Low Tide at Fisherman's Cove Archives

Salcombe Town Regatta is an annual fund-raising event and many local charities rely on the success of this week-long fun-filled entertainment to refill the coffers.

It’s timed to coincide with one of the busiest periods in the town. Almost all the holiday homes will be occupied and local campsites too. It’s also the time when residents find friends and family want to visit us.

There’s a packed programme of events for all ages. We look forward especially to the firework display on Thursday 10 August, when we’ll be dining in the Chart room of the Salcombe Yacht Club, among friends from the Salcombe Players Amateur Dramatic group, and marvelling at the sky, full of lights as in the featured image above.

How am I supporting Salcombe Town Regatta?

To support Salcombe Town Regatta, I will be setting up shop (gazebo!) in Island Street on Sunday 6 August, and in Whitestrand on Monday 7 August, selling my fine art greetings cards.

There will all 59 designs on sale, selected from the 135 original paintings I’ve completed in the past decade. Nearly all of them show local scenes that I love.

Why am I supporting Salcombe Town Regatta?

I’ve been visiting Salcombe since I was 9. My parent brought me across from EastPortlemouth and I immediately loved Salcombe as a holiday venue.

For decades I visited Salcombe, staying in rented accommodation and hotels and I dreamt of retiring in Salcombe. Eventually, I became a second-home owner, buying a lock and go flat at Great Gates, in 1997. Then, in 2006, I moved to Salcombe permanently. The flat proved too small as a permanent residence and Anne and I now live in our forever home at the top of Bonfire Hill, looking down over the church and across the ria to the hills beyond.

So, why am I supporting Salcombe Town Regatta? Because Salcombe is now my home …

Such stunning views – perfect for an artist…

The view from the flat in Great Gates was of the beaches: Fishermans Cove, Smalls Beach and Mill Bay.

Low Tide at Fisherman’s Cove

Baltic Exchange III

Tranquility

The view from Beacon House is also stunning! Sunrise or sunset, the rise and fall of the tide provides an ever-changing vista.

South Pool Sunrise

Dawn at South Pool Creek

Gullet Plantation

Affordable art in support of Salcombe Town Regatta

All of these images – and many many more depicting your favourite views of Salcombe – are available as fine art greetings cards. They will be on sale – £2 each, 3 for a fiver – in support of Salcombe Town Regatta on Sunday and Monday.

I look forward to meeting you at Salcombe Town Regatta, and am praying for fine weather!

For more information about the Salcombe Town Regatta, visit their Facebook page.

2 January 2017 In Art

New Year Resolutions

It’s that time of year again, when we reflect on the past twelve months and make New Year resolutions.

I’ve decided, after half a century of sailing and more than 25 sailing a Solo, to hang up my wetsuit and sell my boat – Don’t Wait Up – to a younger man. The Solo before last was called Back Soon but I never was …

I’ve also hung up my spade and relinquished the shed key for allotment 5E. I wish the new incumbent many happy hours of digging and cropping, while enjoying the most amazing view across the estuary and hills beyond.

What will I do with my time in 2017?

Always to the Hills, from an original painting by Nikky Corker

I’ll be mostly painting, although, as this year’s birthday card from wife Anne hinted, we need to spend more time together, walking and enjoying the fresh air and beautiful countryside while we still can.

Anne purchased the card from Ashburton Post Office where they have a great range, including ones by the artist, Nikky Corker. In this one, Nikky captured these aging but fit folk heading for the hills. Us in 2017?

We’ve lived here in Salcombe for more than a decade now. While we enjoy fortnightly visits to the chiropractor in Ashburton, and make a point of buying fresh fish at the excellent Fish Deli, we rarely make time to head up to the moors.

Such excursions are clearly high up on my list for 2017!

What am I planning to paint in 2017?

The first challenge is to create enough new artworks for the Salcombe Art Club Main Exhibition – and handing in day is Saturday 1 April.

As a full member of the club, I’m invited to exhibit five new original paintings. I had better get my skates on!

What art classes will I attend in 2017?

I’ve already booked to attend Michael Hill’s watercolour / acrylic class on a Tuesday plus the full-day oil class with Ian Carr on a Friday. I’d also sign up for Ian’s Tuesday evening but I know I’d be too tired after a full day class with Michael!

Attending these classes is a great opportunity to meet with fellow artists and enjoy their company while learning more and more techniques.

Where are the classes held?

All classes are in the Loft Gallery, the home of Salcombe Art Club. The Loft Gallery is situated behind the Fortescue Inn, and above a popular shoe shop, on a delightful footpath called Victoria Quay. And, Low Tide at Fishermans Cove – the featured image above – is the view from Victoria Quay.

See you there?

I can thoroughly recommend your joining Salcombe Art Club and attending classes between now and when next year’s Exhibition open at Easter time.

Make it your New Year’s resolution? See you there!

31 October 2016 In Art

Back to classes!

Yes, the Salcombe Art Club Summer exhibition is over, we’ve had the SHAF Arts trail and, for many of us artists, it’s back to classes for the winter months.

To attend, you need to be a member of Salcombe Art Club. Lay membership costs only £12 per annum.

Vacancies on Salcombe Art club classes

Classes are arranged each term and you’ve missed the official signing up for the Autumn term. However, there are spaces on these two courses:

The Enjoyment of Drawing with Jennifer Johnson (Code: JJD)
Mondays: October 31, November 7, 14, 21, 28, December 5. Cost £105
Each week a different subject will be explored through the subtleties of pen, ink, charcoal, pencil, crayon, pastel and watercolour.
Jennifer is a well-known local tutor and with her skill, enthusiasm and guidance there’s always more to learn. All abilities are welcome.
Contact: Jennifer Johnson jjohnson.modbury@gmail.com or Tel. 01548 830747
Oil painting with Ian Carr (Code: ICT) Cost £70
Tuesday evenings: October 4 – December 6, 7 – 9 pm (10 weeks)
Ian’s fun-packed courses are popular with people at all levels. Oil paint is a forgiving medium and ideal for anyone who has limited experience of paint; it builds confidence and invites experimentation. Ian is a very experienced Salcombe based artist who loves teaching and sharing his enthusiasm. This course is suitable for the experienced, not so experienced and the absolute beginner. You will need your own materials.
Contact: Ian Carr to book or to ask questions. ianfcarr@btinternet.com or Tel. 01548 854211 www.ian-carr.com

What classes do I attend?

I attend Michael Hill’s watercolour/acrylic class on a Tuesday and the full-day oil class with Ian Carr on a Friday. It’s a great opportunity to meet with fellow artists and enjoy their company while learning more and more techniques.

Where are the classes held?

See you there?

I can thoroughly recommend attending classes at Salcombe Art Club between now and when next year’s Exhibition open at Easter time. See you there!

24 October 2016 In Art

Fine Art Greetings Cards – New Designs!

Malborough Post Office – featured above – stocks the complete range of my fine art greetings cards and, from today, also has on display the seven new designs, just launched.

Gullet Plantation

Low Tide at Fishermans Cove

Burgh Island from Hope Cove

Newton Ferrers from Noss Mayo

The Quay at Newton Ferrers

High Tide at Kingsbridge

Salcombe Yacht Club’s Christmas Camellias

Are the originals for sale?

Yes! For more information on each original painting, all of which are available for sale, click on these links:

Affordable art

59 of my 135 original paintings are available as a fine art greetings card.

Just think: for less than 1% of the sales price of an original, you can invest in a fine art greetings card. Send it to a friend or frame it for yourself. Whistlefish sell frames that fit … about £10 each.

Fine ART Greeting cards: Stockists

Malborough Post Office stocks all 59 designs, and selections of my cards are available at Bonningtons (the newsagents in Salcombe), Salcombe Information Centre, Salcombe Yacht Club, The Gallery Project at Avon Mill and at Noss Mayo, and in Bloomers (the florist in Kingsbridge).

If you would like to stock my cards, please click here to contact me.

12 September 2016 In Art

Preview evening: Friday 14 October 5-8pm

Date for your diary: Friday 14 October – the SHAF Preview Evening at Beacon House Gallery – 5-8pm

SHAF (South Hams Arts Forum) Trail 15-23 October

The SHAF Trail is the final event in my artist’s calendar, and we like to start it with a Preview Evening. On show will be my latest creations:

The Quay at Newton Ferrers
Newton Ferres from Noss Mayo
Burgh Island from Hope Cove
Low Tide at Fishermans Cove
Gullet Plantation

Today, I have travelled to Plymouth to have this latest crop of paintings photographed / digitally scanned ahead of the SHAF Trail – and the race now is to varnish, mount, and frame these in time.

Where do I have my paintings photographed?

I recommend Bretonside Copy. They have photographed more than 100 of my original paintings.

I deliver my paintings first thing, then spend time in Plymouth shopping, and return later to check the colour matching. The high-quality images are supplied electronically, so we can then produce fine art greetings card and prints as required.

Who do I go to for mounts and framing?

I recommend Jeremy Smith at Creek Framing. Jeremy will be very busy in the run-up to SHAF and, fingers crossed, he’ll be able to get mine done in time.

How do you get an invite to the SHAF Preview Evening at Beacon House Gallery?

Email me at beaconhousegallery@gmail.com