#188 'Fishing Boat, Ile de Re' 8x10"

 

Early morning and gorgeous warm light. I started a painting before which was a little more square onto the boat, the composition wasn't so good. But it worked out well to scrap it and start again because by the time I was putting the light onto this painting the sun came above the horizon and lit up the front of the boat. Big yay! Really enjoyed painted it.

I am still practising the same method  with no marking out with the paint brush brush first just blocking in the big shapes...harder to do as you have to be sure of composition and drawing skills.

Happy with this result :-)

#187 'Fort National, St Malo' 8x10"

 

First painting of the Wapping Group & friends French 9 day trip. 

37 degree melting heat. Had to find shelter so I wedged myself into a turret on the old ramparts wall. See pic below. Someone said it looked like I had my own little Studio! People have been so friendly and really interested, I wish I spoke French, I can get the gist of basic but it's not the same as chatting with someone. 

I squinted my eyes to do the tonal values, which really helps to compare and simplify. The rocks I made a dark tone then added a light and mid to describe the shapes. The little yachts briefly sailed into my view then turned around a they were gone. Quickly got them in with their rescue boat. 

#186 'Cherries in a Green Pot' 6x6"

I wanted to paint from life (not from a photo) while we were doing the Open Studios last weekend. My Mum kindly gave us some cherries to eat, they looked so good I painted them, and then ate them!

I enjoyed painting the cherries more than I thought I would, the rich shiny colours. I didn't know how it would turn out as it's different to painting a plein air landscape. Although I used some of the methods like blocking in and comparing one tone and colour next to another. 

Might try some more cherry paintings!

I am using an old iPad to blog this as I'm going on a painting trip to France on Sunday and was having a practise run to see if it works. It does! So I hope there is wifi in the hotel and then I can blog my painting adventures....

#185 'Storm Over West Wittering' 21x30cm

Very testing conditions! It was last week when the wind and rain was battering the country I went to the coast thinking it would be dramatic down there. It was :-) 

I tucked up against a groin but it really made no difference. The wind was so strong I could hardly control my arm movements. You go to make a brush mark on the board and the pochard rattles and I make a big splodge instead of a brush stroke!

Anyway I enjoyed trying to capture this fleeting rain storm. I thought it was going to get me but it went around the horizon and into my painting so I painted quickly and with energy to replicate what was happening in front of me.

Although I was pleased with the energy of mark making I did out on location I have since been re working some of the painting and I'm now happy with the final piece.

I tried to do two paintings one after the other. I ran back to the car to place the wet board inside came back and the pochard had crashed into the groin, thankfully no damage done.

I took a short video of my painting and the view with commentary but it's so windy you just hear the howl! It is on Instagram if you wanted to see it. My page is: https://www.instagram.com/clarebowenartist/

#184 'Fishing Boat, Emsworth Harbour' 18x24cm

Painted this yesterday morning, nice light, especially compared to the grey drizzle of today! 

At the moment I am enjoying painting boats and their individual characters! 
When I arrived the tide was mainly out, and as I was paintiing it was creeping in around the boat. At one point I thought it looks better now than when I started so I changed the green mud to some watery blue, I like the reflection of the boat in the water too. 
Careful not to overwork the boat, so it is in keeping and fits with the rest of the painting.

#183 'Turning Tide, Emsworth Harbour' 21x30cm

Painted this a few days ago. I was standing at the end of the jetty that I had previously painted #178. 
When I arrived the tide was almost at it's lowest, it's surpising how quickly it turned and changed. When it did the boats turned 180 degrees! And the mud flat near me disappeared! I had blocked everything in but finished during the Open Studios yesterday putting more light on the boats and water. 

We had a good start over the weekend with visitors to our Open Studios. We're open again on Friday. 

Surrey Artists Open Studios 2017

It starts today! I've been meaning to write this post for a few days but the preparations for the Open Studios always take longer than I think.
We are ready (just!) and excited to open the doors to the public today and for the next 3 weekends - see pic below for dates.

I have made 15 paintings since the Haslemere Museum Exhibition we did in April. I'm pleased with my new work so it will be good to show it. 

We also have our friend is showing her silver jewellery in a gazebo in the garden, she's not done it before so I hope it goes well for her.

At this stage I have little panics similar to when you prepare for a big party, hoping that people will turn up and like it! I will post again to give an update. Wish us luck....

#182 'Table Mountain, Cape Town' 24x30cm

I made this painting from the drawings I did in Cape Town on our recent visit (see below). I didn't have my paints with me so it was great to actually paint it! 

Sunrise, with beautiful soft light on the mountain and deep turquoise blues and apricots of the sea and beach, a wonderful combo :-)

It did the painting in two stages firstly blocked in an approximate colour and tone of each area. When dry did a second layer of thicker paint and more closely observed. 

I drew the mountain in pen and ink 4 or 5 times, so when I came to paint this the mountain shape came easily. It was one of those paintings I didn't have to wipe off or redo anything, this doesn't happen often! I'm pleased with the final image.

#181 'Spring, Devils Punch Bowl' 24x30cm

I started this one a few days ago....

But decided I wanted to get more information to finish it so I went back the next morning to do a drawing and really look at the shapes and tones.

It was early morning light between 5-6am it had a warm glow and strong contrasts. An hour or so later there was no lovely shadow shapes from the gate as the sun had moved around, so getting up early was worth it!

The gate was tricky as I didn't want it too defined or with hard edegs. I made the tone lighter and cooler than the trees. I didn't try and straighten the slatted edges or fill it all in. Leaving it allows the brain to fill in the missing information and makes the gate look back lit.
I'm pleased with the outcome and will do more there :-)

#180 'Spring, Bramshott Common' 18x24cm

I started this one outside 30 mins in I looked behind me and saw and big bank of dark cloud coming. It didn't take long before the light I was painting was obscured! So I painted what I could remember and then finished in my studio. 

To show you how different it was without the strong sunlight, see pic below. The scene looks so ordinary without the light!

It is a medley of greens! Light to dark in tone and yellow green to blue green fun to paint and a good exercise in learning to paint light.

#179 'Frensham Little Pond' 8x8"

I zoomed in to be close to the subject as I wanted to study the colours, reflections and light. Subtle variations in tone, with just a few really light, bright greens. It isn't a classic view of this pond but still hopefully has a feel of the reeds and water!

#178 'Emsworth Habour Jetty' 5x10"

This is the second one I did a couple of days ago in Emsworth Harbour. I was running out of steam by then and the light wasn't as beautiful as the early morning so I packed up. Back in the studio I ended up wiping most of it off see below as I wasn't happy with how the paint was applied. 

So there was a ghost of a painting left and having been closely looking at the subject the day before I could remember it quite well, so it came together quickly.  I also looked at the drawing again because what had attracted me was looking through the uprights of the jetty to the boats behind. 
A mistake possibly was using too small a board so the scale of the boats were mini! 

#177 'Morning Reflections, Emsworth Harbour' 18x2cm

I got up at 4.30am for this painting! Rather early but needed to get down to the coast and paint and get back again before my husband went to work at 8.30am - we have our shared dog staying, he's blind and can't be left alone.

It was beautiful at this time so still and quiet. Although rain wasn't forcasted it rained enough to make the mixing and applying paint difficult, it goes sticky with the moist air and the board resists the brush. 

Choosing a subject I ended up trying 3 separate paintings. The first I wiped off. The second is this one I'm posting now. The third I finished yesterday and will post tomorrow.
The tide was going out so it was hard to find something that wasn't going to change radically. Choosing a subject that was further out fromt he shoreline allowed for this. But the two boats in the foreground were moving with the movement of tide, everytime I looked up they were in a different position!
The reflections were so perfect and fun to paint. I really studied the tone of the boat and how the reflection compared to it - lighter or darker...

#176 'Low Tide Emsworth Harbour' 18x24cm

Back home I wanted to explore what I had learnt with Richard Pikelsey as soon as possible. 
So I set off early to paint in Emsworth harbour. With a very low tide I was able to stand out on the mud flats and use a little boat as my table :-) see below

I liked the bright green with the blue boat combo. The green was being lit by the sun and it was difficult to mix. Because if you just mix pure say Lemon Yellow and Cerulean Blue it's an intense colour but too dark in tone, add white and it lighter but the colour is then chalky and not so intense! I think you get a feel in my painting with what was there?
I have attached the beginnings below as I thought you may want to see the different way I started this one in practising what I learnt with Richard. Not drawing first and blocking in colours & tones and covering the board quickly....

The man walked across once I tried to paint him while he was walking. Mixing a colour then looking up and he's gone! So difficult but it has the essence of him! And I think helps the composition.

#175 'View Towards Abbotsbury' 18x24cm

This is the second painting I did with artist Richard Pikesley.

We struggled to find something decent in the murk of drizzle and low cloud. The view we eventually settled on you could easily have driven past as it wasn't spectacular but it had some great light in the skyline and the atmospheric perspective was strong. 

I was stuck behind a bush of yellow flowers (not sure of the name) the board shape seamed to fit having the flowers in the foreground of the painting. I didn't want to descibe them with too much detail but I emphasised the flowers with strong colour and shapes which also added to the ariel perspective.

No drawing out before hand straight in with paint! Feeling your away around the composition this method allows for more flexibility as the painting develops. It also encourages to paint in slabs of colour and not 'filling in' to linear lines. I didn't find it easy though and half way through I was really doubting it all! Richard encouraged me to go on and I'm pleased with the result, it's not how I'd usually paint a landscape but it's fresh and painterly and feels like I'm on the right track :-)

An amazing day with Richard and I'm sure its going to have a great impact on my paintings to come......

#174 'West Bay Harbour' 18x24cm

I feel very privileged to have had a painting day with an English artist Richard Pikesley he is a wonderful painter and the president of the New English Art Club.

I felt like I needed some input and direction on how to progress my paintings to another level. I took a selection of paintings to show Richard and he gave me some great advice and guidance. We then painted in two locations morning and afternoon. The first I will post now the second tomorrow.....

West Bay Harbour 
What Richard told me to work on was less linear and more blocks of colour. To help me do this I didn't draw the subject first I went straight into looking and comparing two colours next to each other - I started on the reflection on the front of the boat. Trying to match the colour and tone. Also aiming to get the board covered quickly so you can relate the colours in the subject and not be distracted by the colour/tone of the board.

It definitely felt out of my comfort! Although I am pleased with the result and Richard liked it too! (The little boat was called 'Henry' and I love the character it has!)

The conditions weren't easy, it was chucking with rain when we started so sheltered under his Land Rover boot and at times the subject disappeared in the haze of rain! Thankfully it did stop but you can see it's a quiet tonal painting - not big contrasts like when the sun is out, which still has a beauty to it.

'Painting is about looking' a quote from Richard and something I am really working on :-)

#173 'Morning Light, Southsea Promenade' 9x12"

I went back the next day to paint looking west into the morning sun. I featured the sky and old fashioned lamp post. The sun on the sea was bleached white just some warmth from the yellow.
The string of fairy lights were fun to paint, I used 4 brushes one for each colour and alternated, making sure the perspective of getting smaller and closer together worked. The people in the yellow shelter gives a focal point. 

This painting didn't come as easily as the one before. I drew it out in situ but was battling with gale force winds. I tied my easel to a lamp post but my arm was being buffeted so much and it was hard to do any line work. Then it clouded over and I lost my subject - the light! So I completed back in the studio today.

I like this area and I may go back and making some drawings to do a bigger works from this subject.

#172 'Southsea Promanade' 9x12"

I have been out painting over the past 3 days. The first day at Queen Elizabeth Country Park nr Petersfield. Being early morning there was no sunlight and the tones were very close together and a bit dull on the wooded subject I chose. After an hour and half of painting I wiped it off. I don't often do that at such a late stage in the painting. Someone recently asked me what is your 'success' rate for paintings? About one in five I scrap. I'm not sure if this is acurate - typical I scrapped the next one I did! But all was not lost I moved 20 feet to the early sun shining on a pond it was Monetesque and I will finish it in the studio soon....

This painting of Southsea Promanade is a familiar scene to me, as I walked my dog and ran along here for 11 years. Yesterday was a bright, sunny day, packed with people, it had a lovely English seaside feel to it, with people eating fish and chips and seagulls hovering above.

I spent quite a while getting the compostion right I changed board sizes from an 8x10" after drawing it too small. I didn't want too much promanade but enough to get a feel of it. Contra Jour again with the sun directly opposite me. I really checked the tones, comparing each area with the next. Saying to myself is this part lighter or darker? Like the promanade would have been easy to paint too dark.
The people I sketched in with the brush as they were walking by, adding some light and darks (and the dog!) in the studio today.

I enjoyed painting this one, so many people stopped to say hello and take a look, good to be out there painting again....

Sketches of South Africa

Arrived back home yesterday from South Africa, a wonderful trip visiting my sister.
Pen & Ink, Table Mountain. We saw the sunrise over Table Mountain twice - It was so good we had to go back and see it again! Beautiful colours and I was itching to paint them.

We went on safari in Madikwe Game Reserve (up near the Botswana boarder). We stayed in an eco bush camp called Mosetlha, the stars at night were unbelievable! These group of African pots were outside in the couryard next to our cabins. Really strong shdaows because of the blazing African sun - I fried when I did the drawing! 

This was the same water soluble pen I used in the Table Mountain drawing but with out a wash on top.

Drawing lions

Really loved the game drives, saw so many animals up close (the safari trucks were able to go off road.) I took photos but I also wanted to try drawing the animal. Not reasy! As you usually had only seconds to complete it buy getting the general form down before they moved again. It was fun to do and I'm sure helped my observational skills.

I did the same thing at Boulders Beach in Cape Town where the wild African Penguins hang out. You can't help smile at them especially when they waddle about. It was blowing a gale when we were there and being sand blasted while I drew added an extra challenge!

#171 'The Red Boat' 8x10"

This was taken from a photo a took last year in Harridge, Essex. Contra jour with the flags lit in the sun. I didn't feel confident enough to paint it then. So I had a go yesterday in the Museum, not easy when the subject is nearly all in shadow. I painted the boat too red to begin with - as I liked the red boat! but darkened it and it sat in the painting better. 

Sometimes I need input from others like my husband (a photographer) or my Mum who has a great eye she helped with this one saying the jetty/pier behind wasnt right - it had been straight across the painting, she suggested I cut it off. I don't usualy change what's actually there but sometimes it's needed! And it does help the compsition :-)

I have found occasionally it's good to practise a subject or type of light in the studio from a photo so you can learn from it which is harder to do en plein air as the elements are often against you and getting the painting down at speed, with no time to think too much!

Yesterday was our last day in the Musem for our exhitbion. (It continues without us till next Tuesday) It was sad to finish as I had enjoyed painting and showing there and chatting to people and lots of children! We are thinking of doing another show at the Museum in two years time.

Today we are off to South Africa to visit my sister. I'm not taking my painting gear just sketch book as I want to spend time with her.

#170 'La Plagne, The Alps' 9x12"

This was taken from a drawing I made while in the French Alps. (see below)
It really helpd to have drawn it as the tones are quite close together and having studied it in person helped with the painting. (didn't make it easy though!)
The light source was very subtle, being sunset and the light just catching the tops of the mountains. The roofs of the chalets were a lighter tone even without direct light on them.
This was a real study of tonal observation. Fun to paint though and so different from a green landscape!
Last of my snowy paintings till next season... onto spring.

#169 'Morning Light, Devils Punch Bowl' 8x10"

This is the second of the snow paintings in this area. I really enjoyed putting the light in - once all the darks and mids were in place. 

I'm starting a painting by mixing the main colour and then using that paint if I can as a starting point to mix other main colours and then mixing a range of light and dark tones. So I end up with piles of paint all connected with each other and therefore hamornising well. Starting like this means, it feels you are on top of it before you begin and having a lot of paint so you dont scrimp with it - I wanted a thicker look.

Just two days left for our exhibition. Here was a photo from Saturday at the Museum....

#168 'Morning Shadows, Devils Punch Bowl' 8x10"

I made a sketch of this scene back in February when it was snowing, see pic below.

I liked the feathery tree with the dark behind and the wonderful blues. I worked on using thicker paint to create a more shimmery light.

I enjoyed painting it so much I have done another snow scene of the same area and will post it tomorrow. 

I am doing these paintings while we get visitors to our ongoing exhibition at the Haslemere Museum, it's going well! :-)

Haslemere Museum Exhibition & no. 167 Langstone Study

We had our Private View last Thursday. It went well, had a good turn out, lovely feedback and some sales! You can see some daily still life paintings and my plen air land and seascape. I hung 44 and had 10 left over, I didn't want to crowd the wall. Everyone said it worked well in that room and together with Nick on the opposite side. 

I am manning the show every day (till March 12th), so it's a great opportunity to paint while I'm there. I have missed painting as I've been so busy getting this show ready (framing 55 paintings!) It's also nice that I can greet people when they come and have a chat :-)

I painted this scene outside a couple of weeks ago and didn't like the result, but from it I painted this a small 8x8" a study of tone and contra jour (sun shining towards you.) Painting the sky a slightly darker tone than the dazzle on the water, which is true to what was there but also really shows up the water sparkle.
The boats on the left were a tricky because they were mainly in shadow, just a shape no light or dark. Happier with this painting.

#166 'Frensham Great Pond' 12x12"

I have been itching to do some painting especially outside. It was a beautiful day yesterday and so lovely to be by the water and painting again, I even had to take my coat off it was warm!

Initially I was disappointed with the view, but when I looked into the sun - Contra Jour it came alive- the water with big ripples and reflections, the reed head light against the darker trees, and the light sparkling on the water, yay! Enjoyed painting it. 
It's a similar view to painting no.164 Sunset Frensham Pond but with a different emphasis.

With 3 main colours red-violet, a dusty blue and a mustard yellow, all mixed together to make nuances of the colours.
It was a peaceful area appart from the Moore Hens and Cootes in the reeds and then honking right next to me and making me jump! Great to be out.

Drawing The French Alps

We recently returned form our ski trip in La Plagne France. It snowed and snowed! The drawing above was after a big dump of snow overnight. I used 3 tones - dark, mid and light - the white of the paper.
The one below is when it started to melt, and there was no snow left on the trees! This one was more about scale. The huge mountains, tiny chalets and big foreground pines. Both views from our balcony, wished I drew more but 6 hours plus of skiing there were limits! Hope to make these into paintings...

Update Post - Away & Exhibitions

I am away for a week or so skiing for my birthday :-) very excited as I used to be a ski instructor in my 20's and love being in the mountains.
I am not taking my painting gear, a hard descion as I'm sure there will be lots of inspiration in the Alps, but will take my sketching materials and hope to paint from drawings on our return.

I also wanted to tell you about 2 exhibitions this month....

Haslemere Museum Exhibition

I have worked for the past 8 months and produced over 50 plein air paintings to show in our forthcoming exhibition.

I am excited to show this new work, the subjects are mainly of seascapes and boats (my passion) with some local landscapes as well.

All are welcome to come and see us. I will be moving into the museum with my art gear and painting most days, email to check if I will be there.

It's our first joint exhibition and we have cards, prints and my framed originals.

I have attached the flyer below which we had made for the show, to give you a bit more information.

Hope to see you there!

Magpie Exhibition 

I am also taking part in a joint 'pop up' exhibition in the Sands Village near Farnham, Surrey.

16 - 19th March

I'll have around 15 pieces in this exhibition shown in a wonderful setting.

If you're interested email me for an invitation.