ONE-MAN EXHIBITION: LITTLE STUDIO AT THE LOFT GALLERY

As a full member of Salcombe Art Club, I have the option for a one-man exhibition in the corner of the Loft Gallery that some of us still call the Little Studio.

This year, my exhibition spans two consecutive weeks: 18-31 August. Fifteen original paintings … and the gallery is open every day 11am until 5pm

A RETROSPECTIVE OF MY WORK 

For this one-man exhibition, I’ve chosen paintings which span the past decade or so, while I have been a member of Salcombe Art Club.

The Club rules don’t allow a painting to be exhibited in the Main Exhibition for three years after it is first exhibited. Each year, I’ve been exhibiting 5 new paintings; consequently, these older ones have been somewhat neglected.

I need to free up space on the walls in my gallery! So, I have discounted all of the paintings on show for this fortnight. Come along. There are some bargains!

From 2011: Slapton Ley 

Slapton Ley | one-man exhibition

Slapton Ley: watercolour: £100

Deliah 

Deliah | one-man exhibition

Deliah: acrylic: £150

High and Dry in the Creek 

High and Dry in the Creek: acrylic £150

From 2012: Fishing Boats in the Barbican 

Fishing Boats in the Barbican: watercolour: £150

From 2013: At Ditch End 

079 At Ditch End

At Ditch End: acrylic: £100

Evening Row 

Evening Row: acrylic: £100

Storm at Start Bay 

Storm at Start Bay: acrylic: £100

and Calypso 

Calypso watercolour: £150

From 2014: Hope Cove Fishing Gear 

Hope Cove Fishing Gear

Hope Cove Fishing Gear: watercolour: £125

From 2015: Sunlight Across the Ba

Sunlight across the Bar: oil; £175

 Salcombe Dawn II  

Salcombe Dawn II: watercolour: £375

From 2018: Sunset at Start Point II  

Sunset at Start Point

Sunset at Start Point: oil: £325

In the main exhibition, I have FIVE paintings. Can you find them all? 

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.

AFFORDABLE ART: Fine art greetings cards

Out of 140+ completed paintings to date, 70 of these are also available as fine art greetings cards.

You cannot buy my cards at the Salcombe Art Club, but they 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, Ashby’s, The Gallery Project at Avon Mill and at Noss Mayo.

CONTEMPORARY PASSIONS EXHIBITION PREVIEW: Hope Cove

Hope Cove Fishing Gear Contemporary PassionsHope Cove is one of several paintings I’ll be showing at the the annual Contemporary Passions exhibition.

It’s only the second study of Hope Cove. The first was Hope Cove Fishing Gear, which is currently on display at Salcombe Art Club.
The second study of Hope Cove, is of the beach – with both modern and traditional crab pots being featured in the foreground.

 

HOPE COVE IS A PERFECT SUBJECT FOR AN ARTIST?

Yes! The village of Hope Cove and its beaches are protected by a line of dramatic rocks and sea walls, and the local fishing boats are moored to a series of chains which lead the eye to the sea. The cove is always busy with holidaymakers and fishermen.

But, fishermen and sailors are quick to notice detail. If I get something wrong, then, in their opinion, my painting loses credibility. So, before I start any new painting, I gather lots of photographic images to help me to meet with their expectations. To see how I make sure I don’t make any mistakes, read my Sketchbook notes for Hope Cove.

Contemporary passionsThe image was so popular, it was used as the backdrop for a Treasure Hunt at the 2016 Fund Raising Day for Hope Cove Lifeboat. (The date for the 2017 Fund-Raising Day is 10 August.)

 

What is the Contemporary Passions exhibition?

My ‘contemporary passion’ for the 2017 Contemporary Passions exhibition is ‘places other than Salcombe’.  For the past decade or so, I’ve focused on scenes within easy walking distance of my home in Salcombe, and I’ve painted over 100 of them.

 

WHEN IS THE CONTEMPORARY PASSIONS EXHIBITION?

Tuesday 6 June until Sunday 18 June 2017
Open daily 10 am – 5 pm (closing at 4 pm on the last day)

 

WHERE IS THE CONTEMPORARY PASSIONS EXHIBITION?

The Contemporary Passions exhibition will be at Harbour House, The Promenade, Kingsbridge, Devon, TQ7 1JD

 

WANT TO MEET THE ARTISTS?

There will be an opportunity to meet the artists on Tuesday 6 June, 6-8 pm.

I will also be stewarding all day on Saturday 10 June and on the morning of Saturday 17 June.

 

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Admission is free!

Salcombe Art Club Exhibition preview: Shifting Sands at Burgh Island I and II

Two of my paintings of Burgh Island depicts the shifting sands between the mainland and the island.

I’ve included both for consideration of the Hanging Committee of Salcombe Art Club, hoping they will be accepted for the 2017 Salcombe Art Club Exhibition which opens on Thursday 13 April.

On this blog, over the past few weeks, I’ve also posted a preview of the other three paintings that I have submitted: Provident, Hope Cove Fishing Gear, and Blackstone.

 

What’s special about these two paintings of Burgh Island?

Shifting Sands at Burgh Island I, the featured image above, is an acrylic painting. In the sky, I included a vapour trail to remind me of a flight from Gatwick to Malta a while back. For some reason, the pilot chose to go west before turning south. Seeing this spectacular coastline from the air was a magical experience.

Shifting Sands at Burgh Island II draws particular attention to the dramatic cliffs. Also clear in this image is that the Island is set apart from the mainland by a strip of sand, only visible at low tide. When the sea is in full tide, the sea tractor ferries the visitors to and fro and there is a continuous clamour of sound from waves and gulls.

What’s special about Burgh Island?

Burgh Island, with its Art Deco hotel perched like a crown on its island site, has always captured the visitors’ imagination – not just Agatha Christie’s but many many artists too.

The setting is like a jewel, but with constantly changing tides and weather and light.

Acrylic paint was my choice because the summer light is strong and the tones of blues and greens etc compete. The fast drying time of this medium means there can be no delay in capturing the moment.

 

AFFORDABLE ART

Both images are available as a fine art greetings card.

My cards 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, The Gallery Project at Avon Mill and 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. Whistlefish sell frames that fit … about £10 each.

Hope Cove Fishing Gear Contemporary Passions

Salcombe Art Club Exhibition preview: Hope Cove Fishing Gear

Hope Cove Fishing Gear – the featured painting above – is one of five I plan to submit for consideration of the Hanging Committee of Salcombe Art Club, hoping they will be accepted for the 2017 Salcombe Art Club Exhibition which opens on Thursday 13 April.

On this blog, I’ll post a preview of each of the five paintings, over the next few weeks. If you decide you want to purchase one of them, be quick. The prices go up in April!

 

What inspired me to paint Hope Cove Fishing Gear?

I support the Hope Cove Lifeboat. Year after year, Anne and I have a stall, selling my fine art greetings cards, at the Fund Raising Day in August at the Cottage Hotel. It’s a great event, attracting locals and visitors and much money is raised for this worthy cause.

We have a regular position at the far end of the Cottage Hotel’s dining room and, beside us, Sue Morgan (photo) demonstrates how to weave the traditional crab pots.

Year after year, the question would come up: Do you have any cards of Hope Cove?

I painted Hope Cove Fishing Gear, inspired by Sue’s skills, and to try to meet the demand of the folk who buy my cards.

To be honest, it wasn’t a huge hit with the locals!

 

And then?

And then, a year later, I tackled the second study of Hope Cove, of the beach – with both modern and traditional crab pots being featured in the foreground – again inspried by Sue Morgan.

This one was more successful! The image was so popoular, it was used for the poster for the 2016 Fund Raising Day, and also for the Treasure Hunt.

 

Affordabale art

Both images are available as a fine art greetings card. The range is now 59 strong, and on sale at Malborough Post Office.

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. Whistlefish sell frames that fit … about £10 each.

Watercolour Exhibition: Racing Past Blackstone

As mentioned in last Monday’s blog post, I have four paintings in the Watercolour Exhibition in the Little Studio of the Loft Gallery; the featured image above, Racing Past Blackstone, is one of them.Watercolour exhibition Aug 2016
In this photo of your truly in the Little Studio, above Racing Past Blackstone is Hope Cove Fishing Gear, and below it is Reflections at Batson.

On another wall is Salcombe Dawn III.108 Salcombe Dawn III72dpiResized

Blackstone and Racing Past Blackstone

Racing Past Blackstone is a watercolour, but I tackled a similar composition in acrylic and the result was Blackstone.

091 Blackstone72dpiResized

Affordable art

For less than 1% of the sales price of an original, all images in this blog post, and many many more, are available as a fine art greetings card, at Bonningtons (the newsagents) and Salcombe Information Centre (both a short walk from the Loft Studio).

bloomers-florist-of-knigsbridge-shop-frontThe complete range of cards is available at Malborough Post Office and, if you are visiting Kingsbridge, our newest stockist is Bloomers, the florists, 37 Fore Street (about half way up the hill!).

 

 

 

Hope Cove Fishing Gear Contemporary Passions

Watercolour Exhibition: 21 August – 1 September

Right now, the Loft Gallery is home to the Salcombe Art Club Summer Exhibition.

 

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE SUMMER EXHIBITION ENDS?

When this annual exhibition ends, late in September, the unsold paintings are wrapped and removed by the artists, and the display boards are stored in the roof space. The trestle tables and easels are retrieved, and the Loft Gallery reverts to its winter role: a busy working space for the members of Salcombe Art Club.

A packed programme of art classes commences for all categories of member: lay, associate and full. These tutored classes – in drawing and painting (watercolour, acrylic and oil) – continue through the winter months until next Easter when the next Summer Exhibition opens.

Then, by way of a reward and in recognition of their hard work, the masterpieces of the artists who attended the various classes are displayed in the Little Studio.

 

Michael Hill’S Watercolour/acrylic CLASS EXHIBITION: SUNDAY 21 August UNTIL ThursDAY 1 September

Starting Sunday 21 August – for 12 days– it’s the turn of Michael Hill’s watercolour/acrylic class to show their work.

As well as the five oil paintings already on display in the main exhibition, I’ll have five watercolours on display in this class exhibition: Hope Cove Fishing Gear (also featured above), Reflections at Batson,  Racing Past Blackstone and Salcombe Dawn III and a mounted, but unframed, study of Corfe Castle in the browser.

087 Hope Cove Fishing Gear72dpiResizedSquare

096 Reflections at Batson72dpiRESIZEDSquare
099 Racing past Blackstone72dpiRESIZEDSquare
108 Salcombe Dawn III72dpiResizedSquare

 

AFFORDABLE ART

For less than 1% of the sales price of an original, the first three images, and many others, are available as a fine art greetings card, at Bonningtons (the newsagents) and Salcombe Information Centre (both a short walk from the Loft Studio).

bloomers-florist-of-knigsbridge-shop-frontThe complete range of cards is available at Malborough Post Office and, if you are visiting Kingsbridge, our newest stockist is Bloomers, the florists, 37 Fore Street (about half way up the hill!).

One-man show in the Little Studio

My one-man show in the Little Studio, at the Loft Gallery Salcombe, starts next Sunday 29 May and runs until Saturday 4 June.

I am displaying a dozen paintings: four each of my watercolours, my acrylics and my oil paintings.

My oil paintings on display will be Dappled Light III, Harvest Reaper II, Harvest Reaper III, and Sunlight Across the Bar.

102 Dappled light III72dpiResizedSquare

109 Harvest Reaper II72dpiRESIZEDSquare 112 Harvest Reaper III72dpiRESIZEDSquare110 Sunlight Across the Bar72dpiRESIZEDSquare

 

 

 

 

The watercolours are: Ebb Tide at Batson Creek,  Hope Cove Fishing Gear, Low Tide at East Portlemouth, and Reflections at Batson.

094 Ebb tide at Batson72dpiResizedSquare

087 Hope Cove Fishing Gear72dpiResizedSquare

089 Low tide at East Portlemouth 72dpiSQUARE

096 Reflections at Batson72dpiRESIZEDSquare

 

 

 

 

 

And the acrylic paintings are Dawn at South Pool CreekPaddling at Burgh IslandShifting Sands at Burgh Island I, and  The Church at St Peter, Buckland Tout Saints.

113 Dawn at South Pool Creek72dpiRESIZEDSquare 114 Paddling at Burgh Island72dpiRESIZEDSquare

120 Shifting Sands at Burgh Island I72dpiRESIZEDSQUARE

059 Church of St Peter72dpiRsizedSquare

 

 

 

 

 

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 all day on Sunday 29 May and from 2pm on Saturday 4 June. I hope you see you there!

 

Can’t afford to buy my paintings!

Nearly all of the images on sale in my one-man exhibition are also available as fine art greetings cards. Only a short distance from the Loft Gallery, you have the choice of buying these ‘man cards’ at Bonningtons, the newsagents, or at Salcombe Information Centre.