one golden rule

Rules are made to be broken don`t you think. Well I have a golden rule that I only paint places that I have been to .With one exception .Morocco.I painted Marrakesh long before I went there . Here is a `studio painting` of Newlyn. These paintings are hard work and require stamina and blind faith..I hope you like it. Notice the difference between Plein air work and Studio work.

St Ives.

14x20inch or 36x51cms is about as large as I can manage with one hand ( said the nun to the vicar) so I found this size gave me a lot to do very fast( the nun said again.... The Sun had just come out and I could see the paint drying and forming a skin as soon as I put it on my palette. People I noticed were very curtious as some people nearly encamped there families in front of me but didn`t as I was painting. It wouldn`t have mattered to me I would have just put them in. What a glorious place to be ,St Ives in the summer with the light of angels and the spirit of an Irish wake.This is the un- edited version.The midgets will have to be taken out I think .
I really do think that the information I am gathering from Plein air painting will help and inform my Studio work.Just by being there and seeing it in the flesh.For example the Dark Prussian blue of the Sea today against the boats I saw gives me ideas. When the rain comes hopefully they will bubble up to the surface.

Framing Day

Thank you Colin for you encouragement Its great when you get feedback from such a good Artist www.crabfish.com. Today was spent Framing which is good really cause it rained again. I have a show in Exeter at the Paragon Gallery and I am going to see what reaction I get to the new Plein air work. Here are some of the new pics in my office.

Marrazion

I have to be honest I went to Marrazion and it was too windy and dull so started out for the other coast but turned back ,then I went to Newlyn and walked down to the slip thinking it would be sheltered and it was ,but I went back to Marrazion telling myself I must`nt give up so easily. So went back to Marrazion .I set up a windbreak and started but I was agitated and found it difficult to paint. I think it`s the coffee,you know what I mean? So .I will try not to drink coffee till midday. Shame I love coffee! I was able to paint in the wind ,the windbreak worked.

Sennen

Went to Sennen and bottled out. Far too many people. It took us half an hour driving round the car park to find a space and then finding a space on the beach was tricky and then the world and his wife seemed to be next to us . My son went surfing and I ...well ...maybe tomorrow.

Marrazion

Had a lovely comment from the Cottons about a picture they have of Newlyn which made my day. Thankyou. Been to Marrazion this morning for some more outdoor work and the view was stunning. Hd to get back to see a framer in Newlyn at Lunchtime and hopefully will get out again with the children to a beach this afternoon. What a life!

Feeling normal today . Sunshine tomorrow so I`ll be able to get out and do some work.Here is a pic of Marrazion with the mount taken on Friday.

Devics stop play

As some of you followers of this blog know I have MS or a variant of, and yesterday I had what I call an ms episode. Nothing serious but enough to stop me in my tracks. So no masterpiece today. I was able to make up some frames so the day wasn`t wasted . I`m still feeling a bit sore and hope to feel better after a good nights sleep.Here is a picture of me doing a watercolour in Brighton Pavilion on a painting trip with Colin Ruffell taken in May.This was the start of my now love of Plein air painting..

the olive farm

Went to the Olive Farm restaurant this evening with my wife Lorraine.I had Seafood risotto which was cooked with scallops and was superb and Lorraine had Tagliatelle. It was our wedding aniverary. WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED 16 YRS!. This is the view of the car park and Penzance Harbour.

In the studio

I can really see what Colin Ruffell was saying about working a percentage of a Plein air painting in the studio. After leaving this for a day and adjusting it in the studio I am able to make it in my view a better painting by taking out unnecessary clutter.You will see lots of this subject in St Ives and it is a bit Cliche but as another great Artist friend of mine John Macky said ` but this is alan furneaux doing it". He was talking about my reluctance to paint Paris.

St Ives

I`ve been working on this when it`s rained in the studio. I`ve done this before but this doesn`t have any seagulls in in ,is slightly lighter and is larger at 30x36 inches. In a white frame it looks great with so much space in the sea.

Porthminster Beach St Ives

Its Summer Holidays now for the children so took my two over to Porthminster Beach in St Ives.It was very busy and sunny and I just love it here. There were lots of activities for the children, volley ball and story telling and accordion players entertaining the tourists. And here is my rendition.I am probably going to have to take out the dark beach tent on the right as it might give the painting more space to breath.

But a smaller boat popped out later. I need to work on the path on this one. In fact my next mission is to concentrate on paths.While I was there and I was only there 1 i/2 hours. Two guys were drinking the hard stuff a little further up, a group of teenagers in there flash cars were chatting up some girls about 20 yds behind me and two very beautiful Polish girls walked past ,totally ignoring me as they chatted away, and some bloke drove up about a few yards away to walk his dog,said a cursory hello and went about his business. All on a tiny bit of deserted beach near Newlyn.By the time I had finished the beach was empty.

missed it

Just as I got there at 5 o clock; the rest of the day was spent in the studio because of rain. A fishing boat pulled out of the harbour .Too quick for me to tool up and paint .

It didnt happen today.Because of Rain. Cornwall always rains so I just couldn`t paint. I tried working in the studio but I am unhappy `making it work` in the studio and want to be out painting. So here is my favourite painting from my recent work.

PZ10

pz10

wet

Today started out windy and cold . So Although I went out I couldn`t paint because the acrylic paint wouldn`t dry. Doas anyone know what I can use to help it dry faster? Usually it`s the other way round with acrylic ;you want a medium to extend its life. So I worked on another PZ10 back home in the Studio .No people yet .I`m figuring out where to put them.

Rainy Day

As it rained all day today I was left to work in the studio. I`m posting this little picture I did a couple of days ago when the sun was shining. . Working in the studio for me requires time ;days to cultivate and try out ideas so it was a cultivation day. So far I am doing larger painting of a Plein air painting painted from memory. I`ll keep you posted on that, if it stays the course and doesn`t end up growing into something else

PZ10

On the way to Sandy Cove there is a Fishing boat being renovated on the slipway. I`ve been meaning to paint it for a while and did so this morning. Its a 16x16 inch again and has been finished off in the studio. The Palm tree is in fact a bush of some description that I have made in to a Palm. There are lots of healthy Palms here in Penzance as we have warm winters and it just seemed natural to put one there. Sandy Cove too on the left can`t be seen from where I painted but as it is just round the bend and that is were I have been painting it again seemed natural to put it in. All the rest is pretty much as I saw it.

Dark Sea

And here is the second with a very dark Sea. My Natural tendency is to add colour but I am resisting this urge for the moment.

Rainy Day

It rained today but there were breaks.So, I went to Sandy Cove again /. This is my first day back at work as yesterday I had business to attend to. Mondays are always `getting your eye`s in days`. These two are 16x16`s again. Thats inches . Can you see the puddle in the path.

Fishing Boat

Again I went to the same spot and my Canvas has arrived so i`ve started this larger picture. Its not nearly finished but it`s a great start. This is 65x80cms on canvas. The boat which needs rigging etc actually passed by as I was working. The boat on the left is a boat in the dock which is being re-fitted, Maybe that will be my next subject!

Mid day

A pretty low key morning really. The light was right overhead and the colour and shadow had mostly gone but it forced me to use more subdued colours. I found using Buff Titaniam instead of white as a mixture ideal and I really felt I was learning about mixing colour live. What a thrill. I feel like a new avenue has opened out . There was nothing exciting happening in the water and just one fleeting glance of a figure on the beach.

Sandy Cove again.

Well. I`ve thought about finding another subject matter but I am running low on canvas and am waiting for some canvas to arrive from Bird and Davies in London. I want to do a studio painting of the Plein air paintings of Sandy Cove Newlyn so I am still gathering information and just letting a future painting formulate in my mind of `Sandy cove` as I explore it`s delights. Here is this mornings work .Can you see I1ve started to work on the path a bit more.

oil

I went back again to the same spot and painted an acrylic on canvas,not shown. I was disappointed with the dryness of the picture when I got it home and did an oil in different colours and from memory. Here it is . Its 16x16inches or 42x42cms.

ideas

One of the things that seems to happen with Plein air work is that new ideas grow from just being out there in life. I`m showing you this as a new idea. not a finished painting but it could be when developed more. This is Newlyn again.The very same spot I have been painting for a while now. Painted from memory of a days work . I`m still trying to understand a small piece of scrub with all it`s bits of flora in relation to the distant sea with boats coming in to Newlyn.It`s amazing how much life is in a small piece of ground and i`ts also amazing how many ways it can be painted.Or How to paint it? Its only a small painting sketch but will be bigger with more embellishment.

porthcurno

Today I wasn`t` able to find what I wanted so as time was slipping by before I had to pick my daughter up from school I thought I should just relax and look instead of paint.What an interesting concept. I was on reconnaissance and look what I found. The most perfect spot. I am going to prepare a canvas and go back and be there at 9am so the sun will be in the right place and I won`t` burn up in the heat. It is a little difficult to get to as you know I have MS and walking is tireing. But I may only get one chance so I am going to give it a bash.

Barcelonetta

As today was cool I was able to get into the studio and finish off my Barcelonetta painting. I have done this subject many times all different and all very enjoyable to paint. Acrylic on canvas 70x75cms . This will go on sale in Exeter at the Paragon Gallery in August.

and here it is. Is`nt it a smasher

And here is my ouside studio

Newlyn

I like going back here because it is secluded and I can get on with learning a new craft. It also chages fast all the time from hour to hour and day to day + there is a constant flow of boats big and small pleasure and working passing.