Someone who likes my work has commissioned one of my larger landscape paintings. Leaving me free hand, he sent me a series of his photographs a couple of months ago, to give me some direction. I was inspired by his photographs to paint four seashores from which he will have first choice (next week when they are dry). I have really enjoyed painting sunsets.

For the last couple of years I have been specially attracted by water and light reflections. I think it started when an old lady with Alzheimer moved into my house. The painting below was painted during her stay in 2017. Darkly flowing water, distorted reflections, distorted memories…

Looking back over the last year, I see that many of my paintings include flowing water. This Summer, with its warm evenings, has drawn me to beach sunsets. The warmth of the colours, the depth of the dark headlands, the beautiful reflected light… I am now working on a view from Cattersty Sands, Skinningrove.

The little story of a little watercolour.
The first time I went to Loftus was in 2008, to take paintings to Wold Pottery new gallery. I liked Loftus, and later painted this watercolour which was exhibited in that gallery, but it didn’t sell and came back to me.
3 years later I moved to Loftus and settled in my little house.
Last month the Post Office closed.
Last week someone remembered that painting and wanted it.
And I found it.

I don’t throw away or burn my work if it doesn’t sell. Every painting takes me hours or months, sometimes years, and has something of me within it. And sometimes many years can pass before the right person comes along…
Artists live in hope.

Starting tomorrow 26 June in Scarborough, BlandsCliff Gallery’s Summer exhibition! Featuring Sally Clarke, printmaker, and Clothylde Vergnes, painter. The exhibition lasts until the end of August, so do go and see these two different visions of our landscape, as well as the work of many potters.

http://www.blandscliffgallery.com/page5.htm

And this weekend only, Whitby Art Fair! 40 artists, including ceramicists Jill Christie of Wold Pottery and Shirley Sheppard of Blandscliff gallery, Ailsa Nicholson’s beautiful glass, Clothylde’s paintings… 29 & 30 June. Whitby Pavilion.

Whitby Art Fair is on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th June at Whitby Pavilion (on West Cliff) 10am to 4pm. About 40 artists are taking part, including me. See you there?…

This painting was finished just in time for the exhibition at Pickering Memorial Hall this weekend Saturday & Sunday, 10am to 4pm. The red is a fungus which grows on the north side of the trees, and glows in the dappled light. oils on linen, 50x100cm.

What a sweet life. I go for a walk in the woods with friends, fill my eyes and my mind, and I have enough to keep my brushes busy for a month. Here are two more paintings of the woods. The top one will be exhibited in Pickering Memorial Hall on 8th & 9th June, 10am to 4pm.

May is the most flowered month in North Yorkshire, an explosion of colours in gardens and nature. Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta ) are simply beautiful in the woods, and I also love the wild garlic (Allium ursinum). Here are this year’s two paintings of bluebells in Grosmont woods.

Continuing experimentation, I decided to paint the same scene with different types of oil paint. Rosedale is one of my favourites. From the top of the moor, you can look into the valley and its farmhouses, and see the old kilns on the left (east side), and the old railway water tower on the right.

A sunny picture to celebrate the wonderful Easter weather we’ve just had on the North East coast: Cattersty Sands, Skinningrove, one of the nicest beaches around. Golden sand, sand dunes, and remains of the old mine fanhouse on top of the cliff. And yes, I am still experimenting with paints. These are Sennelier Rive Gauche oils. A new range of paints made with safflower oil, these are quicker drying than traditional oil paints, but slower than alkyd oils. That means they give more time for blending, but dry within a few days. Here I limited my palette to the three primary colours (red, blue, yellow) and white, using black for the finishing lines.

This painting is now exhibited in Wold Pottery gallery, Loftus.

One of the best thing about painting is that there are so many types of colours and medium, you can always try something different. This stops one being complacent. Here is my first painting with Michael Harding’s handmade oil colours. I love their buttery texture.

Still experimenting with new paints, I changed the colours and reworked this MoorTop with Michael Harding’s handmade and W&N artists’ oil colours.