Smile

Smile your on Camera!

With only a matter of days left before my work is shipped of to the Framers in Sussex for my London show I am working on a Sunday. This is unfinished and very Lowry like. All through this picture I have edged myself fore ward and not abandoned it. The people have yet to be put in and and I want to live with it so I can see it more clearly and move it forward.Not finished yet but the Picture is clear.This is a large 30x40inch canvas. Off to St Mawes tomorrow with the Family.This time we are going over on the King Harry Ferry from Falmouth to St Mawes.

Feathers

Often when a painting is left for a day or so or longer you can see how it can be improved. Just small touches that are missing and can make all the difference. You cant see these flawes because you are so engrossed in the work so some time put between it and you is useful. So, thought I would add a finishing touch to the Cornish Choughs by putting in some feathers.
There is an oil painting called `boy and a bird cage`by William Scott in Brighton Pavillion Gallery with a boy and a caged but free bird . When I lived in Brighton I use to go and see this picture alot and whenever I have painted birds I have tried to paint them as good as William Scotts bird, but I have never managed to do it. This picture is a mouthdroppingly well composed image both in structure and colour.

Mood lifted

Had a really nice comment from Lyne.Thanks Lyne my heart skipped forward a pace when I read that.
My mood has lifted this morning and I have produced a lovely Studio painting from my Plein air trip to St Mawes. I`ve been struggling with this for days and it all came together before 12 am today. So I will stretch a canvas and rest on my laurels for a while and go for a swim.

Subdued mood

A subdued painting to reflect my subdued mood

moving on

Felt so low yesterday after receiving the phone call that I hadn`t sold a piece at the Paragon Gallery I deleted the Blog. Today I`m going through my work and re-evaluating. It would be very easy for me to just give up and go and drive a taxi or something but I`m not the giving up type.Here is a piece I did in the winter and didn`t finish the detail on the figures but I keep coming back to it.

piccy

And here it the spot. When I first arrived it was empty then all of a sudden it was busy. Two little girls came over to say how good it was and a grown up came with his two boys and said it looked good. I think I am getting over my embarrassment .

The Square Gallery .St Mawes

Today I went to the Square Gallery in St Mawes to take over some prints . It is a super little Gallery full of everything really from small pictures to large pictures in a very busy and rather exclusive St Mawes. Most people come over on the Ferry from Falmouth. I drove around the Estuary to get there and it took ages. Next time I`ll take the King Harry Ferry. I didn`t get it on the way back because I had just enough money for a Pasty and by the time I had finished my Painting I was starving. This is the unedited version

Studio tinkering

Still in the Studio but not fired up just treading water.Trying this and that. ideas coming. Off tp St Mawes tomorrow to see the Square Gallery hopefully I`ll be able to do some Plein air painting.

Luggers in St Ives

Just went into the studio to tinker really and got lost in this painting. Decided to use that much disliked colour Prussian Blue with Paynes grey to subdue the colour. I took my easel outdoors to paint the Agapanthus and came out 4 hrs later with this.

Godrevy Beach

Went to Gedrevy Beach today .Thats Godrevy Lighthouse. It was windy and rained for a spell and the light was behind me so my canvas was bright white but I remembered what Miles said that if you want to plein air paint you have to put up with it`s vagaries,and so I persisted .Little children came up and smiled as they do to see if I would bite.Even an adult came up to me.Don`t you think it`s good to be adventurous and not make excuses. I feel thoroughly pleased with myself.

Spotty Jug 11

And here is the finished version.

At Last

At last I am beginning to synthesize some of the Plein air paintings and my experiences outdoors and take those ideas in to the studio. I may have to put some flowers in the red bowl .This is a striking 70x70cm acrylic on canvas.SS19 is a restored Lugger based at Penzance. The SS registration though is St Ives. This may have been moored at St Ives when those fabulous Plein air painters like Stanhope Forbes were at work in the pre modern era of St Ives painters.

Hayle Sands

Went to Hayle Sands and Sam surfed while I tackled the rocks. How difficult is this subject matter?

SS19

Acrylic on Canvas 42x42cms 16x16inches.

Cornish Lugger

Yesterday we went to Mousehoile fishing and generally mucking about in the rock pools. This Lugger crept up and sailed past just 100mtrs from the shore. A little kid said" look daddy a pirate ship". It was the SS19..So I painted it this morning using the painting sketch I did of Godrevy Lighthouse with some flowers that are in my Garden. I took my easel outside to paint the flowers.

Godrevy Lighthouse

Took prints to Seastar Gallery in Moushole. www.seastargallery.co.uk A really cool little Gallery run by Leigh and Gemma. Please go there and buy one of my Prints. In the afternoon I took the Family to Godrevy Lighthouse which is on the other side of St Ives Bay .We had a Barbecue and Sam and Alana and Bridie went surfing with Lorraine and I did a small painting

Reds and Golds.

One more Red and Gold for my London Show.This painting will be floated in a chocolate coloured frame with red in the rebate . It should look a million dollers.

A thought

While I was in Henley I had a chance to look around the galleries. I saw some very expensive art mostly framed in swanky high end frames for the Rich. It was very refreshing because it reminded me that there is more to life than Cornish Scenes with white wooden frames and I feel I can give myself permission to do the reds and golds that I love. So I`ve started two pictures. A large 90x90 of Palafrugel and a Scillonian picture that I will show later. This is my first days work.

Paragon Gallery

I`ve been away for a week in Exeter for my two man show with Martin Proctor .In fact it was a two man one woman show because their biggest selling Artist Yvonne Coomber dominated the gallery with her decorative artwork,( a surprize to me) so it was a little disappointing. The number of invited guests were small but the enthusiasm and selling instinct of Emma and Sue who run the Gallery was superb and the gallery itself is in a good spot and is large, spacious and well designed for art lovers so it should do well.

Sketch

This is a little 20x20cm sketch painting on canvas. Not really a finished piece but great for gathering information for Studio work.

St Ives

Again painting on St Ives Porthminster Beach. This is the un edited version so I will adjust bits in the studio. 42x42 cm acrylic on Canvas.I am off to Exmouth and Exeter for my Exhibition so no more postings till I get back on Tuesday.

Gilly Beach

I`ve been to a funeral today in Marazion to say goodbye to Doble. He was a keen boats man and the wake was at the Yacht Club.Can you see a theme developing here in the painting.He died in his chair listening to the radio.What a way to go.Sometimes you paint and your not sure were your going .You just do it anyway .This is one of those .

Nick

I had a call from Nick who wanted me to paint a picture for his house in Spain . This is to highlight the importance of taking correct e mail addresses as no matter which way I try his e mail it comes back as `Failure`. So Nick if your out there .Give us a call or e mail me as this sounds like an exciting project.

Last Cast

And on the last cast just as we were about to pack up Sam ,my son caught a Wrasse. We threw it back .

GillyBeach

Went fishing on Gilly Beach. Penzance is in the distance . I love the colour of the rocks.