Paintbox Rambler - paintings by Elizabeth Cadd

Morthoe, and the need to be alone...

2012-01-20T15:36:00.000-08:00

A house sit in Barnstaple, October 2011 enabled me to get out to the North Devon coast to paint. However, it became apparent to me that painting should probably be a solitary activity - unless you are with similar minded artists who are all happy to give each other space and time.

To Bull Point Lighthouse, Mortehoe

Watercolour. 2nd October 2011.
Size: 18.5cm x 13 cm

£45.00 Unframed.

I was struggling with feelings of guilt at wanting to go away to paint. I would be leaving my unhappy boyfriend behind yet again... I was wondering if other artists have this selfish need to spend time alone? And how their partners cope with it? (Insert advice here please!) Since I don't have a studio, and rarely ever paint indoors, finding something inspiring on your doorstep can be difficult. I'm not actually sure if it is selfish - to need time alone for ones painting? It's like reading a book - it's not a joint activity.

Grunta Beach, North Devon

Watercolour. 2nd October 2011.
Size: 26.5cm x 18.5 cm

£50.00 Unframed.

Although I work away a lot in the summer, painting always gets sidelined and comes after work. It's hard to fit it into sporadic odd hours and difficult to switch mindsets from one activity to another. I try to tell myself that painting is my work to get it higher up the priority list... and denying my needs will only lead to further frustrations...

So in my bid to try and make everyone happy, I compromised by inviting my boyfriend and then a family member along on the trip. It didn't work so well for me in terms of painting - I didn't get very much done at all compared to time alone. It's just so difficult to have someone waiting for you. I ended up just deciding to enjoy the lovely walks, beautiful scenery, and crap weather. I always feel like it's a lost opportunity not to paint if I'm away though.

This is Morte Point, Mortehoe on the North Devon coast path.

It's a very inspiring place for me. View my last trips sketchbook in North Devon (5 days in April 2009) to compare work.

Morte Point, Morthoe

Watercolour. 9th October 2011.
Size: 26.5cm x 18.5 cm

£50.00 Unframed.

I've read lots of interesting points recently in a book called 'The Artists Way' by Julia Cameron. Early in the book she talks about the need to refill our inner well, our artistic reservoir like restocking a trout pond. If we don't do that we become depleted, stagnant or blocked. Filling the well involves the active pursuit of images... The artist brain is the sensory brain: sight and sound, smell and taste, touch. She talks of doing what intrigues you, exploring what interests you, what delights you and is fun. Focus your attention on things and encounter life experiences, don't ignore them.

View of Woolacombe, North Devon

Watercolour. 2nd October 2011.
Size: 18.5cm x 13 cm

£40.00 Unframed.

She recommends artists (and anyone creative) make dates with their inner artistic child, - especially if you have been neglecting it. This is something that you do by yourself, and just for you, something that you've really wanted to do - be it taking a few hours to visit a gallery, going to the beach to collect shells, take a drum lesson, whatever you want. It's about making time for your inner artist, to do something that will inspire you and refresh you. Protect this time at all costs - do not let chores be an excuse not to do it, or other people come along with you as a joint activity. This time is for you only to enjoy. This time must be protected.

Walkers cross Mortehoe

Watercolour. 9th October 2011.
Size: 35.5cm x 12.5 cm

£65.00 Unframed.

When I read these things, I felt like she really new what I was struggling with, and she was reiterating how important time and space is to an artist. When I've been house sitting on my own in the past, I've been on an extended artist date. I've experienced and painted new places, I've restocked my pond to over flowing and without any distractions - I can get lost in my creative space and grow. Each day builds on the last and this 'work' (because painting each day becomes a purposeful habit) is highly fulfilling.

Space is also a wonderful thing for getting perspective on life though. And at least I've recognized that making space is an important part of being a healthy artist and that compromises aren't always helpful, no matter how well meaning you want to be.

Sea, Skies and Beach at Hunstanton

2012-01-17T14:26:00.000-08:00

Here are some paintings from a camping holiday on the east coast (camping on the beach) at Hunstanton in September 2011. Lots of windy walks, open flat views of the sandbanks and huge skies.

Horses at Hunstanton Beach.

Watercolour. Sept 2011.
Size:35cm x 13 cm

£50 Unframed.

Tide Out.

Watercolour. Sept 2011.
Size: 35cm x 13 cm

£65 Unframed.

Heavy Cloud

Watercolour. Sept 2011.
Size:35 cm x 12.5 cm

£50 Unframed.

Lone Walker

Watercolour. Sept 2011.
Size:35cm x 13 cm

£50 Unframed.

Stormy Kite Surf

Watercolour. Sept 2011.
Size:26.5cm x 18.75 cm

£55 Unframed.

Hunstanton Cliffs

Watercolour. Sept 2011.
Size:26.5cm x 18.75 cm

£55 Unframed.

Kites at Hunstanton

Watercolour. Sept 2011.
Size:35.5cm x 25.5 cm

£65 Unframed

Purchased Monoprints and Watercolours are sent in a clear cellophane sleeve,
either in a board backed envelope or a postal tube. All payments are made via PAYPAL.

Blakeney Point

2012-01-14T15:50:00.000-08:00

Blakeney Point, is a 3-mile-long sand and shingle spit, and a paradise for all kinds of wildlife. It comprises of an extensive area of saltmarsh, vegetated shingle, dunes and grazing marsh. Wide open spaces and uninterrupted views of the natural and dynamic coastline make for an inspiring visit.

Thinking the wind would be as cold as it had been on the other days on the holiday, I wore my insulated walking trousers, but the sun beat down on us as we ploughed through the shingle all the way along the spit. It became one of those days where you anticipate the weather doing one thing, then it goes and does the opposite. I was overdressed and over heating! In desperation, there was nothing else to do but get my knife out and cut my legs off - my trousers that is. Well they were old and tatty walking trousers. What a relief!

So enough of my rambling on and down to some painting. I like the way two of these landscapes seem to have been stretched sideways - flat marshy expanses made some interesting shapes in the landscape. It would be a wonderful place to stay, there are little wooden shed-like huts near the lifeboat house tucked behind the dunes just idyllic for a bit of solitude in nature (and painting).

We sat and had a lovely picnic lunch brought from the deli at the village. We were out of the wind, looking out across the marshes. On our walk back the seals followed us in the sea, just off the shore, their heads bobbing up at intervals ahead of us expectantly.

Blakeney Point Lifeboat House.

Watercolour. Sept 2011.
Size: 19cm x 12.5 cm

£35 Unframed.

Blakeney Point, Boats at Low Tide.

Watercolour. Sept 2011.
Size: 26.5cm x 9 cm

£50 Unframed.

Blakeney Marshes.

Watercolour. Sept 2011.
Size: 26.5cm x 9 cm

£50 Unframed.

Monoprints, lino & St Mary Magdalene

2011-12-23T12:34:00.000-08:00

Church of St Mary Magdalene,
Shrewsbury

A small trip outdoors with my paints after spending what seems like weeks hibernating indoors. I ended up at St Mary Magdalene's Church near Shrewsbury, The church of St Mary Magdalene was built in 1406, as a memorial to those who fell in battle there on the 21st July 1403. (See photos of this church here).

I painted one picture before the light went. I wish the sun had stayed out to create more dramatic shadows. This church is sited near Battlefield 1403 and a nice walk around some historic fishpools.

Study of tumble down stone cottage
in the mountain side. Watercolour.

Other than that I've been working on some printmaking - lino prints, monoprints with Chine-collé technique (glued tissue paper) over collage and some watercolour studies trying to improve my technique. Here are a few samples:

Lino print of poppy fields.

Hills and field tracks, Monoprint.

22nd December 2011
Size: 21cm x 14.5 cm. Unframed.
£25.00

Hills and trees - Monoprint. (SOLD)

You may have noticed you can also buy some of my paintings on this blog now and at my Etsy shop : LizCaddWatercolours

If you want to purchase anything not marked with a price and not marked sold, please just get in touch at art@elizabethcadd.co.uk

Winter landscape with trees - Monoprint
Nov 2011. Size: 20cm x 14.5cm.
£25.00 Unframed.

Blue landscape with trees - Monoprint
Nov 2011. Size:20cm x 14.5 cm
£15.00 Unframed.

Purchased Monoprints and Watercolours are sent in a clear cellophane sleeve,
either in a board backed envelope or a postal tube. All payments are made via PAYPAL.

Shapes of Trees - Watercolour
Dec 22nd 2011. Size: 30cm x 23 cm (12" x 9")
£75.00 Unframed.

This last image is inspired by my Italian sketchbooks. I'm still slightly haunted by the shapes of the trees and colours I found out there.

Private View Invitation - Gateway, Gallery 3, Shrewsbury - 29th July 7.30pm

2011-07-26T09:18:00.000-07:00

Hello All...
Please come and join me at

The Gateway,
Gallery 3, Shrewsbury
for my first Private View at
7.30pm on Friday 29th July
for drinks and nibbles.

This is my summer exhibition of contemporary plein air watercolour landscapes, some of which can be seen on my website at www.elizabethcadd.co.uk

The exhibition continues from
30th July - 12th September 2011.

For those of you not familiar to Shrewsbury, here is a link to the Gallery Website & Map

All welcome, it would be lovely to see you all!

Spring fields of Leicestershire, 25th April 2011

2011-04-25T14:04:00.000-07:00

Paintings from Bank Holiday Monday..more cycling around yellow fields of Leicestershire and a puncture or two later..

Gate at Wistow, Leicestershire. 25th April 2011

£40.00 Size: 24cm x 10.5cm in white single mount.

Along the canal from Wistow, Leicestershire. 25th April 2011. Size: 25cm x 11.5cm.
£40.00 Unframed, unmounted.

Canalside travelling towards Felton Locks, Leicestershire. 25th April 2011. Size:35.5cm x 13cm.

£70.00 Unframed, unmounted.

Canalside view towards Felton Locks, Leicestershire. 25th April 2011. Size: 50cm x 40cm.

£155.00 Framed in white wood frame and white double mount.

Leicestershire spring countryside 22 April 2011

2011-04-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

Here are some more plein air watercolours whilst out on cycle rides in Leicestershire.
Getting back in the swing of things! First, I rode to Wistow and painted the first three from within the same field. Later I rode out to Foston with huge expanses of yellow fields rolling into the distance, this was a successful place to paint, quiet and seemingly miles from anyone. The last two are views around Countesthorpe and Great Glen

Wistow oak and yellow field, Leics.

22nd April 2011. Size: 25cm x 19cm.
£155.00 Framed.

Wistow rape seed fields, Leicestershire.

Under the oak tree.
22nd April 2011.

Foston yellow haze, Leicestershire.

22nd April 2011. Size: 39.5cm x 32.5cm.
£140.00 Framed.

Farm at Foston, Leicestershire.
22nd April 2011.

On the road to Countesthorpe, Leicestershire.
22nd April 2011.
Mounted.

Top of Great Glen travelling towards Burton Overy, Leicestershire.
22nd April 2011.

Leicestershire spring fields - 16 April 2011

2011-04-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

Great yellow fields of oil seed rape are coming out at the moment. Here are a few watercolours from a walk around them today.

All todays paintings are 14.5" x 5.75" (37cm x 14.5cm)
Watercolour& watercolour pencil.

Landscapes in JONES' Coffee Shop Whitchurch, North Shropshire

2011-02-03T05:59:00.000-08:00

1st Feb 2011 - 1st March 2011 @ JONES' Coffee Shop

I have just put up an exhibition of watercolour landscapes at Jones' Coffee Shop on the Whitchurch High Street, North Shropshire.

This exhibition is on until the 1st March 2011, when it then moves to Market Drayton. Please come and see!

Pembrokeshire coast - Oct 2010

2010-10-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

A quickie high up on the Pembrokeshire coastal footpath. I love quickies.. with a clear sky. I think we walked up from St David's, a lovely part of Wales and great walking country.

Pembrokeshire Coastpath.

Watercolour, black watercolour pencil

£40.00 Unframed.

Oct 2010. Size: 23cm x 12cm

Purchased Monoprints and Watercolours are sent in a clear cellophane sleeve,

either in a board backed envelope or a postal tube. All payments are made via PAYPAL.

Landscapes in Theatre Severn restaurant, Shrewsbury

2010-09-03T13:59:00.000-07:00

Up on the second floor of Theatre Severn, in the restaurant, I've put up a set of watercolour landscapes, so if you're in Shrewsbury, please take five minutes to have a look!

Kurt Jackson talks about plein air painting on Midweek

2010-09-03T11:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a nice little radio clip about Kurt Jackson's working process. I love his work and total approach to painting. Listen from about 23 minutes in.
BBC - Midweek 28/07/2010

Kurt Jackson's new exhibition 'The Dart' (4 Sept – 6 October 2010) is on at Lemon Street Gallery, 13 Lemon Street, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 2LS.

www.lemonstreetgallery.co.uk

Caer Caradoc from Ragleth Hill, Shropshire

2010-08-18T15:06:00.000-07:00

Some sunshine at last this week, so up the hill (heading east) from Church Stretton I went up onto Ragleth Hill. Some great views all around of Wenlock Edge, the Mynd, and Caer Caradoc painted here. It was a job to hang onto my paper!

View of Caer Caradoc from Ragleth Hill
Watercolour, watercolour pencil
23cm x 12cm
18 August 2010

SOLD

Here are some interesting photos of the hills I took, the shadows were particularly interesting for me as they looked like mirror images distorted on the hill. View of the Mynd, heather colour just showing through the dark shadows.

Norton Camp

2010-08-18T14:37:00.000-07:00

A walk around the woods of Norton Camp from Craven Arms, Shropshire was a lovely ramble. This painting was one of the few distant views of hills available on the walk, since mostly I was in the woods! During this painting one of those low flying jets came from overhead, flew to the hill in the distance (I think it was Clee Hill), banked and headed off again. Overall it took a mere one or two minutes at most. Crushed hazelnuts still green, A beech limb fallen across the path, up a steep banked lane. Squares of corn and dots of oak, A wandering line of a hedge. An arm wet with sparkling water, A damp grass seat, Fading foxgloves, Strong swirling breeze. Unripe blackberries, Mature cheddar crisps, A Tunnock teacake, A chest full of fresh air, Time to walk on.

View towards Clee from Norton Camp, Craven Arms
Watercolour, watercolour pencil. 37cm x 15cm.
Painted 16 August 2010
£80.00

Far away fields - original plein air watercolour by Elizabeth Cadd

2010-07-21T02:49:00.000-07:00

A plein air painting of Leicestershire fields.. painted during summer 2010, but I lost track of the date on this one. I like the floating abstract shapes of the trees here..

Down to Earth, Whitchurch, Shropshire in July & August

2010-07-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

Landscape work has just gone up at the Down to Earth Gallery in Whitchurch, North Shropshire. Currently on display are some Italian landscapes, The Down to Earth Gallery is in the courtyard at the back of Whitchurch High Street, and at the side of the Heritage & Information Centre.

The gallery is stuffed full of excellent craft work by local artists. Visit www.downtoearthgallery.co.uk

4 The Craft Centre, St. Mary's Street, Whitchurch, Shropshire, SY13 1QY.

SPACE - Ellesmere Exhibition photos 20th June - 3rd July

2010-07-03T14:55:00.000-07:00

Photos of my exhibition at SPACE, Ellesmere, Shropshire. Which was on from 20th June - 3rd July 2010. Showing life drawings, landscapes and a greenwood bench.

I spent the first Sunday which coincided with the Ellesmere Food & Drink Festival at the exhibition talking to people about my work with sketchbooks and other unframed work on show.
A fair bit of interest in the bench too which was nice to have on show.

Cooling walk at British Camp, Malverns

2010-06-28T16:16:00.000-07:00

These last few days have been so hot and muggy working in the woodland workshop where I've been bowl turning, I took a break and went up to British Camp to go and cool down.
A beautiful refreshing breeze with a slight haze in the distance threatening rain, gave me chance to sketch a few scenes. I remember coming up here last summer quite a few times and my style has progressed a bit since then. Compare this same scene in the top picture with last years painting british camp 2009 .

Shows up and down Shropshire

2010-06-23T14:32:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of my pitch at the Hit and Run Art Show, Ellesmere, June 13th 2010. Footfall was a little low compared to last year apparently and the rain didn't help I think. I wasn't even sure what hanging system would be available when we turned up - or if we had to bring our own easels, but the organizers were extremely helpful and supportive. I met some very nice artists who also exhibit at SPACE in Ellesmere and even traded some beautiful cutout artwork with a fellow exhibitor.

Happy day on Strawberry Hill

2010-06-17T16:13:00.000-07:00

A landscape of memories and feelings, of people and places.

Journeys

2010-05-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

"My favorite thing is to go where I've never been."

Diane Arbus

Journeys open the heart, the soul and the eyes and with open eyes one sees clearly, sees a new world, a world that, for those who have lived in it forever, is no longer visible.

A week on the Isle of Wight

2010-04-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

Oswestry exhibition photos

2010-04-06T14:26:00.000-07:00

I haven't been doing much painting or rambling lately as I've started another season of volunteering in the woods (greenwood working) again. Why I wonder where all my time goes, I don't know...it goes on doing all this 'stuff' doesn't it. Anyway, here are some photos of me putting up my exhibition in Oswestry at the end of March.

We got their late due to motorway traffic and then I had to do the photographs for the local paper...it was a big exhibition to put up, but my lovely mum helped me out and we got it up in record time. Life drawing and figurative work went mostly in the upstairs room. Landscapes are round the cafe, you can see here downstairs.

Art Exhibition

2010-03-29T02:24:00.001-07:00

My exhibition of Italian landscapes and life studies goes up today in Oswestry.

Also my new website to preview the exhibitions now live at www.elizabethcadd.co.uk

Hope you can pop along or just take a look!
Enjoy!

Getting inside the work - comments on Rothko

2010-02-13T15:32:00.000-08:00

I have started reading The Artist's Reality, Philosophies of Art by Mark Rothko.
A quotation from the Introduction by Christopher Rothko:
"So much of understanding his work is personal, and so much of it is made up of the process of getting inside the work... you must undertake a sensuous adventure within the world of the painting in order to know it at all. He cannot tell you what his paintings, or anyone else's are about. You have to experience them...As his works exemplify, writing and painting involve different kinds of knowing."

As a painter paints, he is inside the work and the work is inside him, it emerges around his thoughts, and from his subconscious, growing through his moving body and settling on a surface. To describe in words all things in it, is to deny the painting it's own voice, we miss something in the translation from image to speech.

Why did Bonnard paint ... and what's personality got to do with it?

2010-01-24T09:24:00.000-08:00

"What attracted me was less art itself than the artist's life and all that it meant for me: the idea of creativity and freedom of expression and action. I had been attracted to painting and drawing for a long time, but it was not an irresistible passion; what I wanted, at all costs, was to escape the monotony of life."

PIERRE BONNARD

So, I've been thinking about why I started painting so much in the last year, and why my paintings come out the way they do? How does this happen?

I've read recently that an artists personal style is about personality, and I have recognized from the artists I have met after knowing their work first and then finding out what they are like as people, or seeing something of the way they live, that this is true. There may be some exceptions to the rule, but for example, an fastideously tidy person in daily life will probably paint or make things with exact precision.
My own style, well something is happening, whether it is a proper style is yet to be seen, as you can see from this blog...(does anyone read this blog anyway?) Here are some words off the top of my head to describe my own painting style at present; loose, watery, messy, confused, thoughtful, gentle, abrupt, sometimes uptight, colourful, flowing, hurried, overworked, layered, blurred, spontaneous, energetic, quiet. I could go on, but without analysing things too much, those words also kind of describe how I feel, me, I wonder if anyone who knows me would agree?

So what is being an artist about then? Is it about being free to express your personality through your art? We are who we are at the end of the day. Individual, different, and complex as nature intended. Freedom is necessary for us to be who we are, and is crucial in order that we can express our thoughts or feelings or experiences of who we are, or what we feel about the world. In order to let creative works emerge, we must banish the sorts of negativity that inhibits our creative flow and substitute it for constructive criticism. If we don't feel free to express ourselves - or make mistakes, we cannot grow as individuals and then what happens to the creative tendancies?

A note about my own work. I don't always really like what I've painted, but find the results more interesting than anything else. When I started to paint I would tell myself as long as I could find something small in each painting I liked then I was doing o.k. This was largely for encouraging technical ability. Now, there will be days when 2 paintings could have very different styles, and I would wonder why that happens. When I was at University studying Contemporary Arts, I had numerous projects based around the personality, personas and the psyche, this subject fascinated me. Maybe different personas come through more in one painting than another. There must be a subconscious process happening, alongside the physical activity of mark making that results in the artwork itself. As we can't say what we want to with words alone, these are the results of being in the moment with the landscape, my feelings and my life experiences, speaking my own language through paint and paper. An illusive visual conversation with myself perhaps...to be continued I think.

6 x 20 minutes, A2

2010-01-22T11:51:00.000-08:00

I've been feeling like the paintings lack some energy in them...it's probably the winter cold that's been zapping it out of them. But no excuse. I challenged myself to 20 minutes for all paintings today. I've enough time to get the basics down, an impression is all I'm after here, and just left colours flow together on the page and see what accidents happen. There's no time for any layers, just bleeds and wet in wet work. (Sorry about the poor lighting on these photographs.)

And a single tree understood...

2010-01-21T19:39:00.000-08:00

This was another sunny, fine windy winters day. Looking across to the magnificent holm oak (an evergreen) standing on the hilltop in the distance. 2 paintings here, then a trip into Siena to look at the Duomo.

A whole other world with a mackerel sky

2010-01-20T11:27:00.000-08:00

I was going to Siena today, but I changed my mind in Buonconvento for some reason and ended up taking a short trip out up onto the hills. It was so stunning this afternoon...that tears rolled down my cheek at one point. Ahhh. I just had to stop painting and take it all in. Hills, mist and the sun peeping through a mackerel sky. There is something amazing about everyday being different. I thought for the first time this morning that I may have started to get bored with it all, then another view hits you, and you know why you came here, all over again. 4 paintings today, 2 small ones and 2 larger ones.

Sun and clear sky in winter

2010-01-19T09:31:00.000-08:00

An almost warm day today after this mornings frost had disappeared. The sun was out, the sky was very blue, so the brushes came out.A sketch of the veg garden gate, the view in the distance and 2 of the surrounding olivegroves.

Watercolor masters

2010-01-17T10:44:00.000-08:00

• John James Audubon • William Blake • Charles Burchfield • Paul Cézanne • Tony Couch • J.S. Cotman • J.W.S. Cox • Honoré Daumier • Charles Demuth • Albrecht Dürer • Thomas Eakins • Thomas Girtin • Childe Hassam • Tom Hill • Winslow Homer • Edward Hopper • George Inness • Ted Kautzky • Henry G. Keller • Dong Kingman • Paul Klee • John LaFarge • Tom Lynch • John Marin • Reginald Marsh • Thomas Moran • Georgia O'Keefe • Maurice Prendergast • Frederick Remington • John Singer Sargent • Irving Shapiro • Charles Sheeler • William Sommer • Zoltan Szabo • J.M.W. Turner • Vincent Van Gogh • Frank Webb • James McNeill Whistler • Edgar A. Whitney • Frank Wilcox • Andrew Wyeth

Sketches from the Uffizi

2010-01-15T18:01:00.000-08:00

A whole afternoon in the Uffizi gallery, well worth it. Loved the 13th Century patterned artworks, and the ceilings of the main corridor in particular - painted covings in blue and gold and light decorative scenes painted all the way down the corridor. Here are a couple of sketches as no photos could be taken.Scenes from the lives of hermits, - monks was an intricate painting and I fell in love with these little boats dotted around the sea.

San Giovanni D'Asso view over vineyard

2010-01-13T16:18:00.000-08:00

A sunny day at last, but still icey cold. This is the view of San Giovanni D'Asso coming from the clay track to Poggio Boldrini about a mile away.

Rainbow

2010-01-10T10:25:00.000-08:00

A nice interlude to the rain...

René PleinAir

2010-01-09T15:45:00.000-08:00

Just been admiring plein air paintings by René Beeldendkunstenaar, a self-taught artist living and working in the Netherlands. He has some beautiful painting of the snow and ice this winter. Please go and have a look at his blog.

Rain in the olivegrove

2010-01-06T10:38:00.000-08:00

A quick sprint with the paints during a break in the rain to the olivegrove...

Snow, mud, snow, mud

2010-01-04T19:15:00.000-08:00

All snow and rain at the moment, not much decent painting weather now!

Florence

2010-01-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

The Ponte Vecchio was being renovated on the other side of the bridge, so a view from this side instead. I sketched this picture surrounded by hoards of people jossling for a view of this famous bridge and illegal traders selling handbags. A lot of watercolour and caricature artists selling their wares in the street here, some quite good, others pretty poor.

Happy New Year! 2010 here we come...

2010-01-02T18:10:00.000-08:00

Rain,rain, rain, Collage!

2009-12-31T17:36:00.000-08:00

After 2 days of rain (which I ain't going out in to paint in), I'm in the mood for trying out the collage landscape. Made glue from flour and water, that still works like magic.

Oak in the garden

2009-12-29T17:31:00.000-08:00

Looking towards the house, with lovely big oak trees on the top bank. It's so cold and wet...I have my flask of hot chocolate with me now. Paper is so damp!

Monterongriffoli walk

2009-12-28T17:28:00.000-08:00

A long walk today and just one painting at lunch.

Quickly, before it rains again...

2009-12-27T17:23:00.000-08:00

Such short hours in which to paint, between the rain and before it gets too cold, I managed just two today after the Christmas break behind the capanna looking towards the olives.

Cold and overcast Tuscan hills

2009-12-23T17:18:00.000-08:00

Winter olive groves

2009-12-21T17:02:00.000-08:00

It's very cold today, the paper doesn't dry...I'm at the limits of this medium...give me some oils or acrylic and I'll have to work with that.

The Valley

2009-12-20T16:39:00.000-08:00

So it's pretty cold at the moment, but the light is good today and the winter colours are quite interesting..lots of greys, purples and muted browns.

Olivegrove at Poggio Boldrini

2009-12-19T16:34:00.000-08:00

Last night we had snow, about half an inch, so everything was white at last, a great change to the landscape...within 3 hours most of it had melted though, so just a couple of white paintings.
A little postcard for Martin.

Olive groves and Tuscan hills

2009-12-16T16:18:00.000-08:00

Experimenting with very bold washes wax on top of the first layer. All todays paintings are here.

Olive washes

2009-12-15T16:06:00.000-08:00

Today is all loose and watery...but is it getting too cold to paint? I thought not until my paint froze on my palette (we're talking watercolours here!) and ice crystals formed on my paper. I cannot go on like this..now I need another medium! Ahh or perhaps hot water??

Trees dot the landscape

2009-12-13T15:31:00.000-08:00

A few small sketches today, I really, really like the first one. The colours flow into each other and there is a good balance of black to white. I usually put too much black in at the end and it becomes a bit heavy and dark, but this one I like. Painting from today are here.

Enorme Nube - huge cloud

2009-12-12T18:18:00.000-08:00

Big clouds today, painting on a hillside near Torrenieri. I believe you're supposed to keep the sky simple if you have a busy land or vica versa...I did the land first though, then this enourmous explosion- like cloud emerged over the hill andcouldn't resist having a go at it. All of todays paintings are here

Reflections on Vincents olive trees

2009-12-11T15:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of Vincent Van Gogh's olive grove paintings are worth looking at again firstly because olive trees are not the easiest thing to paint or draw. I struggle with varying approaches - to outline the shapes seems to be my favourite approach, but Van Gogh puts a lot of detail and strong colour into his. It might have been in summer when he painted his olive groves as the ground looks parched.

Olive trees dancing

2009-12-11T14:54:00.000-08:00

I'm sure these olive trees must have personalities..I'm working out how to paint them as you can see from these two very different styles from today.

No.2 SOLD

A sky worth painting

2009-12-10T14:46:00.000-08:00

Great skys today, some white vapour trails across blue so my mind was on practicing this more than anything else. Had some difficulties with a new rough paper also today, which I've decided I don't like afterall. Better sticking to the hot pressed at the moment.

Crisp clear autumn day

2009-12-09T14:36:00.000-08:00

There are many hunters out in the valleys at this time of the year, shooting whatever wildlife they can find it seems...which kinds of puts me off rambling away from the main tracks without wearing a dayglow hat or coat. (Just in case they fancy taking a shot). Today however I walked across the shrubby hillside to a view down the valley. I could see truffle hunters with dogs at the bottom of the hillside, but managed to get a nice composition I was happy with.
All painting from today are here.

Morning walk

2009-12-09T14:00:00.000-08:00

More mist, darker trees, less sun, less shadows, less strong colour.

4 weeks into trip - looking back

2009-12-09T13:15:00.000-08:00

So I've been out here in the Tuscany hills for about 4 weeks now, it's been fairly warm and like stepping back into early autumn just in time to escape another cold, wet winter in England...
I've indulged myself with painting in sketchbooks mostly for the last 4 weeks as a 'warm up' and have spent most days painting apart from when serious distractions prohibited good painting vibes. The entire catalogue of sketches day to day is here > Tuscany watercolours if anyone wants to see warts and all progress (or not) I had a very sticky patch after week one..but things are picking up again I hope.

Also I just found some lovely paintings by Robin Purcell, an American watercolor artist. Very interesting style and great use of colour, they do look very modern.

What happened today?

2009-12-08T14:21:00.000-08:00

Whatever happened today I don't know, maybe it was the good weather, vibes, eye and mind all in the right place, but it produced some satisfying paintings. In the third image below I was particularly pleased with the clouds. 2nd painting the brambles and rosehips worked with the hills in the background using wax as a resist to keep the white. All pictures from today are here.

No.2 SOLD

Walking towards Chiusure

2009-12-02T13:54:00.000-08:00

Quick sketches in a tiny sketchbook today, the temmperature has really started to drop. Mist literally rolled over the fields today, I just had to stand and look. Here are all the sketches from today. Here

Hills and trees

2009-11-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

Something I miss about the landscapes here are the hedgerows and stonewalls between nearly every field in Britain. This gives quite a bit of structure to a painting, so in this one I found the trees in the valleys made a nice substitute. I've started to use wax as a resist over colour as well as to retain the white paper. I've never actually used the gum watercolourists usually use for this purpose, and wax can be moved around as quickly as a brush without me having to wait for it to dry. I haven't got the time to wait around!

Volcano in the distance

2009-11-27T13:40:00.000-08:00

Started to notice a slight change in the weather, more clouds appearing making the sky more interesting whereas before it was pretty clear all day. Nicemist in the mornings too combined with the distant hills are challenging to paint also.

Confusing hill and valleys

2009-11-25T13:35:00.000-08:00

Sometimes there's just too much to paint, and I found that out today...too much detail doesn't make for a good picture!

Olive trees

2009-11-24T13:30:00.000-08:00

Playing with the colours and shapes of the olive tree. They are a peculiar colour of grey, green, turquoise, blue.

Trees in the landscape

2009-11-23T13:24:00.000-08:00

This is a nice balance of colour and shape in this sketch. I'm particularly keen on this aspect ratio too for my landscapes.

Mist over the hills

2009-11-22T13:15:00.000-08:00

22nd November 2009 - Mixing up the media with watercolours, wax, oil pastels, gouache. All sketches from this day are here

Looking at the work of John Piper

2009-11-21T10:43:00.000-08:00

I found the work of John Piper today. I was happily surprised by many of his watercolour landscape sketches, mainly because I sometimes feel that my work is too messy in my attempts to keep things immediate. And his style struck a chord with me on some level. He's probably the only artist in watercolours I've thought that actually does what I've been trying to achieve. Rhythmic patterns and shapes, often dark with intense colours. Here are some of his paintings...and a link to a website with more of John Pipers work here.

Cardiganshire Hillside 1975

Beach, Llantwit Major, Wales 1957

Cardiganshire Farm 1975

Wolf's Castle, Pembrokeshire 1971

Autumn colours and olive tree shapes

2009-11-21T10:36:00.000-08:00

The olive trees are becoming the focus of more of my sketches as the other trees fade and loose their leaves.

Photos for those back home

2009-11-20T11:57:00.000-08:00

The Capanna
Olivegrove in the the garden

View from the top of the hill, 10 mins up the lane. 360° panoramic view.

View from the veg patch.

Patio and olives

2009-11-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

Click here to see all of todays sketches.

Garden at Poggio Boldrini

2009-11-19T09:58:00.000-08:00

A few quick sketches of the garden at Poggio Boldrini, Tuscany, Italy. Olive trees, cypress, lots of shrubs andw autumn leaves falling.

Best warm autumn day, Tuscany, Italy

2009-11-18T09:53:00.000-08:00

Perfect warm sun on my back as I sit on the ground and paint. The shapes and shadows are alive with autumn colours. Truly the best day here.

Storm approaching on walk to Chiusare

2009-11-17T09:45:00.000-08:00

Chiusare walk, Tuscany, Italy - 17th November 2009
The weather was a bit disappointing compared to yesterday and some stormy looking clouds came over the hill on my walk to Chiusare. Noting the difference in colour temperatures painting on a daily basis now, it really is starting to reflect the weather conditions. Click here to view all of todays sketches

Hot autumn day, Tuscany, Italy

2009-11-16T09:38:00.000-08:00

16th November 2009
Watercolour and watercolour pencil sketches. Today it's hot, I think my shapes and colours are much bolder for this. Hot hot hot colours, the autumn trees look amazing today..
Click here to view all todays sketches

Train trip from Buonconvento to Siena, Italy

2009-11-15T09:18:00.000-08:00

15th November 2009
Pencils were out today, and a first trip in Siena. Siena is a very impressive city, full of character, heaving with Italians out for a Sunday afternoon stroll. I walked past the Colors of Beneton shop and all I could see in there was black or grey. The Italians love to dress in black I discovered, as I stuck out like a sore thumb in my lime green jacket.

View from Poggio Boldrini

2009-11-14T09:04:00.000-08:00

The view from Poggio Boldrini towards San Giovanni D'Asso, Italy -14th November 2009. A hot autumn afternoon, makes me feel like using warm colours in my palette.

View of Poggio Boldrini

2009-11-13T09:09:00.000-08:00

Poggio Boldrini, San Giovanni D'Asso, Tuscany, Italy.
I walked around the valley to the next crest of a hill to paint where I'm currently living...you can see it's on a ridge, surrounded by old olive trees, and oaks in the valleys.

Views of San Giovanni D'Asso, Italy

2009-11-12T08:58:00.000-08:00

12th Nov 2009
It's such a fine day today that the light makes things glow slightly golden.

The ape collection

2009-11-11T12:42:00.000-08:00

The penetrating mosquito whine of the Ape can be heard ringing through the air. Little 3 wheelers with a front cabin big enough to squeeze two truffle hunters into and space for a dog cage in the back. What more could a person ask for!

3 months in Italy...

2009-11-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

Poggio Boldrini, San Giovanni D'Asso - 11th November 2009
It's autumn in Tuscany, and I'm here for 3 months on top of a hillside surrounded by valleys of oak, ash, birch, and elder. I'm here to paint mostly, and to rest, walk, escape part of the English winter at least and perhaps learn a bit of Italian. First impressions from the Capanna...I'm working in sketchbooks for the first few weeks just to see what happens. The autumn colours are great, and the sun is still warm.

Back to Prees, Shropshire

2009-11-02T07:31:00.001-08:00

Back at Prees again and a walk around the back field, winter wheat has been planted, but it's very shallow, there are nice lines streaking across the rows of planting.

Forgot my paints

2009-10-28T07:29:00.000-07:00

Whoops, forgot the paintbox, but why not just work in tones?

More of St Dominick, Devon

2009-10-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

More landscapes of the hills around St Dominick.

Drawing people on Seaton beach

2009-10-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

A bit of a windy one on Seaton, people get stuck trying to cross the stream coming through the beach, so it's a great place to sit and sketch them.

Whitsands Bay coast path

2009-10-25T07:19:00.000-07:00

These two images are up on the coast path near Whitsands Bay golf course. Hole number 5 has a great bench right on the clifftop with views to the left to Rame Head and to the right to Looe. Just managed to finish as it starts to get dark.

On the beach at Downderry, Devon

2009-10-25T07:15:00.000-07:00

Any overcast and blowy day on the pebbly beach at Downderry, lots of dog walkers out, a labrador would have run right across my painting if I hadn't pushed him off.

Bridge near St Gennys

2009-10-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

Had to stop and paint this bridge, lovely wide river, trees on the banks, with splashes of rain coming off the trees when the wind blew and the light dappling through onto the water.

Halton Quay, Devon again

2009-10-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

Another hour down at Halton Quay, this time a sunny but amazingly still day, the water is like glass. Fisherman on the bank. Colours are different today.

Abstracted landscapes

2009-10-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

Tried out abstracting some of the landscape shapes I was getting in my images, got so used to working from life, it does seem like a bit of a cheat, I don't know!?

Saltash - Brunel's bridge

2009-10-16T06:55:00.000-07:00

A half pint on the side of the Tamar sketching this great bridge on a hot day.

More sketches at St Dominick, Devon

2009-10-14T06:46:00.000-07:00

Pippin the collie I'm walking on this housesit must keep wondering what I'm stopping for, but a few minutes and a new sketch is done. Getting into the outline shapes of the hedgerows, trees and curves of the land.

Palette changes

2009-10-13T06:41:00.000-07:00

Out with the gouache, they seemed to be muddying my paintings, especially in the greens and giving a lifeless dull effect. I try to stay away from the traditional landscape colours like burnt umbers, raw sienas in favour of mixing my own fresher landscape colours in the page.
Painting of Devon countryside at St Dominick, near Saltash.

St Dominick views over fields, Devon

2009-10-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

12th October 2009 Watercolour, gouache, ink pen of Devon countryside.

Holston Quay, Devon

2009-10-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

Finally a good day for a walk and a paint after 3 days of drizzle. Such a quiet place, lovely light and interesting colours of mud banks, reeds, trees, water, hills.

Welsh hills

2009-09-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

Welsh landscape - moors and reservoir

2009-09-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

Prees Heath to Ash

2009-09-09T16:35:00.000-07:00

Prees ride to Prees Heath and Ash. I sat on a concrete bunker to paint the first image looking South across Prees Heath to Hawkstone Park. The second painting I sat in a hay bale whilst Canada Geese came flying overhead, a very noisy affair. Going dark sooner these days and riding home earlier than I'd like to.

New exhibition by Kurt Jackson

2009-08-26T16:07:00.000-07:00

New exhibition by Kurt Jackson in Truro called Enesow: An exploration of the islands of Cornwall. On from 5th September – 3rd October 2009. Probably my most favourite artist of all time, truly inspiring landscapes..

View Enesow catalogue pdf here

Fields at Quina Brook and Coton, North Shropshire

2009-08-05T15:30:00.000-07:00

North Shropshire is very flat, and not so many trees as South Shropshire, apart from in the hedgerows. I like the slight curve to some of the fields around here.

Wet walk on Long Mynd - Shropshire

2009-07-24T09:36:00.000-07:00

A very wet walk with my dear Ellie (collie-lurcher), unfortunately she's not really my dog, but we love walking together. Walked from Church Stretton car park to Pole Bank on the Long Mynd, and back through Little Stretton. Had my paints out a couple of times but the rain soaked us both completely at least 3 times. Ah well..2 views of The Lawley, and one across the mynd plateau.

Walk through the wheat field

2009-07-08T15:48:00.000-07:00

Walk through the wheat field behind my house, North Shropshire, a bit windy, but a good sunset at the end of the night.