#482 Worcestershire Hills

We were recently staying with friends in the countryside near Kidderminster. I've not been before and I loved the patchwork of hills and sheep grazing in the foreground. 

I drew the scene and took photos so I was able to produce this painting in the studio. I choose the point of the sun being below the horizon but just glowing some last colour. 

I didn't copy the sketch completely but moved the trees and enlarged the strip of distant hills at that was important to me.

I used a Loxely canvas clear gesso primed - its linen colour, useful as a mid-tone for a sunset which is generally a bit darker tone than a daytime painting. Nice to let some of the linen colour show through in the painting.

#474 View From Tilford Bridge

I painted this subject this time last year. I like going back to a place and painting it again as the knowledge and experience from the first time is there and helps inform the next go. (in theory!)
I liked the willow trees and their reflections in the water, the cows for life, and the water reeds to foreground interest. 

Now that the paint is nearly dried I cant decide whether to add a thicker layer to make the colour richer and the tones a little stronger... 

Oil on board 12x16"

#462 'Early Summer The River Wey' 35x45cm

Clambering over dewy wet grass some of it as tall as me in search of an inspiring composition and scene....Morning light with the greens so bright plus the gate and reflections, worth a paint!

A canvas bigger than usual 35x45cm as I want to challenge myself which I do with so many greens to mix and get right, focus on cool and warm, light and darks. Considering there isn't much to the composition I'm pleased with the outcome.

This is the start with my mixing palette as well.

#458 Walk Through The Bluebells & Solo Show Invite!

Its been hard to stay on top of the blog during this incredibly busy time before my solo exhibition - which starts a week yesterday!! More about that at the end of this post.

Painting in the bluebells with a stunning carpet of bluey-purple flowers a heady scent, & lots of birds chirping! Arrived for sunrise although it was very fleeting enjoyed a quick sketch swipe to see it & great photo taken by husband Nick Oakley.

News
Not long now till my solo show It starts next week - 14th-18th May. 
I have over 90 oil paintings & 50 of them framed with some larger works too. I can't wait to show people. I hope you will be able to come and as a thank you for following me and this blog here is a little offer for you:

If you are coming print this out or show it on your phone that you do read my posts!

Here is more information on times and how to get there:

If you can't make the exhibition I have a a selection of the paintings in my show on my website under solo show catalogue. Here's the link:http://clarebowen.co.uk/catalogue/

#443 'Silver Birch in Snow' 30x30cm

This is the first one I did as the sun was going down on Bramshott Common. Different colours to the previous bluer snow paintings. Mainly yellow and oranges, limited palette. 
I painted another straight after (will post tomorrow) in a portrait format to get the trees in....

#439 'Walk in the Snow' 24x30cm

A few days ago we had a big snowfall overnight and it was so exciting to wake up to snow laden trees and sunshine :-)

I went to an area walkable to us it was so quiet and we made the first snow tracks of the day, it was beautiful.

To be able to to paint that was such a treat. By the end of the painting the sunshine was warming the branches and my subject was disappearing!

My husband who was out taking photo took this one of me.

I was wearing two of everything spot the double coat!

#438 'Chilly Brook' 24x30cm

I drove for over an hour trying to find a subject, not easy seeing over the hedge rows and being able to park safely when there's snow on the roads. Really pleased to find this winding stream in the Meon Valley. I adapted the composition a little by making the distant hill snow instead of all woodland, also adding a bit more snow than there was! Mainly monochromatic with a hint of warmth in the bush.

I am feeling happy (and quite tired) after the great snow we had here. Its now melted, having been here for 5 days I made the most of it with 14 paintings started en plein air! but 1/3 not finished - I will post some over the next few days/weeks.

#437 'Dawn, Devils Punch Bowl' 12x12"

Painted en plein air just before the sun came up, I've done this subject before in 2017, very paintable!

#436 'Snow Pastels' 30x30cm

Just after sunrise when there's still a bit of colour in the sky but no direct light on the scene. It was a few days ago -8 with wind chill, bitter but worth it :-) 
Reminds me of Farrow and Ball colours! Lots of mixed greys - warm and cool. More snow paintings to come!

#431 'Low Winter Sun over The River Hamble' 10x12"

I actually started this painting before the previous post no.430. Having chased the sun and finally found a location and subject, I drew out this composition and mixed some pools of colour. But by then the low sun had changed into sunset colours and more clouds had formed I wanted to capture them on a wider board so abandoned this one. 

I finished the painting in the studio trying to keep the fresh feeling of plein air even though it was from memory and a photo. One way of doing that is deciding on the time of how long you want to paint for - say 90 mins and try and complete the painting in this time.  It means less time to fuss and fiddle and helps to make you decisive and confident with making your marks.

#429 'The Edge of Winter', & Changing my Blog?

'The Edge of Winter' 40x50cm Oil on canvas

I have been thinking about my blog and have want to change the format of my posts. 

At the moment I post every painting I do and have done that for 3 years. What I propose now is posting less often possibly once every two weeks. I will write about art topics, from equipment choices, painting techniques, exhibition reviews, art books I'm into, and more...
(You can also suggest any)

Each of these posts will have a painting I've completed during the two weeks.

I hope this will work, and I can keep it up for year, time will tell! 

Please comment on this post or by email clare@clarebowen.co.uk to tell me if you like this idea or want to keep my previous way of posting?

It is hard for me to gauge how many people actually read my blog so any feedback gratefully received!

#421 'Summer Hay Bales' 30x40cm

Painted from a sketch I made in July, spotted from the car as we drove into Patchings Art Centre, near Nottingham. Hay bales, tree lined and shadows/light what a fab combo! I didn't have my painting gear with me so thought I get the warmth of summer back in the studio after all this rain!

I can recommend Patchings Art Festival if your a keep painter in the UK, with loads of art equipment to buy, and demos and workshops....

#420 'Early Winter Light, Meon Valley' 30x40cm

A sky painting on a textured linen board. I was driving around looking for a subject and a saw a truck in a field and this view, so I turned around and hoped the farmer would be friendly. He was and allowed me to park and paint in his field. 
I made a low horizon and made it about the sky, light and clouds, the receding hills also were great!

#416 'Autumn on Bramshott Common' 12x12"

This scene is about a 15-20 minute walk from our house. Autumn colours really improve this subject and I couldn't wait to paint it! 
I liked the track leading in to the orangey oak tree. The sky was a bonus with fluffies. I put them in straight away as I knew it would change. By mixing a neutral colour from the 3 primaries - red yellow blue and made sure it was light enough in tone.

Quite often I will take a photo during the painting and change it into black and white on my phone to check the tonal values, make sure they read and work as a whole and compare them to the subject. 

My palette, subject & painting nearly finished

#413 'Sheep on the South Downs' 30x40cm

Looking out for subjects driving is always a little hazardous!
Saw these sheep and a bonus place to pull in and park near by. They were sleepy and laying down until at least an hour into painting them. I worked quietly trying not to scare them. In the end they were very close and I could hear them pulling at the grass! Such a soothing place to paint. 

I thought the road was a bonus as it sweeps through to add an extra element of composition. I used a medium grain linen canvas which definitely has a different look I think I like it!
I painted the sheep as they were grazing and took some out when I got home to make a better composition.

By the end the sheep had all moved down hill

#403 'St James's Park' 9x12"

Painted yesterday on a very sunny October day at St James Park with 80 or so other plein air painters! It was fun being part of this gathering and enjoyed chatting with lots of artists, it was hard to focus on the painting! 

This was not any easy subject with so many greens - bit of a shock after Venice colours, I felt rusty with mixing them and 'seeing' them. But I'm pleased with the outcome, the fountain was especially fun to paint. 

#350 'Summer Grazing' 10x12" & National Garden Scheme

I did a 1 to 1 plein air day with Elizabeth St John this week. She wanted to paint the view from our garden as we focused on mixing greens. 

Sheltered by a big pine tree we weren't too hot and managed to get two paintings done. I suggested she mixed her colours before we paint - getting a light and dark tonal version of each colour - especially the greens! I always mix my colours before I paint as it gives a pile to dip into and your not frantically mixing with a brush and running out of paint! It also allows for good harmonising within your colours as you mix the piles of colour with each other.

We were lucky to have the cows coming into our scene at the end which really helped the composition and give a good focus.

My husband Nick and I are taking part in the National Garden Scheme this weekend at a friends house, she has a wonderful 2 acre garden in the middle of Haslemere and has kindly given us a pitch in her gazebo to sell my paintings and Nicks photography. A percent of sales will go to the N.O.S charities. Come and visit us and the beautiful garden if you're nearby.

Address: 'Barsdey', 11 Derby Road, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 1BS
Open Times: 1-5pm
Entry cost: £5

This is one of Nicks photos of Bardsey Garden:

#348 'Evening Light, The South Downs' 11x14"

Late summer evenings are wonderful to paint, I tent not to make them very often because I'm too keen to paint first thing and I'm usually tired by the evening, but I geared myself up for this one and went for it! 
I loved the shadows on the white chalk path. they are similar to shadows on snow, really tricky to get the tonal value and the colour right, scraped off several times but happy now. 
Being a late evening I mixed the colours on the warm side. 
Here are the early stages of blocking in and getting the path shadows right before the sun moved down.

#335 'The South Downs' 30x50cm

I went back to the same area as last weeks painting. I wanted to do it again and really study the tonal values and colours. I am pleased with how it turned out.

I will be using this painting for an article I am writing to go into The Artist Magazine. The title of the piece is 'Colour & Aerial Perspective', it will be in the January 2019 edition. I have subscribed to the Artist Magazine on and off since way back in the 80's & 90's so I I am very pleased to fulfil a wish of writing and being in the Magazine :-) 

Back to the subject:
I really like this area to paint, The Trundle, South Downs and have done quite a few now so I want to push myself and try a bigger painting. I brought a 120cmx50cm canvas, it arrived and its huge!! I was tempted to go outside and try it, but I am not set up for such a big support on my easel. So I will prepare as much as I can with drawings and plein air studies and have ago in the studio and let you know how it works out!

I was standing right next to a bush covered in white flowers, there were bugs galore - spot the bee flying past in the photo!

#333 'Morning Meadow' 8x10"

We looked out the window and saw gorgeous morning light so dashed down to the end of the garden. My husband hopped over into the field and being a photographer lapped it up. But the camera wasn't enough for me so I grabbed my plein air gear out of the studio and started painting in my pink wellies and PJ's! Yes, a sight but I didn't want to waste any time getting changed.

I tried the option of not pre-staining the board with my usual Burnt Sienna and Ultramarine warm grey colour but using a Burnt Sienna underpainting instead as my base. It's surprising how different it feels and lot lighter in tone, so I will try more of these.

I also was focusing on limited brush strokes. What you put down counts. So its a quick and immediate response to light.

Burnt Sienna Underpainting

Our garden backing onto the field