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I haven’t done any assignments as yet, but this is one I painted at the end of our stupidly hot dry summer just after the forest fire escaped onto the cropped fields. Too close to home to be comfortable…..this was my response to walking through that burned landscape. I ‘watered’ down the oil paint with a lot of linseed oil & turpentine.

I haven’t done any assignments as yet, but this is one I painted at the end of our stupidly hot dry summer just after the forest fire escaped onto the cropped fields. Too close to home to be comfortable…..this was my response to walking through that burned landscape. I ‘watered’ down the oil paint with a lot of linseed oil & turpentine.

by | 6th October 2025

I haven’t done any assignments as yet, but this is one I painted at the end of our stupidly hot dry summer just after the forest fire escaped onto the cropped fields. Too close to home to be comfortable…..this was my response to walking through that burned landscape....
Felt inspired to put some early morning mist into the foreground of this view of Rigi mountain on Lake Lucerne. Not really sure if it has worked, so I may leave it for a week or two before tweaking the surface detail. I used a mixture of Hardings Warm White with their Flake white substitute . This seems to move about on the canvas during the long drying process to create the wonderful veil effect. I’m hoping just like mist hanging over the surface of the lake!

Felt inspired to put some early morning mist into the foreground of this view of Rigi mountain on Lake Lucerne. Not really sure if it has worked, so I may leave it for a week or two before tweaking the surface detail. I used a mixture of Hardings Warm White with their Flake white substitute . This seems to move about on the canvas during the long drying process to create the wonderful veil effect. I’m hoping just like mist hanging over the surface of the lake!

by | 21st September 2025

Felt inspired to put some early morning mist into the foreground of this view of Rigi mountain on Lake Lucerne. Not really sure if it has worked, so I may leave it for a week or two before tweaking the surface detail. I used a mixture of Hardings Warm White with their...
(See my last post) Here is the oil painting, showing the angry sky fast approaching. It was amazing how quickly the sea colour changed, from almost tropical colours to a dark and dull colour, before the mist obscured it all. I’m so loving these rocky coastlines in Cornwall.

(See my last post) Here is the oil painting, showing the angry sky fast approaching. It was amazing how quickly the sea colour changed, from almost tropical colours to a dark and dull colour, before the mist obscured it all. I’m so loving these rocky coastlines in Cornwall.

by | 18th September 2025

(See my last post) Here is the oil painting, showing the angry sky fast approaching. It was amazing how quickly the sea colour changed, from almost tropical colours to a dark and dull colour, before the mist obscured it all. I’m so loving these rocky coastlines in...
Here is an ink sketch of the Cornish coast at Hells Mouth, a favourite place for me, when in Cornwall. I couldn’t complete the sketch because clouds and rain approached rapidly, and in 10 minutes, I couldn’t see a thing. From this sketch, I created an oil painting back in my studio, using memories and knowledge of the coastline. See next post.

Here is an ink sketch of the Cornish coast at Hells Mouth, a favourite place for me, when in Cornwall. I couldn’t complete the sketch because clouds and rain approached rapidly, and in 10 minutes, I couldn’t see a thing. From this sketch, I created an oil painting back in my studio, using memories and knowledge of the coastline. See next post.

by | 18th September 2025

Here is an ink sketch of the Cornish coast at Hells Mouth, a favourite place for me, when in Cornwall. I couldn’t complete the sketch because clouds and rain approached rapidly, and in 10 minutes, I couldn’t see a thing. From this sketch, I created an oil painting...
I’m new to painting, and this group. This was one of my first pieces a year ago – it has had many ugly phases, starting bottom right, bottom left, top right (hated it and gessoed the whole lot!) and final piece – top left! That one I’m happy with – inspired by the colours Barbara Rae uses in her The Lammermuirs series.

I’m new to painting, and this group. This was one of my first pieces a year ago – it has had many ugly phases, starting bottom right, bottom left, top right (hated it and gessoed the whole lot!) and final piece – top left! That one I’m happy with – inspired by the colours Barbara Rae uses in her The Lammermuirs series.

by | 16th September 2025

I'm new to painting, and this group. This was one of my first pieces a year ago – it has had many ugly phases, starting bottom right, bottom left, top right (hated it and gessoed the whole lot!) and final piece – top left! That one I'm happy with...
A charcoal transcription, rubbing out several times ,of Sorolla’s ‘ The return from fishing’..a lovely painting. I thought this was a very interesting exercise and really enjoyed it. I definitely saw different things the more I did it and tried to keep an energy with the mark making!

A charcoal transcription, rubbing out several times ,of Sorolla’s ‘ The return from fishing’..a lovely painting. I thought this was a very interesting exercise and really enjoyed it. I definitely saw different things the more I did it and tried to keep an energy with the mark making!

by | 29th August 2025

A charcoal transcription, rubbing out several times ,of Sorolla's ' The return from fishing'..a lovely painting. I thought this was a very interesting exercise and really enjoyed it. I definitely saw different things the more I did it and tried to keep...
I was in this situation with a horizon line that was a little too straight and boring. By trying to preserve certain details that I liked, the painting looked constrained, static, and a little frozen. I thought it was finished, but something still bothered me. The sky was also a little too uniform, with very similar brushstrokes, and needed movement. But above all, by deciding to break up the horizon, I was able to regain freedom of expression.

I was in this situation with a horizon line that was a little too straight and boring. By trying to preserve certain details that I liked, the painting looked constrained, static, and a little frozen. I thought it was finished, but something still bothered me. The sky was also a little too uniform, with very similar brushstrokes, and needed movement. But above all, by deciding to break up the horizon, I was able to regain freedom of expression.

by | 26th August 2025

I was in this situation with a horizon line that was a little too straight and boring. By trying to preserve certain details that I liked, the painting looked constrained, static, and a little frozen. I thought it was finished, but something still bothered me. The sky...
A while back, you were talking about re visiting some of our old paintings. I regularly paint over or improve old paintings that didn’t quite work the first time. This is St Michaels Mount in Cornwall, painted several years ago, against today’s re working of it. I’ve lightened the water, completely changed the sky, removed the yacht and added people on the beach. Q) would you have gone further? And made bolder changes? I’ll be back in Cornwall in a couple of weeks, for more painting adventures.

A while back, you were talking about re visiting some of our old paintings. I regularly paint over or improve old paintings that didn’t quite work the first time. This is St Michaels Mount in Cornwall, painted several years ago, against today’s re working of it. I’ve lightened the water, completely changed the sky, removed the yacht and added people on the beach. Q) would you have gone further? And made bolder changes? I’ll be back in Cornwall in a couple of weeks, for more painting adventures.

by | 21st August 2025

A while back, you were talking about re visiting some of our old paintings. I regularly paint over or improve old paintings that didn’t quite work the first time. This is St Michaels Mount in Cornwall, painted several years ago, against today’s re working of it. I’ve...
Due to the continued warm weather, I have been painting out doors most days, all summer and confess to only sketching occasionally recently. I have travelled to Ireland, Wales and Devon, and shortly have a week painting in Cornwall. In the meantime here is a quick oil landscape of a bay near my studio. I promise to get back to the course soon.

Due to the continued warm weather, I have been painting out doors most days, all summer and confess to only sketching occasionally recently. I have travelled to Ireland, Wales and Devon, and shortly have a week painting in Cornwall. In the meantime here is a quick oil landscape of a bay near my studio. I promise to get back to the course soon.

by | 11th August 2025

Due to the continued warm weather, I have been painting out doors most days, all summer and confess to only sketching occasionally recently. I have travelled to Ireland, Wales and Devon, and shortly have a week painting in Cornwall. In the meantime here is a quick oil...
I experimented with a diptych format using 3 core colours to see what might emerge. Seemed to enhance the dynamic effect of the brushwork in refreshing and unforeseen ways. Might consider changing the foundation colours to narrow the colour range a bit though..

I experimented with a diptych format using 3 core colours to see what might emerge. Seemed to enhance the dynamic effect of the brushwork in refreshing and unforeseen ways. Might consider changing the foundation colours to narrow the colour range a bit though..

by | 4th August 2025

I experimented with a diptych format using 3 core colours to see what might emerge. Seemed to enhance the dynamic effect of the brushwork in refreshing and unforeseen ways. Might consider changing the foundation colours to narrow the colour range a bit though..
Here’s one that was painted in about 20 mins with a 6 year old helping. There are elements that i really like about it – the drama of the cloudburst and teh light behind. There are some broad brush marks in teh foreground that I like, the colours are maybe a bit limited? Argh, this is had turned into one that I have no idea what else to do with except paint over it! A painter friends is trying to stop me from doing anything to it & leaving it alone, but to me it looks unfinished & tooo blue! I’d love some help please – paint over it or leave it?

Here’s one that was painted in about 20 mins with a 6 year old helping. There are elements that i really like about it – the drama of the cloudburst and teh light behind. There are some broad brush marks in teh foreground that I like, the colours are maybe a bit limited? Argh, this is had turned into one that I have no idea what else to do with except paint over it! A painter friends is trying to stop me from doing anything to it & leaving it alone, but to me it looks unfinished & tooo blue! I’d love some help please – paint over it or leave it?

by | 31st July 2025

Here’s one that was painted in about 20 mins with a 6 year old helping. There are elements that i really like about it – the drama of the cloudburst and teh light behind. There are some broad brush marks in teh foreground that I like, the colours are maybe a bit...
Frustrated by lack of time to paint, I had one hour in my studio. I mixed colours previously chosen and worked quickly , no time for deliberation! I decided to leave it and hopefully start another soon. It is oil on linen which is a surface new to me and I really like it. 18” x14”

Frustrated by lack of time to paint, I had one hour in my studio. I mixed colours previously chosen and worked quickly , no time for deliberation! I decided to leave it and hopefully start another soon. It is oil on linen which is a surface new to me and I really like it. 18” x14”

by | 28th July 2025

Frustrated by lack of time to paint, I had one hour in my studio. I mixed colours previously chosen and worked quickly , no time for deliberation! I decided to leave it and hopefully start another soon. It is oil on linen which is a surface new to me and I really like...