Second New Painting

Rookery Rock (work in progress)

Another new painting begun today, continuing the Rock and Tree series.. This one is based on a sketchbook drawing I did last year at The Rookery in Bishopdale:



Sketchbook drawing.

Getting Back to It

Fallen Tree (work in progress)

Actual work has suffered recently as repairs are being done to the house and I've continued to mull over ideas for painting. A few attempts at different ways of working, mainly on paper, have been inconclusive but some of what I achieved has, I think filtered through to my current oil paintings.

This one is an combination of a landscape and a fallen tree seen in Bishopdale last year, which I started late last night, working through until the small hours.. I'm pleased with how it's progressing, although I think I'll have to address the fact that right in the centre of the composition are two trees. Not a good idea to put things there.

Rookery Time - Saturday 7th May (am)

Dead Tree (Pentel Brushpen, watercolour, sketchbook)

Although of course I've known for a long time that I was going on my annual painting week, the opportunity to say so seemed to evaporate all of a sudden, so I went without letting you know.

So now I'm back and ready to post the fruits of my labour. Like last year we stayed at The Rookery in Bishopdale, so I had a fair idea of what I might find to interest me round about. Climbing up the steep hill that rises at the back of the house, I made my way slowly (the hill seems to have become steeper in the last year) to the series of waterfalls running down from the scar.

Sure enough, the dead tree I'd seen last year was still there, though in a more advanced state of decay, the insects and fungus continuing their long project of destruction. I love the way the tree resembles a dead creature lying on it's back, it's maw wide open. An echo of Paul Nash.

We were lucky with the weather that day but the cold wind blowing up the valley meant that the sun was less effective in keeping me warm, so by the time I'd put on the watercolour washes I was ready to go back down for a cup of tea.

Dales Diary - Wednesday 28 April (am)

Ravine (4B pencil in A4 sketchbook)

We'd been promised heavy rained for Wednesday, but by the time the day rolled round the bad weather had moved away, so Roly and I went for a short drive to check out the far end of the valley and on into Wharfedale. Just beyond Buckden, we topped a rise and on the way down the other side, came across this ravine with a not very energetic waterfall in it.

It was a delight to sit in the sunshine and struggle with the problem of capturing streams and trickles of water falling in the recesses of the ravine.

Restaurant Progress

Kastela Seaside Restaurant (work in progress)

Everything at the Club was still wet today, except for the Harry Ramsden painting, which I've brought home to finish. I knew that would be the case, so I took along this Kastela Restaurant painting and made some headway with it.

There's a lot of balancing of colours to be done but that will probably have to wait for three weeks. Next Friday will be the start of this year's Compo & Clegg Painting Week. This time we're off to the Yorkshire Dales, somewhere I've never been before. What an adventure!