Trip to Castello in Spain

oil on stretched canvas 

40cm x 50cm

This is where I'll be from Monday for nine days. You've already seen a small version of this painting a few weeks ago. This one is the original and I painted it before the pathway was re-surfaced with shiny new stones, so this is the historical depiction! While I'm there this year, the almost week long fiesta will begin. This is when the whole neighbourhood goes  just a little crazy!! Fireworks, processions, more fireworks, more processions..plus open air concerts that don't begin until midnight! I'm going to try and blog whilst I'm there and send you some pics of the celebrations...the colours and costumes are wonderful. However, I can't promise as I'm relying on my phone and I'm not sure whether it will work until I get there. So fingers crossed that it does but for now...hasta luego!

'Self-Portrait August 2012'

oil on board

6" x 6"

This is the smallest portrait I have ever attempted and it went better than I expected. By the way, I'm not always so glum! It's the concentration! The good thing about self-portraits is that you don't have to worry about whether the sitter is happy with the outcome, you can paint the truth warts and all! And another advantage is that the sitter is always available when the artist is! At the moment I'm thinking that I might have to darken the left side of the face a little more but I will look at it again tomorrow morning. For now, it's time for pasta!

'The Road to Stow'

oil on board

8" x 12"

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The subject of this painting is a road I walk down frequently. This morning, the rows of trees lining the road along the grass verge were casting wonderful shadows in the sunlight...so I decided it was perfect time to paint it! I took a photo as a reference just in case the sun went in...as if! And I'm glad I did because as I was preparing to return with my materials, the clouds rolled in, the heavens opened and that was that! The phone photo that I had taken wasn't ever so accurate regarding colour and values so I had to improvise and rely on memory. I tried to keep the painting uncomplicated and concentrated on the shapes that I had noticed through the trees which had been created by the sharp contrast of light and dark values. I feel this has given the composition a strong abstract element which is what I tend to look for, especially in landscape. 

'Begonia after the Rain'

oil on canvas board

8" x 12"

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This begonia looked very bedraggled after a huge downpour of rain and looked extremely sorry for itself, but when the sun came out again it perked up straightaway as if taking on a new lease of life...a bit how we all feel this summer! I hope I've captured the brightness of the sun and the optimism of the plant!

'Peaches in Morning Light'

oil on board

6" x 6"

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The halved peach had begun to go squidgy and when I cut it open it had started to discolour inside. It was an interesting grey green colour in places, so instead of eating it I painted it. Tomorrow I am looking through my work and selecting pieces for the two group shows I'm involved in, both of which run in September. I'll post the exhibition details nearer the time. 

'Orange Juice on an Orange Cloth'

5" x 7"

oil on canvas board

I painted this very quickly today as I only had an hour to work. I'm quite happy with it considering the time limitation but I plan to spend just a little more time on it tomorrow. I decided to make this painting when I saw the orange juice sitting on the tablecloth in the gorgeous sunshine. It was interesting how the bright orange of the cloth made the orange of the juice look almost yellow. I also loved the pink against the orange...pink and orange has always been one of my favourite colour combinations. Long may the sunshine last!

Pathway Through Newball Woods

6" x 6"

oil on board

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Yesterday I took my new transportable easel and went out on location. It's a very long time since I worked in the great outdoors and I'd forgotten how organised you have to be! I arrived at the woods whilst it was overcast and set up my easel out in the open...big mistake! The sun came out, which was wonderful at first but I'd positioned myself in the full sun and it was becoming increasingly hotter and brighter by the minute! I had no sun hat and no umbrella to give any shade (they went straight on my list of things to take next time!) By this point I was in the middle of this little oil sketch above and decided that I'd started so I'd finish despite feeling I might melt away at any minute!  Eventually I decided that enough was enough and it was time to pack up. I did a little more work on the painting back in the studio just to pull it together and then left it alone. 
I'm at the moment planning my next excursion but will definitely be better prepared next time!