Monday 28 December 2009

Holy Island Boat Shed



Holy Island Boat Shed (oil on canvas panel, 5 x 7 ins. Private collection)


I hope you all had a good Christmas. I certainly did and must thank Andy and Helen for giving us such a great time in Cambridge. And the Boxing Day revels with Helen's folks were much appreciated. Thanks guys!

The secret commission I spoke of a while ago can now be revealed. It was this small painting of one of the famous boat sheds on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, with the Castle in the background. I did it as a Christmas present for Andy and Helen.

It was interesting working on such a small scale again. When I first started painting, I did quite a lot of paintings on this sort of scale, especially while Northumbria Gallery were running their Small Works shows, but it's been a few years since I tackled one. Doing this one, and reflecting on the increased problem of storing large pictures in the house, has moved me further in the direction of a renewed interest in small works, I think. Hidden away, but lying dormant, is my Other Blog, Art from Tyneside, set up a year ago during a period of interest in the Daily Painters Movement. Maybe it's about time to get that project off the ground. Watch this space.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I always enjoyed your small paintings in the Small Works shows. They had a jewel-like quality. Incidentally, we have shown work in the same show 2 or 3 times: I had work in a couple of Small Works shows.

harry bell said...

Well, well, life is full of surprises. We really must get together for that coffee and a chat.

April Jarocka said...

What a lovely Gift to receive Harry. Nice composition and I really like the colours..naturally they compliment well. Glad you had a good Christmas. Ours was a very merry sniffmas....

Happy New Year to you.
All the best
April

And love that painting for your website link..!!

harry bell said...

Sorry to hear about the sniffs, April, but thanks for the compliments. And a Very Happy New Year to you!

Sonia said...

You've captured the boatshed and tangle of fishing gear perfectly Harry. This one really was an artist's dream set-up - do you think they do that deliberately? A delightful gift.