Cretan Archway

 

Cretan Archway

(Acrylic on mountboard, 7x5 in.)

Here’s a little painting I did recently for the Secret Card Sale at The Old Lockup Gallery but couldn’t post before. Now it’s sold, I guess it’s OK to post - a snip at £15.

Houseplant

 Houseplant

(0.5 marker in small square sketchbook)

It feels like I've done very little drawing this year, so on a family visit, I made a little time to do a little drawing.

Village in the Valley

 

Village in the Valley

(Acrylic on linen panel, 30x30 cm)

Another in my series of Majorca landscapes, a little gentler in colour terms.

Majorcan Landscape

 

Majorcan Landscape

(Acrylic on linen panel, 30x30 cm).

Third in what is becoming a series of paintings of Majorca.

The Tree in the Fork

 

The Tree in the Fork

(Acrylic on linen panel, 30x30 cm)

SOLD

Back from my short break catching up with family in real life rather than on a screen, I finished this hot summery painting.

Corner Garden, Majorca

 Corner Garden

(acrylic on linen panel, 30x30 cm)

Finished yesterday, I think this painting represents for me a search through memories of holidays past at a time when another trip abroad seems far off.

The view is based on a photograph I took in Alcudia on the island of Majorca in September 2008. The weather was a bit mixed and Alcudia is not at all colourful, but as always, I enjoyed my time abroad, so as the painting developed, my memory and imagination heightened the colour.

New Town Washing

New Town Washing

(Acrylic on canvas board, 25x30 cm)

It might look like I’ve not been working of late, but in fact I was painting two small pictures for a charity event. Because that event will be a blind sale, I can’t show the pictures here yet. However, to keep up momentum, I took another look at this painting I started quite some time ago and now it’s finished. Hanging out washing in Edinburgh’s New Town is a tricky business.

Still Life with Pots and Spoon

 Still Life with Pots and Spoon

(Collage and acrylic on watercolour paper, 12x12 in)

Some playing around with card shapes left over from my recent “Door” painting turned them into this still life.

Untitled (Door)

 

Untitled (Door)

(Recycled materials and acrylic on board, 30x30 cm)

About a week ago I covered a panel with torn drinks packaging, advertising flyers and cardboard (see below) and set out to see what I might make of it. This is today’s result - another addition to my Textured Doors and Walls Series.

Ouseburn Viaducts

 Ouseburn Viaducts

(Acrylic on canvas panel, 30x30 cm)

I slumped a little last week after my paintings of Staithes were rejected from a national exhibition I'd had real hopes of. I then had to scrub out several days work on a painting that I realised simply wasn’t going to work.

What do you do when that happens? You start painting again, of course, and if you’re lucky, a giraffe turns up.

Butterfly Vase

 Butterfly Vase

(Acrylic and collage on watercolour paper, 12x12 in)

Following another online prompt from Este MacLeod, I made the butterfly and then had to find something to do with it! It became quite a struggle.

I made the butterfly by simply folding paper over some paint and ink. After I'd cut it out, I stuck it to a sheet of watercolour paper and made everything else up. The red-brown vase is another piece of watercolour paper I used to clean my palette. The green leaves I found online.

Snails on a Cloth

 

Snails on a Cloth

(Acrylic on paper, 20 x 18.5 cm)

Something to distract me from pictures of Staithes, this resulted from an online prompt from Este MacLeod. Maybe there should have been some ladders too?

Staithes IV

 

Staithes IV

(Acrylic on linen panel, 30x30 cm)

I'd planned on doing only three in this series, but on a whim, decided to try at least one more. Then, having started it, I found myself at the stage of thinking "Why did I decide to do that?" but I could see a way through and this is the result.

I’m interested to find that each of my views of Staithes brings out a slightly different approach, while there’s an overall look that unifies them.

Staithes III

 

Staithes III

(Acrylic on canvas, 16x12 in)

Finished the third of my Staithes paintings today.

Untitled (Blue Strap)

 

Untitled (“Blue Strap”)

(Mixed media on board, 12x12 in)

The latest in my series of textured paintings of doors and walls. In making this, I learned a lesson in using different blues, ultramarine, cobalt and phthalo blue (green shade).

Staithes II

 

Staithes II

(Acrylic on linen, 30x30 cm)

Completed in parallel with the previous painting, Staithes I, so again almost a month in the making. Again I’m pleased with the outcome, especially as it doesn’t look like the painting I thought it would be. Always a bonus.

Staithes I

 Staithes I

(Acrylic on linen panel, 30x30 cm)

Almost a month in the making. That’s something I’ve not been accustomed to in recent times, and I’m not sure why it happened. Nevertheless, I’m very pleased with the outcome.

Mondaymonday : Saltwell Towers Garden

 

Saltwell Towers Garden

(markers in 21 x 26 cm sketchbook)

Because of the Lockdown, it's over a year since I was last out sketching with the Mondaymondaysketchers, so it was nice to return to Saltwell Park on Monday and meet up with them again. 

They'd settled down at a picnic table on the lawn opposite the Towers which didn't suit what I wanted to do, so after catching up, I wandered off to the little secluded garden by the side of the Towers. Taking a chance on seeing something interesting, I sat on a bench, opened my Saltwell Park Sketchbook, and looked around.

And this view caught my attention. It presented difficulties, in that I needed to find different marks for the various foliage - not something I'm well versed in - but I'm happy enough with what I achieved.

Another Short Walk in the Ouseburn Valley

A beautiful day on the Tyne today, with wispy white clouds high above in the bright blue sky. At last a day out with the Urban Sketchers Tyne and Wear after months of Lockdown! Last year, as my Regular Reader may remember, I attempted to meet up with the other Urban Sketchers to get some drawing done in the Ouseburn Valley. As luck would have it, I didn't manage to meet any of them and got no drawing done.

This time was better. On arrival at The Cycle Hub, I found Richard on the cafe terrace, drawing Mark who was sitting in front of him apparently drawing the Blue Circle Cement factory across the river. 

After a bit of catching up, I figured I should make an effort to first of all find some of the others and maybe try to overcome what I recognised as the growing inertia that would probably stop me from even opening my sketch book. So, next stop: Allan, who'd already done a very nice drawing of some railings and was just started on another. After catching up with him, I felt guilty about stopping him from getting on with his new drawing, so I moved on up the burn, making a detour up some steps into a little area of commercial units. I was really taken with the colours and ridged metal walls of the units and I can see me making paintings of these fairly soon.

Coming out of the commercial unit area, I found I was on a grassy bank above the path that runs by the burn, and sitting on the grass, his back up against a convenient tree, was Andy, working away at a sketch of a boat on the water, with some of the run down buildings on the opposite bank. Cue : Catching Up.

And so, onwards upstream to my favourite musing bench, opposite the Ouseburn Farm with the wonderful Byker Viaducts in the background, where I sat for a short while listening to the ducks and the running water.

Were I in a properly-established sketching regime, I'd probably have just opened my sketchbook and started on this interesting subject, but it's a complicated thing and I wasn't ready for it. Up again then and I headed up to the area below some of the concrete supports of the Metro Viaduct. 

I knew there was a couple of stone slabs there that might provide a seat while I drew something simple like those concrete supports and when I rounded the corner, I spotted someone already sitting there who I thought at first might be one the sketchers I've not yet met. I smiled at him. He didn't smile back. It took me a moment or two to realise that the paper in his hand wasn't a sketchbook but possibly a bunch of betting slips and the bottle of Hobgoblin by his side, coupled with his continued stare, suggested that he might prefer to be left alone.

I turned away as if distracted by my phone beeping, then crossed the path to busy myself with a photo of some sheep grazing under the concrete supports I'd intended to draw. Kevin, who had indeed just made my phone beep, suddenly appeared round the bend in the path and it was time to wander back downstream.

What was left of the day? Only the chance to lean over the railings and photograph a swan sleeping on its not very elaborate nest on the muddy banks of the Ouseburn, and a brief goodbye to those still sketching at The Cycle Hub.

 Kevin and I tried to get a pint on the Quayside, but the pubs were either heaving with thirsty Geordies or set up for table bookings, so no luck there. 

Nonetheless, I great way to spend a few hours away from home and hey! rediscover the art of talking to people after this traumatic year.

 

Staithes Beginnings

Staithes I

(acrylic on canvas, 16x12 in)

Staithes II

(acrylic on linen, 30x30 cm)

Staithes III

(acrylic on linen panel, 30x30 cm)

When I worked with oils, I always had several pictures on the go to allow for drying. Acrylics obviated that, but I decided at the beginning of the week I’d make an effort to work again on several pictures together. And here they are, with none of them finished.

And having said, "none of them finished" on various social media sites, I received, as I knew I would, several pleas to leave them as they are because they are finished in others' eyes.

I take these comments very seriously and thought long and hard about how to proceed (or not proceed).

I started these current pictures slightly differently from my more recent pictures, using a technique akin to an old technique I used to use when I had access to an office photocopier that gave me very contrasty black and white copies. The result has surprised me and I too like the way they are at the moment, but I can't help feeling that if the current state had been what I intended, they'd have been better because there are elements that look clumsy to the always careful me. 

So, I'll probably press on with what I originally intended and see where that gets me.

However, when I started this week of multiple images, I also intended to use the same imagery with different approaches (collage, mediums, etc). As I now have photographs of these paintings as they are at the moment, I think I'll use the photographs and see how I might develop from those. I hope all of this makes some sense. Do let me know if not.

 

Still Life in a Cupboard

 Still Life in a Cupboard

(Acrylic and collage on board, 8x8 in)

A competition set for members by the North of England Art Club, helped me get out of a week of Empty Brain Syndrome. They asked for paintings on the theme of The Things in My Cupboard and I spent a happy hour or so assembling various objects inside an imaginary Photoshop cupboard.

When it came to start painting, I found myself doubting that the rough assemblage would work as a painting, but as is often the case, things can be made to work once you get going. In the end I rather enjoyed working on it, especially once I'd found a suitable collage piece for the orange jug to replace the pattern on the original.

It’s available for sale at £85, by the way, including P&P in the UK. Contact me through my website (see Sidebar) if you're interested.

Wok and Chair

 

Wok and Chair

(acrylic on board, 10 x 10 in)

Last week's challenge for Gateshead Art Society members was “Chairs or Chimneys”. My previous post showed how I tackled "Chimneys".

This week, old wok 'n chair’s got me (If I didn’t say it, one of you would, assuming you're familiar with the Hoagy Carmichael classic).

Staithes Chimneys

Staithes Chimneys

(acrylic on mountboard, 10x10 in)

The current challenge from Gateshead Art Society is to make a painting on the subject of Chairs or Chimneys. I decided I'd have a go at translating this sketchbook drawing from 2012.

As I worked, I was reminded how much I hate green, especially when set against red/orange, but I wrestled it to a satisfactory conclusion, I think.

Chinese Bottle

 Chinese Bottle

(Acrylic on board, 8x8 in)

Last week’s failed Whitby Harbour boat finally resolved into a still life. You've heard of a boat in a bottle, right? Here's a bottle out of a boat.

On the Rocks

 

This week’s plan to paint a boat in Whitby harbour foundered on the rocks. After gessoing with grey gesso and some scraping down, a new still life is crawling from the wreckage.

Daisies in an Alfajar

 

Daisies in an Alfajar

(Acrylic on mountboard, 20x20 cm)

SOLD

A follow on from last week’s still life painting, this uses a lovely little jar I bought in Malaga a couple of years ago. "Alfajar" is the brand name. If you're ever in Malaga, do look up the shop - it's well worth a visit.

Cheers!

 

Cheers!

(Acrylic on mountboard, 7x5 in)

This is a little painting I did recently for a friend’s birthday but had to keep secret until today. More than anything, I found the lettering the most challenging, but even the light within the bottle was difficult with acrylic paint. As well as this, photographing layers of acrylic paint is difficult, in that some layers are much more transparent through a digital lens than they seem to the eye.

Anemones in a Bayeux Jar

 

Anemones in a Bayeux Jar

(Acrylic on mountboard, 20x20 cm)

I find using acrylic on such small format boards and canvases, lends itself to these still life paintings. although I don't find it easy to find interesting vases or the bunches of flowers to go in them. This little jar is based on one I bought on a trip to Normandy many years ago, although the shape has been quite radically simplified.

This little still life took all week because of umpteen tonal adjustments: change one bit, another needs work. So it goes. I’m happy with the result, but if I want to continue the theme I'll have to hunt for a new vase or jar.

Paintings Sold

 

Blue Door

(Mixed media on board, 30x30 cm)

In Saltwell Park

(acrylic on board, 20x20 cm)

Two paintings sold and on their way to their new home in Gloucester.

From My Malaga Window

 

From My Malaga Window

(acrylic and collage on watercolour paper, 10x10 in)

Painting on watercolour paper with acrylic produces a really interesting surface, somewhat leathery in appearance, and layering up with collage papers works pretty well. I struggle to get decent photographs of some of these, however. This is the best I could manage today.

Enough night paintings for a while, I think!