Is it Springtime yet? Have I been hibernating?

LI 247 at Littlehampton, oil painting

Can I emerge yet?

If so, does that make me an ‘emerging artist’? Actually, I have been rather busy during these colder weeks.

Fabriano 2024 entry

Q) Is it springtime yet? I began winter having decided to enter a watercolour competition, and not just any competition, but the Fabriano in Acquerello event, which means selected works are exhibited first in Bologna, Italy and then later in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. Here is my entry.

All entries had to be pure watercolour, ie, not pen and wash, and had to be half imperial size, ie, 22” x 15”. So I practiced a few, It had been a while since I used watercolour. Anyway, when my confidence had returned, I painted six large size watercolours and put them up on social media to ask for votes as I couldn’t decide.

Kingsgate Bay, painting.
Kingsgate Bay, watercolour painting.
Sunrise over the Jetty, painting

I then booked a week’s painting at West Dean in West Sussex, with the super artist, Hester Berry. She is especially good at expressionist landscapes, with exciting mark-making. Click below to see her work: 
https://www.hesterberry.co.uk/

I’m hoping that 2024 will feature plenty of fresh landscapes, painted ‘en plein air’ in nature, in the impressionist manner. Watch this space. Meanwhile, here is an oil of a sunrise over the Jetty at Broadstairs, not far from my studio.

RBA exhibition at Mall Galleries
Click here to view or buy
LI 247 at Littlehampton, oil painting

And last but not least, some exciting news, this painting of a Cornish crabber at Littlehampton was selected by the Royal Society of British Artists for their 2024 exhibition at London’s Mall Galleries. I’m looking forward to attending the preview and meeting up with a few friends.

I also put several works into local exhibitions with, York Street Gallery and Turner and Rowe Gallery, both in Ramsgate, and Creek Creative in Faversham.