Another of my harlequin paintings. I guess we all know the feeling of having to juggle too many tasks and this work is a playful representation of that feeling. Alkyd oils on linen canvas 80x80cm
Multitasking
Tag: Art
No longer languishing
Well my oil paints have come in from the cold and I am enjoying using them. The odourless thinners is working well and can be seen in the Bombay Sapphire gin bottle (must remember its not gin!). I enjoyed using my old oil sticks so much that I’ve indulged in a set of larger ones, Its summer and I can open the doors and windows of my studio and throw paint around with glee, so look forward to more gleeful paintings.
In the garden stage 2
Today I returned to this painting started plein aire in my garden about a week ago. Went at it with paint sticks in the first session but used a more careful approach this time. I didn’t want to lose the freedom though so tried to to keep it loose whilst giving some structure to the plants.. I worked all day until the wet paint prevented my from continuing. I used alkyd oil paints which dry overnight so it should be ready to work on again tomorrow.
Languishing paints
About 20 years ago I bought many large tubes of oil paint on offer in a sale and as I can’t resist a bargain I greedily snapped them up. Sad to say they have lain cluttering up three drawers in my little studio. It’s not that I don’t like oils, just the damaging fumes and the mess, also I moved to acrylics and water based oil paint. Now I have discovered an odourless thinners, bought a large can (it really does have no fumes), as its summer and I can throw all the doors and windows open the time has come to use the languishing paints. I have started three works the last few days and this Harlequin jumping for joy is the latest.
Sea Kale, in progress.
We live near the beach and Sea Kale grows in the pebbles every year and in the spring emerges with beautiful purple tinged foliage. Here the tight flower buds can be seen too. I began this painting two years ago but scraped most of it off leaving just flat colours and I’m determined not to be beaten this time.
Running riot in the garden
Having decided the moment was passed for a painting in acrylic I started over a year ago I primed over it reducing it to pristine whiteness. I carried it out into the garden along with easel and oil paint sticks and let myself loose on it covering the whole canvas in one session. I really enjoyed the freedom of working direct onto the canvas with the sticks and thinner. Just what I needed to kick start my flagging creativity. I will have to wait until its dry now before I can finish it off.
Holiday sketching.
We spent two weeks in our old beach hut which looks over to Cowes on the isle of Wight. Most of the first week we had weather which I quite like as clouds are much more interesting to an artist than clear skies. My friend gave me a concertina sketchbook and I tried to do a view from our doorway each day.
What a year!
2018 has been a very eventful year so here goes….
Relandscaping begins. 
At last! 
The beast from the east round 1 
The beast from the east round 2 
World War 1 bomb found at Elmer but exploded safely. BBC photo 
Spring at last 
That was a storm! 
had a fairly successful trail with plenty of footfall. 
I’m loving my new garden, worth all the work! 
The bees came 
Olive in bloom 
Pussy Willow, acrylic 70x70cm 
Summer leaves, acrylic,40x40cm 
Acrylic painting 40x40cm box canvas 
Winter Alder, acrylic 40x40cm 
Storm Eleanor 
Summer place 
Happy days 
Caught at Calshot 
Heat wave at Elmer Beach 
Summer colour 
Teasel Patch, acrylic on canvas 
October colour 
Late Clematis 
Wow 50 years! 
Arcadia 
Lisbon 
Gran Canaria 
Tenerife, Mount Teide 
Dragon tree , La palma 
La Palma 
Madeira market 
Madeira botanical garden 
2nd highest sea cliff 
Goodbye Madeira 
Cadiz 
Cadiz 
Vigo 
Christmas
…sometimes I just sits.
‘Sometimes I sits and thinks but sometimes i just sits’ to quote the converstaion of two old gents sitting on a park bench. That is very apt for me today as I am recovering from having 70 visitors coming to my house to view my paintings and studio over the bank holiday weekend.
I think I will do quite a lot just sitting in the sun today though I may mow the lawn before it becomes a hayfield.
Trailing
Living in a quiet end of the road place by the sea has its advantages most of the time but at Art Trail time it can be a disadvantage. I confess I get a bit envious of those living in the buzzing city of near by Chichester where there is a lot going on and many close venues to choose from but then I remember how lovely it was this morning to sit out on our new front garden having breakfast and feel the soft (today) breeze from the sea and I feel a lot better. Folk obviously don’t know what they are missing and there is a pub next door with lots of outside tables. But Hey, serendipity I shall enjoy sitting out in the glorious sunshine, a rare event on a Bank Holiday weekend.
ateliernewsdotcom 