This one is for me, place to muse, share ideas and interesting images.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
2018 has been a very eventful year so here goes….
‘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.
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.
This morning the sun was out but there was a frost, is it really May?. After yesterday’s continuous rain its a great day to get on with all those small but necessary tasks like making sure all pictures have D rings on the back for hanging, then there is painting the sides of new canvases not to metion finishing off tasks in the garden.Tomorrow I tackle my studio?
I must tackle my messy studio!!
Time to get ready for the 2018 Chichester Art Trail. Its not until Saturday but anyone who has never taken part will not know how much there is to do. I just realised that although i have some nice new square cards I don’t have sleeves for them. No need to get wet, a quick trip to the Amazon has sorted that though hope they come in time!
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