paintings Archives - Salcombe Art

26 November 2018 In Art

Work-in-progress: Oil paintings

I have two oil paintings in progress at the moment. One is a ‘normal’ scene with moored boats and little going on. The other is action-packed.

Oil painting 1: Salcombe Harbour

This first oil painting is a Salcombe Harbour scene taking in Cliff House through to the Ferry Inn as seen from the Venus Cafe on the East Portlemouth side of the estuary.

This is one of my source photos, showing the grid pattern I set up for my composition.

This photo also reveals which craft were present when I took the photo, and which ones made it on to the canvas. Notice that the yacht on the right of the photo is on the left in my painting. Also, notice that I’ve introduced some other smaller craft to my composition, to create balance.

The source photo above is one of many photos I took that day, in changeable weather: some with cloud cover; some with the sun breaking through. I’ve tried to capture sunshine on the scene – and that colouration will have come from my other source photos, not shown here.

In all, for anyone painting, I may have a dozen or more photos to inspire me. I draw from as many of them as necessary to arrive at the composition and my palette of colours.

Oil painting 2: Merlins racing up Salcombe estuary

This is the other work-in-progress oil painting – four Merlins racing up the estuary.

My source photo for this one included a view of the Venus Cafe umbrellas, which I decided were a distraction, as I wanted to focus on the action on the water.

Notice that I changed the relative position of the boats, and eliminated one. My aim was to capture the sense of speed through the water. I maintained the colour of the spinnakers, but only because they worked in this combination.

These two paintings should be completed in time for the 2019 exhibition at Salcombe Art Club and will keep me busy during the dark days of winter.

New card designs

Apart from painting, one of the tasks over the winter is to select new card designs.

Usually, rectangular ones are cropped to create a square. For the Salcombe Harbour image, we might have two cards. Which do you prefer?

15 August 2016 In Art

Salcombe Lifeboats Art Fair: 16-18 August at Holy Trinity Church, Salcombe

Salcombe Lifeboats Art Fair starts tomorrow!

As a sailor, I support the RNLI and, in particular, the lifeboats in Salcombe and Hope Cove. Without the brave crews who man the lifeboats, many a sailor would be lost. Their equipment and training is expensive, so I am delighted to have been invited by the Friends of Salcombe Lifeboat to support this charitable event.

When is the Salcombe Lifeboats Art Fair?

16-18 August 2016

Where is the Salcombe Lifeboats Art Fair?

Holy Trinity Church, Salcombe

What will I be displaying?

There will be six of my original paintings, copies of my limited edition print series, and all 52 of my fine art greetings cards.

These have all been reduced in price – to encourage sales – and in turn, to raise much-needed funds for Salcombe Lifeboat.

Which original paintings are for sale?

Slapton Ley, Batson, The Creek at Low Tide, The Church of St Peter, Buckland-tout-Saints, Hannaford’s Landing, Fishing Boats at the Barbican

Which limited edition prints are for sale?

Mounted but unframed limited edition prints will be available at the Salcombe Lifeboats Art Fair – all at reduced prices.

Which fine art greetings cards are for sale?

All of them – £2 each for 3 for £5.

Be sure to come along and support this worthy cause!

25 July 2016 In Art

Going, going, gone! Sold …

In the past week, I’ve sold three paintings. Going, going, gone! Sold!

The first was Sunlight on Avon River, a watercolour, and one of the few of mine to be predominantly green.

There is water, as ever, but it’s not blue, and there’s no blue sky. And no sailing craft in sight … or seagulls …

This painting has graced the walls of Beacon House Gallery for some time now. Painted in 2012, it will be missed.

The second sale was Dawn at South Pool Creek, an acrylic painting of the view from my studio window.

It’s rare for me to be up so early. I am a night owl and enjoy sleeping late. However, my wife, Anne, is always up before dawn and, if it’s an especially beautiful one, she will wake me. I take photos and go back to bed, and she goes back to her computer.

Last but not least to be sold: Paddling at Burgh Island – a painting which captures one sunny day when Anne and I visited her friend, Sheila, and we walked across from her house to Burgh Island.

Like many of my paintings, Dawn at South Pool Creek and Paddling at Burgh Island are available as fine art greetings cards.

When the original is not square, the card image is created by cropping – and you can be seen the difference between the two if you compare the featured image (far above) with that shown immediately above. I decided to focus on the two lady paddlers and the island and to lose some of the left-hand part of the image.

AFFORDABLE ART

You may be surprised to know that 52 of the 127 original paintings I’ve created to date are available as a fine art greetings card.

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

Where can you buy my cards?

The complete range of cards is available at Malborough Post Office. View while you queue!

bloomers-florist-of-knigsbridge-shop-front Bonningtons (the newsagents) and Salcombe Information Centre are both a short walk from the Loft Studio and stock a range of cards.

Cards are also on sale at The Gallery Project (at Avon Mill and in Noss Mayo), and at Salcombe Yacht Club.

If you are visiting Kingsbridge, our newest stockist is Bloomers, the florists, 37 Fore Street (about half way up the hill!).

5 March 2016 In Art

Splosh! My new website!

Welcome to my new website!

It’s five years since I launched my first website.

OldWebsite

Those years have flown by while I’ve been absorbed, completing 120+ paintings, in the luxury of my Salcombe studio.

Online technology has moved on, dragging me with it.

This new website – with thanks to Mark Worden of Mihi Digital for the design and setting things up for us – incorporates a blog, so I can post news of what’s happening in my world of art – and let you know about forthcoming exhibitions. And, apparently, you can comment back. I look forward to ‘talking’ with you!