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5 June 2016

Sketchbook Notes: Dawn at New Bridge

To replace the painting sold yesterday in my one-man exhibition in the Little Studio at the Loft Gallery, I’ve chosen Dawn at New Bridge.

What made me paint ‘Dawn at New Bridge’?

For a year, Anne and I rented a stunning house at Bickerton. It belonged to an artist and her husband and, for those twelve months, I worked in the best studio conditions I’ll ever have, for sure.

Work was being done on our Salcombe flat, ahead of putting it on the market, and we spent three years renting various houses in the South Hams. We learnt a lot about the type of house we might eventually want to buy!

During that particular tenancy, I would often drive from Bickerton back to Salcombe and, crossing New Bridge, Bowcombe, I would enjoy the view across the estuary.

One particular morning, there was a mist, slowly clearing. I felt compelled to stop the car and, reaching for my camera, I captured this magical moment. I especially admired the reflections in the pink water.

Dawn at New Bridge was one of a number of studies that resulted from that pitstop.

Safe Mooring (shown left) was sold to friends who live back in Surrey, when they visited us for our eventual house warming party at Beacon House in 2013.

At that same party, the owner of the boat featured was also identified …

Do you like pink?

If you like the ‘pink’ of these paintings, you might also like New Day at New Bridge, the original of which was sold at Avon Mill. However, the image is still available as a fine art greetings card.

THE SKETCHBOOK NOTES SERIES

This is one of the Sketchbook Notes, a series of posts explaining what inspired me to produce a particular painting.

If you own one of my paintings, or are just curious about an image, let me know; I’ll then write a blog post especially for you!

5 June 2016

SOLD! Low Tide at East Portlemouth

It’s a pleasure to make a sale when stewarding, made even more rewarding when it’s one of your own paintings.

Yesterday, one visitor to Salcombe Art Club – a regular visitor to Salcombe – bought two paintings, one in the morning and one on my watch in the afternoon. She was seeking gifts for her family and solved her challenge by selecting paintings which reminded her of her happy times in our town.

What inspired me to paint Low Tide at East Portlemouth?

Until recently, Anne and I lived in a flat, my ‘holiday flat’ in Great Gates, and our view was across the estuary to the East Portlemouth side. With each new day, we’d take our morning coffee on the balcony, drinking in this wondrous sight.

In those days, it was so hard to drag myself off to the studio, a back room with no view at all, to get on with the latest project. In my new studio, I have a stunning view, which can be somewhat distracting … I am sure both situations evoke no sympathy in you, my reader!

And now?

Now, having sold this painting, I’ll be deciding which of my current stock of paintings to take down with me today to fill that gap. Watch this space!

30 May 2016

The South Sands Ferry: The Harvest Reaper

To travel in a boat is a must for every visitor to Salcombe, especially the very young, and what better way to travel but on the Harvest Reaper?

The Fisher Price colours of yellow and blue make the South Sands Ferry look as if it’s popped out of a child’s toy box.

The journey from Salcombe to South Sands on the Harvest Reaper takes only 15 minutes, and then it’s the turn of the tractor to ferry the passengers ashore.

On the return journey, the prospect of driving back into the sea to await the incoming ferry, can worry some youngsters. However, any apprehension is easily forgotten with the promise of an ice cream at the end of the journey. Salcombe ice-cream is the finest!

The views each way are spectacular, along the beaches of the ria and out to sea. On a Saturday afternoon, the passengers can also take a close look at the dinghy sailors racing past.

I have painted the Harvest Reaper many times. The original of Harvest Reaper Beyond Fort Charles was sold when on exhibition at the Redfern Centre, but it’s still available as a fine art greetings card.

Harvest Reaper II (the featured image above) and this rear view in Harvest Reaper III will be on display at my one-man show at the Little Studio in the Loft Gallery.

Harvest Reaper II is a watercolour, and Harvest Reaper III is an oil painting. Both are available as fine art greetings cards.

When is the one-man show?

My week at the Little Studio in the Loft Gallery runs until Saturday 4 June. The Loft Gallery, the home of Salcombe Art Club, is open from 11am until 5pm each day.

Where is the Loft Gallery?

The Loft Gallery is situated behind the Fortescue Inn, and above a popular shoe shop, on a delightful footpath called Victoria Quay, which overlooks one of the best views in the UK including the mooring berth of the RNLI lifeboat Baltic Exchange III.

When will I be there to greet you?

I will be stewarding at the Loft Gallery from 2pm on Saturday 4 June. I hope you see you there!