Planning or Preparation – 5 Minutes Max In my sketchbook, I draw a rectangle about 3″ x 2″ and quickly put in the big dark shapes, then the mid tones. Leaving the highlights blank, (see above). For the most powerful effect, brightest lights
How I compose a Painting – from the Start – (Part 1) Read More »
About two years before the opening of the new Turner Contemporary Gallery in Margate, I decided to ‘get on board’ and see what I could do to help welcome them into our community and to ease their way over the very rocky road of negative local criticism and much anger. I was convinced that any
Being a Cultural Ambassador – What does it mean? Read More »
One of my Heroes in art is the Victorian artist, Hercules Brabazon Brabazon. Today he is almost forgotten, except by the academics. Born into an aristocratic family in 1821, after graduation he went to Rome to study Art and Music. Then he inherited estates in Ireland and Sussex and from then on, divided his
Sketching Why drawing skills are important A house built on firm foundations, will last longer and be safer than one with no foundations. Likewise, “drawing is the basis of art. A bad painter cannot draw. But one who draws well can always paint”. A quote from A Gorky. Improving your sketching and drawing skills! When
Many years ago, almost in a different life it seems, I used to buy and sell English paintings of the late Victorian and Edwardian era, including many watercolours. I used to buy at auctions, up and down the country and sell them in my shop in West Malling High Street, at Art and Antique fairs
Someone’s whole life in a box! How sad can it be? Read More »