Salcombe Art / Posts tagged "Merlins Crossing the Bar"
18 March 2019 In Art

Merlin paintings – in preview sale on 5 April

In the preview sale on 5 April, Merlin on the Run and Merlins Racing past Fishermen are two of the latest crop of paintings which will be offered at a discount price to those attending this celebration of the start of another season of art.

 

Merlin on the Run

Merlin on the Run is the featured image above.

The Merlin Rocket Association has a long and ongoing relationship with the Salcombe Yacht Club. Sailors too, often have a close ‘relationship’ with Merlins and their crew.

Merlins | Salcombe Art

Merlins Racing Past Fishermans

When I’m on the water, if I look over my shoulder to see Merlin’s bow wave, powered up with a mighty full spinnaker, I know it’s time to move out of their way. The right of way rule is immaterial …

 

Merlins Racing Past Fishermans

I could not have painted the drama of Merlins Racing Past Fishermans without my photos for reference. Everything happens so fast out on the water.

I raced in Fireballs in my twenties and thirties. These also had spinnakers and were equally unstable when a strong puff of wind visited the estuary.

 

Merlin (Salcome Gin) | Salcombe ArtMerlin Rocket Week

Each year,  the Merlin sailors and their families and friends descend on the town for a week of racing.

In 2019, this event is called Salcombe Gin Merlin Rocket Week 2019 in recognition of the sponsors: Salcombe Gin.

 

Salcombe Gin

The Salcombe Gin Company can be found at The Boathouse, 28 Island Street, Salcombe TQ8 8DP. On-site, there is a distillery, shop, and bar, and they offer courses too at the Gin School. You can make your own gin …

Back to art!

 

Merlin paintings

Merlins | Merlin on the Run - in preview sale on 5 April | Salcombe ArtI love painting these beautiful crafts and now have five images featuring them.

123 Merlins is sold already but the image is available as a fine art greetings card, and – both as a square image and a rectangular image – for the affordable art items too.

 

Come to the Preview evening: 6-9pm on Friday 5 April

If you would like an invitation to the Preview evening, please contact me.

You will be made very welcome at Beacon House Gallery.

25 February 2019 In Art

Merlins Crossing the Bar: in the Preview Sale on 5 April

Merlins Crossing the Bar (the featured image above) is the first of several paintings due to be on show at the 2019 Summer Exhibition of the Salcombe Art Club. It is currently on display at Beacon House Gallery and priced at £750.

 

For sale | Preview: Merlins Crossing the BarPreview Evening – 5 April

On 5 April, the day before handing-in day, there will be a Preview Evening at Beacon House Gallery and this painting, and the others will be on sale at a discounted price for those attending the event. More news on that on Monday 1 April. (And no, it won’t be an April Fools’ post.)

The Preview Evening will be an invitation-only event – for those who’ve attended before, have bought one of my paintings, or other more affordable art –  but contact me if you don’t receive an invitation and would like to come.

 

Merlins Crossing the Bar

This is yet another oil inspired by the wonderful Merlin sailors who love to race in our beautiful estuary with all its challenges. The spinnakers are not just difficult to paint but, in reality, need very good sailors to fly these.

I remember that as a skill I once had in Fireballs, many many years ago. Now my sailing days are over, I’m content to capture the joy and the challenge, through my painting.

 

From oil painting to a fine art greetings card

Many of my originals are also available as a fine art greetings card. For this particular composition, part of the image had to be cropped to create the required square shape for the card. If you compare this image with the featured image above, you’ll notice the Merlin with the pink spinnaker didn’t make it onto the card version.

Merlins Crossing the Bar

It still works as an image though, and I’m sure it will be as popular as other cards featuring Merlins.

Merlins Crossing the Bar cropped for card

 

ADVANCE NEWS! Merlin Rocket Week 2-13  July

Last year, I was ‘artist in residence’ during Merlin Rocket week: 8-13 July. It was not a success in that the weather was so hot, too hot, and the paint was drying on my brush before I could get it only a canvas. So, I abandoned painting and spent the week photographing Merlins and enjoying the event.

This year, I am taking part in a Pop-up Sale on Thursday, 11 July. As well as original paintings of Merlins, I will have on sale my full range of fine art greetings cards, and the new affordable art items: wooden placemats and coasters, glass coasters and chopping boards, key rings, fridge magnets, purses, and cushions!

6 August 2018 In Art

SOLD! Ebb Tide at Batson Creek

It’s a delight to support local good causes and charities.

As a member of Salcombe Yacht Club, this year, during Merlin Rocket week, Anne and I spent nine days in The Chart Room at the yacht club, welcoming the Merlin sailors and their families, and exhibiting my original works, limited edition prints, and fine art greetings cards.

The weather was too hot for me to paint, but I enjoyed watching the sailing, photographing the Merlins and talking with lots of art lovers, while Anne ‘manned the shop’.

 

SOLD! Ebb Tide at Batson Creek

Ebb Tide at Batson CreekAs well as over 100 cards, I sold a painting, which swelled the donation to the Salcombe Yacht Club.

While I am happy when any painting sells, I’m especially so when I meet the purchaser and know it’s going to a good home.

A purchaser is a local person, someone I will see often, and I’m sure he’ll enjoy his purchase.

My paintings grace many a wall in Salcombe, and elsewhere.

See if you can spot one of my originals next time you go visiting?

 

Which cards were the most popoular?

I had painted two more Merlin compositions especially for Merlin Rocket week, and used them for new card designs, bringing the number of cards featuring Merlins to three: Merlins, Merlins Crossing the Bar, and Watching the Merlins Race.

Merlin cards for sale of Ebb Tide at Batson Creek

All three sold well, but they were pipped by two other designs: Salcombe Estuary Trots and Dappled Light I, a watercolour which is now sold but very much like the still-available oil painting Dappled Light III.

Salcombe Estuary Trots for sale of Ebb Tide at Batson Creek

Salcombe Estuary Trots

Local artist, supporting local causes

This year so far, I’ve made donations to The Friends of the Redfern and Salcombe Yacht Club. If you would like me to support your good cause, contact me.

Anne and I are happy to attend events and we have specific cards being sold through charities, such as Salcombe Regatta and Hope Cove Lifeboat.

30 July 2018 In Art

One-man exhibition: Little Studio at the Loft Gallery

As a full member of Salcombe Art Club, I have the option to exhibit in the corner of the Loft Gallery that some of us still call the Little Studio.

This year, I have two consecutive weeks: 28 July until 11 August.

Fifteen original paintings … on three ‘walls’.

 

On the ‘left’ wall

Seagulls in the Spray

Acrylic

16 x 20

£325

 

Burgh Island from Hope Cove

Acrylic

15 x 15

£400

Also available as a fine art greetings card

 

Low Tide at Fishermans Cove

Acrylic

15 x 15

£400

Also available as a fine art greetings card

 

Affordable Art

I am not permitted to sell my cards at the Loft Studio, but they are available within walking distance.

  • Bonningtons, the newsagents
  • Salcombe Information centre

 

On the ‘middle’ wall (top to bottom and then left to right)

Salcombe Yacht Club Christmas Camellias

Acrylic 15 x 15 £500

Scoble Point Moorings

Oil 19 x 19 £450

Gullet Plantation

Oil 15 x 15 £450

Deliah

Acrylic 16 x 12 £250

Dappled Light III

Oil 12 x 16 £350

Tranquility

Acrylic 12 x 16 £275

Hope Cove

Oil 15 x 15.5 £450

South Pool Sunrise

Oil 50cm x 49cm £450

Newton Ferrers from Noss Mayo

Acrylic 15 x 15 £400

 

Then, on the ‘right’ wall

Salcombe Dawn II

Oil

16 x 20

£475

 

Merlins Crossing the Bar

Oil

20 x 16

£750

 

Torcross Wave

Acrylic

14 x 18

£300

 

STEWARDING

I will be stewarding on three occasions:

  • Saturday 4 August 2-5pm
  • Sunday 5 August 11am-5pm
  • Saturday 11 August 2-5pm

 

Pop in and say hello!

 

\

9 July 2018 In Art

Merlin Rocket Week: Artist in residence at SYC

Merlin Rocket Week: 8-13 July

Of all the craft I paint, my favourite, second to the lifeboat, is the Merlin. To date, I have three finished paintings:

Merlins

Merlins - card on sale in Merlin Rocket Week

Merlins (original sold but available as a fine art greetings card)

Merlins Crossing the Bar

Merlins Crossing the Bar on sale in Merlin Rocket Week

Merlins Crossing the Bar

Watching the Merlins Race

Watching the Merlins Race on sale in Merlin Rocket Week

Watching the Merlins Race

The Merlins race in Salcombe every year. It’s a spectacular event. I’m usually there, with my camera, hoping to catch the action. Then, back home, I choose a few photos from which I’ll compose my next Merlin painting.

This year it’s different!

 

Artist in residence!

I have set up camp in the Chart Room, with my easels, my paints and brushes, and some half-finished paintings.

It has the most amazing view.View from the Chart Room

Do pop in and say hello.

I’ll have a range of (finished!) paintings on sale, limited edition prints at reduced prices, plus my fine art greetings cards: £2 each or 3 for a fiver.

 

Where is Salcombe Yacht Club?

Map

Cliff House
Cliff Rd
Salcombe
Devon
TQ8 8JQ
UK

01548 842593

 

26 March 2018 In Art

Salcombe Art Exhibition 2018 starts Good Friday at 11am

Five of my newest crop of paintings are currently being hung for the Salcombe Art Club Summer Exhibition which opens to the public on Good Friday at 11am.

I kept back only one: 138 Merlins Crossing the Bar.

Contact me to arrange a private viewing if you’d like to see that one.

 

SALCOMBE ART CLUB SUMMER EXHIBITION
FRIDAY 30 MARCH – SATURDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2018

Open 7 days a week from 11am until 5pm. Admission is free.

I will be stewarding on the following dates.

  • Wednesday 16 May: 11am – 2pm
  • Wednesday 1 August: 11am – 5pm
  • Wednesday 8 August: 11am – 5pm
  • Sunday 12 August: 11am – 5pm
  • Saturday 18 August: 2pm – 5pm
  • Sunday 19 August: 11am – 5pm
  • Wednesday 26 September: 11am – 5pm

 

Pop in to meet me in the flesh!

 

Affordable Art

All six news images are available as fine art greetings cards.

 

WHERE CAN YOU BUY My CARDS?

My main fine art greetings card stockist is Malborough Post Office where all 65 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.

19 March 2018 In Art

Salcombe Art Club Exhibition Preview: Noss Mayo Sunset

Noss Mayo Sunset is one of a crop of six new paintings destined for the Salcombe Art Club Summer Exhibition.

Today, I am collecting them from the framer, just in time for the handing-in day on 24 March. If you’d like to purchase one of them ahead of the Exhibition and save 10% on the price (they range from £500 to £750), contact me to arrange a private viewing urgently!

 

What was I doing admiring the Noss Mayo Sunset?

Although I now live in Salcombe, and most of my paintings feature scenes near my home, the two villages of Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo are also close to my heart. This idyllic estuary has had me under its spell since 1968 when my two children were young, and we would rent Rose Cottage, next to The Dolphin.

At low tide, there are causeways to help pedestrians cross the water between the two villages. So, if the tide was out, we’d cross the causeway on foot. We often ate at The Ship and enjoyed the views across to the Swan Inn. If the tide was in, we’d visit the Swan Inn by boat!

I have very many happy memories of those times and still have friends living there.

All the hostelries offer excellent food and are ideally sited from an artist’s point of view. Decades later, it’s a treat to venture away from Salcombe now and then and to enjoy such picturesque scenes. Anne and I often take house guests in that direction.

So, imagine me, with friends, on the way to a pub at sunset. Of course, I have with me my camera – two actually! – and I had to shoot the ‘light moment’ of a beautiful day to capture this image of all those craft moored up. Then, once I start taking photos, I can’t stop. And once I’m back home in my studio, it’s not long before I’m compelled to start painting …

Many of this most recent crop were painted in oil. This one is an acrylic. Why not an oil? No reason really, except acrylics dry very quickly and are easily carried to and from my art classes in the Loft Studio.

It’s not quite square so it’s been cropped to create a fine art greetings card. Can you spot which bit Anne cropped?

12 March 2018 In Art

Salcombe Art Club Exhibition Preview: Merlins Crossing the Bar

Merlins Crossing the Bar is one of a crop of six new paintings destined for the Salcombe Art Club Summer Exhibition.

Right now, they are with the framer so they are not available to view just yet. However, if you want to purchase ahead of the Exhibition, and save 10% on the price (they range from £500 to £750), contact me to arrange a private viewing ahead of handing day on 24 March.

 

Merlins Crossing the Bar

This is yet another oil inspired by the wonderful Merlin sailors who love to race in our beautiful estuary with all its challenges.

The spinnakers are not just difficult to paint but, in reality, need very good sailors to fly these.

I remember that as a skill I once had in Fireballs, many many years ago.

Now my sailing days are over, I’m content to capture the joy and the challenge, through my painting.

 

From oil painting to fine art greetings card

Many of my originals are also available as a fine art greetings card. I call it affordable art!

For this particular composition, part of the image had to be cropped to create the required square shape for the card. If you compare this image with the featured image above, you’ll notice the Merlin with the pink spinnaker didn’t make it onto the card version.

It still works as an image though, and I’m sure it will be as popular as others cards featuring Merlins, especially during Merlin Rocket week: 8-13 July.

This is Merlins and shows these magnificent craft racing past Mill Bay.

 And this is one of the new crop: Watching the Merlins Race.

5 March 2018 In Art, Exhibition

Salcombe Art Club Exhibition Preview: Longstone

Longstone is one of a crop of six new paintings destined for the Salcombe Art Club Summer Exhibition.

Right now, they are with the framer so they are not available to view just yet. However, if you want to purchase ahead of the Exhibition, and save 10% on the price (they range from £500 to £750), contact me to arrange a private viewing ahead of handing day on 24 March.

 

The view of the Cottage Hotel, from Bantham

This image is taken from Bantham, looking towards Hope Cove. High on the cliff, you can just about make out the Cottage Hotel, currently under major redevelopment and refurbishment.

This view, taken from the beach (and one of the hotel’s own photos) shows it in more detail.

The Cottage Hotel is one of my favourite destinations. Whether it’s for Sunday lunch – like yesterday – or for a romantic getaway where Anne and I can relax and enjoy the wonderful sunsets – we are regular visitors.

We love the old-fashioned family atmosphere where customer service is the top priority. And, of course, the dessert trolley.

 

More about Longstone

Back to my painting! Again, I am using oil paints.

In the middle distance, Longstone, this magnificent rock does look as if it’s braced against the roaring sea.

And, notice a streak of orange: the Hope Cove Rib at full tilt on a mission of mercy in those foul conditions.

 

Supporting Hope Cove Lifeboat

I am keen to support local charities and good causes generally. To this end, there is a fine art greetings card which supports the Hope Cove Lifeboat.

Watch out for these and buy them!

They are on sale at the Cottage Hotel, and also at events organsied by the charity.