Latest News and Progress

13 November 2017

Affordable art: In aid of Hope Cove Lifeboat

I always support local charities and also like my art to be available at affordable prices.

Now, I can now kill two birds with one stone: providing affordable art in the form of my fine art greetings cards and financial support to the Hope Cove Lifeboat at the same time.

You’ve already seen this image on charity cards?

Yes. You are correct!

A limited number of cards bearing my image of Hope Cove (as featured above) were printed and sold – in sets of 5 – to raise monies for the Hope Cove Lifeboat, particularly at the Hope Cove Lifeboat Fund-Raising Day, back in August of this year.

These cards are new?

Yes. We have now had this design printed …

These individual cards, of my usual 350gsm quality, with a 100gsm envelope, are presented in a cellophane wrap and will soon be available at the usual stockists and also – NEW! – at the Cottage Hotel.

How does your purchase support Hope Cove Lifeboat?

Wherever you see this card – your purchase will result in a donation to this very worthwhile charity. Please buy one. Or two!

And, if anyone would like to buy the original oil painting, costing £450, the Hope Cove Lifeboat will receive an extra donation from me of £50!

Where can you buy these charity cards?

My main fine art greetings card stockist is Malborough Post Office where all 59 designs can be found.

But my cards are also on sale at the Salcombe Information Centre, Bonningtons the newsagents in Salcombe, The Gallery @ Avon Mill, The Gallery Project at Noss Mayo, Bloomers the florists in Kingsbridge – and direct from me.

Will there be more designs sold as charity cards?

Yes!

I am currently in discussion with three other local charities and will post news as soon as designs are decided and texts agreed and I have an image of the new card to show you.

If you are working for a local charity and you think you might like to adopt one of my designs to raise funds for your charity, please contact me to discuss this further.

6 November 2017

Sold! Torcross Sunrise

Torcross Sunrise

Torcross Sunrise was purchased during the SHAF Arts Trail – a two-week exhibition at Beacon House from 13 October until 29 October.

WHAT IS THE SHAF ARTS TRAIL?

The SHAF Arts Trail is an annual event in which SHAF members open their studios, or inhabit galleries and other exhibition spaces, and welcome visitors to see their art. At each venue, artists were happy to discuss their art-form, explain the processes involved and provide the opportunity for their visitors to view, appreciate and buy unique pieces of work.

Following the Arts Trail also gave visitors an unusual opportunity to explore the glorious South Hams as they mapped their route and discover more and more artists’ venues (as well as cream tea venues).

This was my third year with the SHAF Arts Trail. Having two weeks instead of one – and coinciding with half term week when we have more visitors to Salcombe – has provided us with more than double the number of visitors in previous years.

I’ve also enjoyed greater success in that four paintings have been sold – and many, many of my fine art greetings cards too.

Why did I paint Torcross Sunrise?

Prior to purchasing Beacon House four years ago, Anne and I had three years of upheaval. We had a flat which we couldn’t occupy due to renovations imposed by the management, and then our attempts to sell the flat took forever. We had to rent somewhere to live instead. And we had four different rentals in the space of three years.

Seven weeks were spent in Torcross and this view was what greeted me at dawn. How could I not paint it?

Are there other paintings done at that time?

Slapton Ley

Torcross

Yes, I painted two other paintings during that 7-week rental: Slapton Ley and Torcross.

Between them, they show the view from the upstairs lounge window of that rental.

To the left, Slapton Ley shows the Ley, and the causeway which separates it from the sea beyond.

To the right,Torcross shows the tank memorial and then the houses at Torcross.

You’ll notice that I didn’t include the public toilets!

Both paintings are watercolours and capture the variety of weathers seen from our rental.

Torcross was sold some time ago but Slapton Ley is still for sale.

Affordable art

Both designs are available as fine art greetings card, although the images have been cropped to fit the square design of my cards.

Torcross card

Slapton Ley card

Are there other paintings of that coastline?

Torcross Wave

Yes: an acrylic called Torcross Wave.

This acrylic painting is still available for sale but is one of the designs that I did not use for a greetings cards.

30 October 2017

SOLD! Salcombe Dawn III

Salcombe Dawn III

Salcombe Dawn III was purchased as a gift for a special birthday.

It’s a delight that this painting was chosen during the SHAF Arts Trail – a two-week exhibition at Beacon House from 13 October until yesterday, 29 October.

What is the SHAF Arts Trail?

The SHAF Arts Trail is an annual event in which SHAF members open their studios, or inhabit galleries and other exhibition spaces, and welcome visitors to see their art. At each venue, you will find artists happy to discuss their art-form, explain the processes involved and provide the opportunity to view, appreciate and buy unique pieces of work.

Following the Arts Trail also gives visitors an unusual opportunity to explore the glorious South Hams as they map their route and discover more and more artists’ venues (as well as cream tea venues).

This is the third year I’ve taken part in the SHAF Arts Trail. Having two weeks instead of one – and coinciding with half term week when we have more visitors to Salcombe – has provided us with more than double the number of visitors in previous years.

I’ve also enjoyed greater success in that four paintings have been sold – and many, many of my fine art greetings cards too.

The Salcombe Dawn studies

Salcombe Dawn III is a watercolour, and one of three studies of the view across to Salcombe from Snapes.

Salcombe Dawn II

The other two were both oil paintings and one of those has also sold already. The remaining painting is Salcombe Dawn II – which is available as both an original and a fine art greetings card.

This image of Salcombe was captured very early one morning. I’d invested in a photography course with Bang Wallop, and a small group of us drove up to Snapes in the early hours so we’d be in position as the dawn broke. I’d never before sat in the dark, with a group of strangers, cameras ready, waiting for the sun to appear on the horizon. It was a magical experience and provided a series of wonderful photographs.

Affordable Art

Out of 135 completed paintings to date, 80+ have been sold, but 59 are available as fine art greetings cards.

In Salcombe, my card designs are stocked at Bonningtons (the newsagents) and Salcombe Information Centre (both a short walk from the Loft Studio).

Further afield, my cards are stocked by Malborough Post Office – they offer the entire range – The Gallery at Avon Mill, The Gallery Project at Noss Mayo, and in Bloomers, the florist in Kingsbridge.

Just think: for less than 1% of the sales price of an original painting, you can invest in a fine art greetings card. Send it to a friend or frame it for yourself.