#483 Boats at West Mersea Island

I spent the day in Essex with a painter I admire called Graham Webber. We painted side by side and it was a real treat! I loved watching him work and chatting art all day :-) 

Sometimes it feels very solitary as a painter but when these sort of days happen it feeds the artistic soul! And also gives me reassurance that the stuff I think and do as an artist is not alone for example taking photos for reference. Graham had his big Canon camera with him and was not abashed about taking photos as an aid memoire for back in the studio. It can often be frowned upon to use a photo to work from but as we discussed if you use them as a tool then why not!! So you are not doggedly copying but using it or several of them to help compose and colour your painting. Sometimes if there is a fleeting light on my subject or cloud formation I will take a photo in case I want to use it later. It can be hard to record and translate everything when doing a plein air.

Mine is on the right, Graham's the left

11x14"oil on board

#481 'Trundle'

There are many factors that make plein air painting a challenge. This time it was the wind! Being very exposed on top of the Downs the wind was whisking up the hill into my face. It buffets my arm when I place the paint on the board, and I have to hold onto the easel for dear life as even with it weighted by my bag it would still go over.  I find it exhausting battling that and trying to paint. So I'm pleased with the outcome of this one.

I have painted this area many times, what draws me back? I like to feel the space and distance - and little glimmer of sea in the distance. Plus the familiar shape of the Isle of Wight. To capture of the undulating shapes of the hills is not easy. I used brush strokes to describe the planes. 

#479 'Bosham Creek' & Artist Life en plein air...

The trial and tribulations of plein air...I stopped 5 times to find a suitable place and subject to paint! I but came home with no painting!
(I actually went back the next day and did the above painting.)

To give you an idea of what sometimes happens when I am searching for a subject....

Wednesday
First stop off the A3 going south near Clanford, I'd seen the area before and wanted to look with sunlight. But not inspiring enough to paint. so I continued to the coast, I usually start looking from the closest place to begin with which is Langstone Harbour, looking for the right combination of tide, light and boats. This time the tide was too high so there wasn't enough compositional elements. 
I moved onto Emsworth Harbour, the best bit there was on the mud contra jour but it wasn't what I fancied so moved on again, to Bosham Creek. This was just right, the tide level, the gorgeous sky. But I didn't have the board that would suit the subject - it needed to be a long panoramic shape, I tried to make do with a traditional landscape shape board but it didn't work. 
So moved on again to Bosham Harbour. The tide was just right as I arrived which didn't leave me time to set up and paint it. I tried but the wind was very gusty and knocked my easel over while I had my back turned all my paint from my palette garage fell onto the road, I tried to scrap it up and re use it but there was too many bits in it!

By then the water was at my feet and the the composition had disappeared. I remembered it enough to draw so it would remind me to return and try a paint again...
Driving home I didn't feel too dejected with no painting to show for my efforts as there were two subjects found and I would return the next day to try again!

Thursday 
I arrived earlier at the Bosham Creek and there was no water as the tide was so far out, the water looked miles away. But I decided to set up all my equipment, it was a bit of a mission as I had two pochards with me - I was going big!!
80x40cm en plein air is not to be sniffed for me, one of my biggest to date I think. My usual pochade was way too small to hold it. So I used a half french pochade and my open box m as the palette - see pic.

I spent time on the composition, being a big painting I wanted it to be dynamic and strong. I liked the S shape of the water and emphasised it. It was changing incredibly quickly within 15 mins it was starting to flood the area and you couldn't see the S shape anymore! I didn't even pause to mix paint before I started and put the water and land in so I had a starting point. 
Near the end of the painting I saw some little sail boats came out and they worked perfectly against the dark of the boat house in the distance.

The sky wasn't as good as the day before so I changed it back in the studio to the big clouds and lovely light. 

#459 Garden Peonies & Open Studio 2019

I painted these in my father in laws garden, I worked on getting the greens to work with the dark pink - complimentary colours and quite similar in tone, pleased with the outcome!

It's been a busy week trying to fit some painting in and preparing for the Surrey Open Studios which starts today! 

The studio is looking good with over 50 paintings and cards. My husband Nick is also is showing his photographs in his studio.

My studio wall with a mixture of subjects framed & unframed

Venice selection

Garden path leading to the studios

This year we've teamed up with 6 local artists to make The Golden Valley Art Trail, with a trail map linking us all. (We have maps to give out if you come)

I will be painting throughout so come and chat, drink elderflower, look at paintings and photographs and enjoy our garden in the sunshine.

Dates open: 1,2,  7,8,9,  14,15,16  June 2019

Times: 11-5pm

Where: 2 Gorse Cottages, Little Hammer Lane, Bramshott Chase, Hindhead, Surrey, GU26 6BT

Phone: 07813 320066

Set up ready to paint these beautiful peonies!

Solo Exhibition London 2019

My statement piece - 80x100cm 'Sunset, Albert Bridge'

The last few weeks have felt a whirl wind and I'm finally able to do a blog post about my solo exhibition! 

My husband Nick and I drove up on the Sunday unloaded a whole van full of stuff and started to unwrap the paintings. Monday spent all day hanging the show.

The room is an old studio used by artists around a 100 years ago. Two doors along Turner had his studio! The high ceilings and homely but grand feel suited my work a lot more than a white square box type gallery.

Getting some sun!

We opened Tuesday morning and had our first visitor at 9am! In all we had 181 visitors over the 5 days. Which felt a good amount, enough time to speak to everyone :-)

46 framed paintings on the wall & 46 unframed

The Private View Tuesday evening I was incredibly nervous and couldn't stop shaking! The unknown reaction of what people would think and whether they would buy as well. It felt as though I was hanging on the walls along side my paintings, incredibly exposing. But I needn't have worried, the reaction was positive and overwhelming. I felt giddy with all the compliments about my work - with the amount I had painted in 8-12 months and the quality. Some said they thought I would be an old person because the paintings had a maturity - I'll take that as a compliment!
A huge boost which alleviated my fears and set me up for the rest of the show. 

Me in the blue dress PV night

So many people came including my sister & her partner who flew over from South Africa to see it and support me. My mum also came so nice to share it with my family. Artists friends and people like the Haslemere Art Society ladies and Instagram and facebook 'friends' all made the effort to get up to London which I feel blessed for their support.

My family helping to pack up the sold paintings.

I was lucky to have a friend and collector Natalia on my side she worked hard to get her Chelsea/London contacts into my show, which really helped.

I sold 51 paintings which is AMAZING! So happy and pleased that my work is out there and being enjoyed. 
I have worked very hard the past 5 months to paint enough and organise it all. Nick my husband also at the end worked full time on it and was with me throughout the show (a gem!) 
It hasn't put me off doing a solo show and I will do another in time.

We are hardly home and now preparing for the Surrey Open Studios, bring it on! I will post again about that soon.

My Painting Year 2018

My favourite paintings of the year

I wanted to write a summary of this years happenings....I have completed a whopping 160 paintings (not including the duffers and wipe offs!) quite a few more than last year - mainly because of the Venice trip. And it's not all about quantity I have been aiming for more quality pieces and a bit bigger in size too. 

This is the Instagram top 9 where an app counts the most likes for each painting, and then puts them in the top 9 order.....

Instagram Top 9 2018

I entered The Artist Magazine competition which exhibits the finalists at the Patchings Art festival in July. I won the Royal Talens award and received £250 worth of linen canvases! Plus The Artist Collection award - exhibiting with the top 10 finalist.

'Gateway to Bramshott Common' 10x10"
Wining painting exhibited the Patchings

One of my highlights this year was being accepted into the New English Art Club (NEAC) A prestigious exhibition held at The London Mall Galleries. They call themselves the contemporary impressionists which is how I see my work as well! This was the painting accepted.

'Silver Birch in Snow'  8x10"

In October I was part of the Chelsea Art Society annual open exhibition which has had many famous artists who have exhibited here including: Turner in the mid 19th Century, followed by Whistler, Sickert, Augustus John and John Singer Sargent, it's wonderful to be included in!

The Artist Magazine I have been reading this on off since the 80's! and have always wanted to write an article for them. This year I did that! Plus I'm now writing another for next summers edition.

My Article in Januarys The Artist Magazine :-)

Venice in September I was lucky enough to spend 30 days in this dream painting place! I felt truly inspired and even though it was exhausting to keep painting intensively the whole time, it was worth it and couldn't really get enough of the place! I producing 45 paintings. Plus some bigger pieces since I've got home.
I have already booked to go back next September for 21 days!

My Venice painting haul!

'Venetian Cafe' 30x30cm
Completed back home in the studio 

This small plein air I thought could go bigger and have more content so I tried an enlarged  version in the studio and I'm pleased with the outcome!

40x50cm Oil on Canvas Studio piece                                              9x12" Plein Air Sketch

I have decided to continue to blog for another year. It's been quite a challenge to keep on top of the posts, especially when I am producing a lot like when I was in Venice doing up to 4 a day! But I think it's still a beneficial process for me and hopefully those of you who read it.

News for next year
I am very excited to be doing my first solo exhibition in Chelsea, London next May. 
The Title is: London, Venice Coast & Country
Date: 14th-18th May 2019
Place: "The Studio” 73 Glebe Place, London, SW3 5JB 
If you would like an invitation to the Private View on the 14th please contact me. clare@clarebowen.co.uk
I will do a post about the show nearer the time.

Thank you for reading my blog posts and supporting me though this year. I hope to have you along for this coming year too!
With best wishes
Clare

Venice Summary!

Home from Venice and my studio line up, I can't fit them all in! 

I do feel pleased and proud with what I achieved in a month. 

I felt sad leaving such a wonderful & inspiring place. I am already planning a trip to go back next year! I enjoyed painting with the other artists and having my family to stay. 

What an amazing trip!!

I am planning a solo show in London next year 

with many of these Venice paintings and the title is:

'London, Venice, Coast & Country'

Watch this space!!

'Maria Della Salute'

My favourite subject while in Venice I must have painted it over 15 times! 

Here are 9 of them in chronological order bottom right to top left...

A short video of my studio and Venice paintings!

'Flying with Oil paints & Art Equipment

FLYING WITH OIL PAINTS & art equipment. Thought you might want to see what I'm taking to Venice - I am very lucky to be going for the whole month of September! 🎨 

It's the longest and biggest painting trip so far.... 
Last year we came back from Venice in October after a 6 day trip, I was just getting into it painting wise and then we left. I said on the boat back to the airport I want to come back and paint here for a month!  
So I found a house in the Dorsoduro area (near the Academia Bridge.)
For the first 2 weeks I have got other plein air painters coming to share and help with the cost of renting the house, it will be good to paint with them.  
On the 3rd week my Mum and sister - who lives in Africa and her partner are coming their first visit to Venice so very exciting to share it with them. 
The final week other artists again and back to intensive painting... 

It's been quite a build up I have never prepared so throughly for a painting trip! I really want it to work, so I have paid close attention to details! I closed my 2 cases yesterday and my weight allowance is 23Kg per case, I am over the limit! I need to put some into my husbands case! 
So its just last minute things today it still feels quite unreal, we leave tomorrow morning. 
I hope you will follow and support me on this exciting journey...

Also if anyone has any suggestions on areas to paint! Or tips for Venice gratefully received 👩‍🎨Please make a comment.

My Equipment List - all put in plane hold luggage:
See above photo

• Oil paint put in:  'Lock & Lock' airtight container with my label (see pic) - don't say oil paint!
• Sennelier Green for oil thinner & gel medium - plant based, safe for plane travel
• Palette knife
• Seawhite A5 Sketch book & Tombow pens
• Viewfinder 
• Masking Tape
• Headless matchsticks - for stacking wet oil paintings together
• Pva glue for matchsticks
• Business Cards
• Glass pots & jars to clean brushes
• Paint Tube Squeezer
• Apron missing from pic!

PIC 2 

• Raymar wet painting carriers sizes 8x10", 10x12" 11x14" 
• Open Box M easel palette
• Manfrotto Be Free Tripod 
• Palette Garage - holds paint, no need to carry tubes when out plein air 
• Bamboo Brush Roll - all from Rosemary and Co
• Solvent brush dipper & cleaner 

PIC 3 

Painting boards 2,3mm MDF
Wrapped in tissue, to keep them together in my case with sizes:
8x10" 10x10" 6x12" 9x12" 10x12" 8x14" 11x14" 20x50cm
This lots coming with me then the same again coming with my mum half way through September 😊You can't have enough boards!! 

PIC 4

Safety travel sheet for oil paint, 'Flash point' above 60 degrees this is the number that how easily something catches fire.  So anything above 60 is safe to fly with but some airlines differ, you should check. I will by solvent to clean brushes in Venice in a hardware shop. Oil paint is allowed on board - in the hold, not in hand luggage.

PIC 5

My painting of Venice from last year's trip.

To end something I found useful is a blog post by Katherine Tyrrell 'Making a Mark'- called Top tips for travelling artists' worth a look if you are travelling with art equipment.

#346 'Peonies & Stocks' 24x24"

This is a whopper for me - two foot by two foot!  I enjoyed it and surprised myself that I could do it and it turned out nicely :-)
I did start on a a 11x14" but it still felt crampt so I routelled around in my cupboard and found this canvas, I thought why not have some fun, and keep my expectations low. Which helped allowed me to be free and loose. I didn't have many big brushes - more ordered with Rosemary & Co!

When its so big you have to attack and not be scared. I painted a table line in and scrubbed over as it was too harsh for this style painting.

My Mum kindly gave me these flowers as she thought I'd like them, a very inspiring bunch so much so I started the painting at 6pm! 
Here is a pic to show scale with my biggest previous flower painting to date...

#344 'Daisies & Sweet Williams' 12x12" & Open Studio!

I am enjoying these still life paintings as you can experiment so much with colour & harmonies, composition, subject...
I tried with no hard line background this time, bigger in size and reflected vase on the table.

I can't write so much today as just preparing for opening the last weekend of our Open Studios, do come if your free, I'm just making homemade scones and I have plenty of paintings still to look at.
Clare

Here is the Invite just in case :-)

#338 'Peonies' 12x12" & Open Studio Video

Painted with haste and gusto! The background a blue black to set of the light pink flowers peonies which are so fun to paint, quite addictive! (There will be more :-) I think they are a good subject because of the globe shape so you get great light and dark on them. I made use of the thick and thin qualities of oil paint, especially in the green foliage and the table.

Yesterday was our first day of The Surrey Open Studio always with trepidation I open the doors to the public not knowing who will come and what they will think, say or even buy.
But it went well we had some nice people visit, chatted, offered my homemade shortbread and sold 4 originals and some cards so a good start!

Here are a couple of pics and a short video as a taster of what's here.

#337 'Dune' 12x16" & Surrey Open Studios!

My first attempt at a portrait!! I haven't even tried to paint one in my studio, just felt quite scary and uncertain, so went on a ROI painting day at The Mall Galleries to make me do it! 

I decided to act as if.... pretend I felt confident even though I didn't and put the paint down in strong marks and leave them.
I had dipped into an excellent little book before I went called 'Starting to Paint Portraits' by Barnard Dunstan. Its really useful and written in a friendly old fashioned manor.

I premixed my colours before I started like I'd do a plein air landscape. Having a bigger board means the head isn't too small or fiddly, a large area to cover though!

I started with her hair the darkest area, Ultramarine & Burnt Sienna, warmer and cooler patches through it. Then the most intense area - her cheek. I worked outwards from there comparing areas to the intensity and tone of her cheek. 
I put the background next to her skin as soon as I could as its a large area and didn't want to leave it till the last!

I am happy with the result and its encouraged me to try more :-)


You are invited to our Open Studios based in Haslemere Surrey UK. 
If you follow me on here you will know I have a lot of new paintings! Over a 100 to show, so if you are local and have the time it would be great to see you!

#325 'Daffodils & Narcissi' 8x14"

On Thursday this week I was part of a demo evening with Haslemere Art Society. There were 3 artists including me showing how we work, our process from start to finish.

I decided to paint something from life as I find it more inspiring than a photo. I was a bit worried the daffodils would be over but my husband had thankfully planted 500 bulbs so there was a range in our garden to choose from. (I had also spotted a lovely orange centred narcissi in the neighbours garden, I hope he didn't miss the one I nabbed - all in the name of art of course!)

Before everyone turned up I played around with the background colour, I wanted blue as it looked like the sky, I opted for this deeper blue so it made the light flowers stand out. I also lit the flowers from the side as the same height. 

I was quite nervous before it began unsure as to whether I could 'perform' in front of a crowd. I also wanted to be able to talk while I was painting, which I managed to do and even did a bit of teaching too! People were really kind and interested, I enjoyed it and was relieved my painting came out nicely. To have had a flop in front of others would have been tough!
I premixed the main colours as I do in plein air and built up the painting with a series of patchwork brush strokes, not spending too long in one area. 

One of my previous students Dawn kindly took some pics of me here are a couple:

#324 'Spring at Richmond Bridge' 9x12"

I have been visiting my sister in South Africa a hard decision not to take my paints but lovely to have family time and a break. So I'm fresh and ready to go and what a day to start back...

Painted this yesterday in glorious spring weather.  So warm it felt like summer, I'd forgotten what it's like painting in the heat! Not complaining though.

Quite a complex subject so kept it loose without succumbing to too much detail. Its a great area to paint, so much fodder! 
The bridge was tricky as it was medium light tone but it was contra jour so it was silhouetted and darker than you think. I kept telling myself paint what you see not what you think it looks like!
I was painting with artist buddy Sarah Manolescue she did the same scene but so different, - portrait format ...always fun to see how others interpret the same subject.
It was buzzing around the Thames, with buskers and boaters and people in enjoying the weather, so lovely to have a job outside when it's like this :-)

Spot my easel and Sarah painting near the busker! Plus it felt like we had an audience - so busy!

New English Art Club 2018

'Silver Birch in Snow'  8x10"

I have just found out that this painting has been selected for the New English Art Club annual exhibition. I am so pleased as it's a really competitive show to get into and this is the first time I have done it!! 

The exhibition runs: 15-23rd June at The Mall Galleries, London

Some stats: 1500 paintings were entered online & 104 have got in, that's less than 10% 
I had 4 selected which got through the first round:

It's hard to know why the 'Silver Birch in Snow' painting got through and the others didn't get chosen. 
I also went to the best framers I could, they are called 'The Artistic Framing Co' in Hampshire UK. Hand painted frames with silver or gold gilding, not cheap but decided I wanted to give the paintings my best chance!

I have just looked back at the timings of this painting back in mid December. It was one where I walked around a lot trying to find that 'perfect view' but came back to the first view I'd seen! Therefore had very little time before the sun went behind the tree line. The painting only took me 40 minutes!! Funny how your perceptions of making a 'great painting' takes time but especially in plein air sometimes it's quite the opposite.