Sleepless in Dawlish

Two-twenty in the morning and sleep won’t come… just when I need it, too. We’ll be off bright and early in a few hours, up to Brighton to see Jim and Jaimy (our son and daughter-in-law); and the next day I’ll be up, up and away to Australia. As always, before such an adventure, I have mixed feelings about leaving (and some dread about the long journey ahead), which is probably why sleep eludes me. Or it could be due to over-tiredness – suddenly there’s so much to do in the week, then days before leaving; and there’s the nagging worry that something vital will be overlooked…

I’d better go back to bed now and try to catch at least a little sleep. My next blog post will come to you from warmer climes, probably in a few days time when, still adjusting to the ten hours ahead, I’ll probably be writing yet again at two-thirty in the morning!

In the meantime, here is a photograph of my most recent painting. It’s hot of the easel (only just signed) and will shortly be with the subject of the painting – my beautiful daughter-in-law Jaimy.

The bride

 

Country Scene Panels Framed

Jess and Jim liked the paintings so much that they asked Chris to frame them (prints of the originals will go into the oak paneling under their windowsill).

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Three More Paintings Finished

At last, after a lot of interruptions, the panels are finished! This is the order in which they will be placed into the six panels under a window sill.

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Two More Panels Painted

Sometimes other things get in the way of commissions but I hope Jess and Jim will be heartened to see that I haven’t forgotten them. The last two are works in progress. Meanwhile here are the boxing hares and the stoats and beehive…

New Paintings of Fox and Cubs

Jess and Jim loved my fox and cubs paintings on their wall panels so much that they asked me to continue painting the other four on removable wooden panels that could slot into place. I decided to repaint the original pair so that they will have a full set that can go with them to wherever they may live in the future.

I just thought you might like to see the progress so far and the slight changes I have made…

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After the Harvest Revisited

Yesterday Chris and I were passing by one of my favourite fields on our way home and we stopped to take in the view (and to take a photograph or two). Funnily enough, it was around the same time of year that I painted that same view twelve years ago. As you can see from the photos, it hasn’t changed much – still beautiful!

 

Yesterday

 

The photograph is above and my painting, “After the Harvest”, is below.

after-the-harvest-oil-48x58cms

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Vixen and Fox Cubs – Painted on Panels

The first two of six paintings to fill panels under a window in the lounge room of a quaint thatched cottage. To follow there will be boxing-hares, stoats and bee hives, a robin perched on a garden fork and black-headed gulls… What fun in the countryside!

They are a bit cute – aren’t they?

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Painting on the Carved Cupboard Door

My guess is that the carved cupboard door was made of old oak, attractive but dark. The new owners of the charming thatched cottage wanted to lighten their lounge-room and add colour so they painted the dark wood white and I added the colour. This is the result in its various stages…

 

And tomorrow I shall be painting some panels under the window sill on the other side of the room. Keep tuned in…

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Hatched – A New Painting

It’s a bit different, in terms of both my usual style and subject matter, but I like it. I had to paint the background very loosely or it would have taken forever. Hence this acrylic on canvas painting took very little time to produce and was great fun to paint. Any ideas for names would be appreciated…

 

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Field Painting From Start to Finish

I’m happy! I’ve just finished my latest commission – a painting of the Parson and Clerk, the magnificent headland which we observe from our house. Invariably, the large field on top of the cliffs catches shafts of sunshine, even on cloudy days, and is a source of wonder and pleasure to those who see it (especially residents of our terrace). Caroline asked me to paint a couple of figures on that hillside and this is what I’ve come up with…

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