..... another painting from Home Farm . Life is geting very busy at the moment, I'm behind with posts here - not to mention my Christmas cards (I just did!).

There are different ways to look at the sky. You can focus on a certain point, and you will see only one star in the night. Or you can have a complete view of the entire story, and then you will see that the sky is covered with millions of stars. You can contemplate them and abandon yourself in the fascinating landscape. It's the same with human nature: we have to open up our minds and be able to see the various shapes it can take. Even though its morphology can be scaring sometimes, only by confronting it we can truly understand it. And realise that no matter how many egos are in one person, there is only one in the end.

I've been working on  a new project for a while, a commission to paint a farm,  a beautiful place, set just below the hills at Bromham.There are many possible, views, subjects to paint choices are sometimes too many. The obvious subject is the hills.



But I have been fixated on the lake there and a 'Hawthorn Tree' which makes a grand subject.

It is  a rough, old, spiky, tree; strong, stocky with unruly branches,  full of colour and changing quickly with the season; ...

..... but it contrasts against the water behind which sometimes is very still, sometimes rippled , and the colours gradate from a deep indigo near the bank to a heavenly cerulean blue further out. I've done several studies - initially it was windy and rather wild which these studies reflect, a freedom after the summer sessions of tight restraint, painting buildings in Bath.

The beginnings of a larger painting, a lot more leaves needed still ....
The easel setup....it is an exposed area so choosing a day when there's little wind is important, as far as one can predict the UK weather :-(*/

An exciting exhibition by Charlotte Moore, at The Gallery (Formerly Icon Gallery) in St James's Street Bath.
 Charlotte Moore's exhibition at the Gallery on St James's Street continues until Christmas Eve.
Charlotte studied at Chelsea and Falmouth Colleges of Art and has exhibited in London, the Midlands and the West Country as well as in Canberra and Brisbane. Her work features in collections worldwide.
 The gallery has until now been showing mainly mesh paintings/sculptures, which have aroused great interest and much discussion. As of this weekend (10th Dec) the exhibition will change with the addition of two and three dimensional paintings. All works on display have classical art historical references (part of their appeal is finding the allusions), while still retaining Charlotte’s unique style which is charming, colourful and lighthearted.

 FOLDED PAINTING

 FRAGMENT

There are endless possibilities of expanding in the matrix of our world. Human structure has unseen ramifications in the universe and they are ready to serve us by making outside connections. There is no message that can't be decrypted, no symbols that can't be understood if we use the power that's been given to us.

Our appearence on planet Earth was a sacred moment. But the DNA of humankind was never meant to be pure, as it bears every bit of its characteristics: love and hate, joy and bitterness, beauty and horror, passion, envy, pity, fear, greed and kindness, all of them bound together in a spiral of perfection. There are infinite shades in every story and the war has been going on since forever. Will it ever end or was it designed to be eternal? No one knows. Afterall, the dice have been thrown a very long time ago.

Later November view from the putting Green, below Sion Hill. Done in two quick sessions. Each time, soon after I sat down it began to rain, and a windy squall hit on the second sitting although both days had been 'Beautifully Sunny'  till I started work there. (I think I can control the weather now. I just paint .... and it rains).
This was finished as the light faded so I put a bit of yellow glow in some windows as the lights were beginning to come on.
It's a small commission for a friend who needs it for a present. The view had caught my eye in the summer when the light in the mornings reflected in bright patches off some of the distant roofs  - very lovely and most 'Evocative of Bath'. But I only managed to get there in the afternoons and although there was a short splash of sunlight at the first sitting which cast interesting shadows and spot-lit the chimney tops etc., generally it was a pretty dull light. However I quite like this result with an Evening feel.
Oil on board *"8" x 5"

We humans tend to spin around in the overwhelming network of our mental world, and most of the time we end up in the same spot where we started. It seems like our mind labyrinth is full of dead-ends: we feel like we have too much, and still, something's missing. But the symbols that come in our way represent solutions for the best exits we can choose. Look for them and you will learn the truth and the beauty of life. And you will find new ways to live it completely.

These eight paintings were done "en plein air", sitting in the tailgate of my car, at the end of May into June 2011 (posted some then). Some were done on consecutive days within about two weeks, when we had  a beautiful period of calm warm weather with still evening skies. Practically there were always jet trails hanging motionless, or being drawn across the sky as I watched. Sizes are 8" x 5" in the main thought the first three were of slightly different height sizes, using offcuts, till I realised suddenly that I should standardise sizes and create a series.
Now I'm trying to decide how to display them, in groups of three, or four or singley. I quite like the set of three or four as it gives rise to the idea of 'time passing', and possibly 'film', that almost old fashion medium (with sprocket holes), much superceded by video format.

 One has to work very fast  to get the paint down as the sky is changing swiftly all the time. So these probably took half an hour on average . It is really difficult to be sure as I always forget to check the time. Sometimes I'd get there and wait a bit  to summon the energy; sitting, contemplating  till it  felt 'right' to start (better late then never), sometimes weary(or lazy) and mesmerised by  the splendour and drama of it all. Then urge myself into action working, against the clock to beat the fading light, till I can't see the colours I'm mixing - it can feel rather futile trying to attempt this.(once or twice I didn't even get going)

Life on planet Earth is a continuous battle with the others and with our own egos. So we need the best weapons to survive: realism and dreams, lucidity and fairies, darkness and light. And sometimes, when one reality bites, we need to close our eyes and be able to see a different one. This is what my painting is about.

One of two paintings of this view, this being the first one, 27th June. I had found a platform directly under Waterloo Bridge where pigeons nest and skateboarders sometimes practice tight maneouvers. It was pretty quiet so I set up easel and did this in one sitting (or should I say 'standing'!). The annoying wind was coming up the Thames from the east  in gusts  of about 30-40 mph so was is a matter of stamina to stand and paint, for a couple of hours, with one hand steadying the easel. I tend to zoom in with my composition sometimes but Think it  would be preferable to have had a wider viewpoint in this case.  I'd like to do a bit more consolidating,  a couple of details, perhaps.

Just had to do a touch more - a hint of detail on the white buildings left of church. tail lights and wheels on the vehicles (the nearest was a sports car), the steeple is more defined with sky showing through bits of architecture. I hope Valerie will accept the changes in good grace:-) (See her comment below in the last post below) ... and I hope I've not ruined it.
Oh(!) and congratulations Val on getting your set of 6 paintings in the Bath Prize Exhibition, and one on their promotional brocure. Great achievement and I'm very pleased for you.
Note: Valerie received a 'Highly Commended' certificate on one of her paintings.


J. S. Bach - Kantate BWV 36 - Schwingt freudig euch empor - 7 - Aria (J. S. Bach-Stiftung)
Beautifully sung by Nurai Rial

This is a weeny painting (8" x 5" on panel) of  St Mary Le Strand which I did on a day in the capital a month ago, trying out a new mini Pochade box and I was determined to grab a bit of painting time that day. It was  a beautiful morning to start, with a food fair and loads of people enjoying along the South Bank. But 2hrs later, as is often the case in the UK, it clouded over as I prepared to paint, and a fine drizzle set in after a while so I had to stop (not having an umbrella to hand),  and I was running short of time but would like to have done a bit more. Now I quite like this loose unfinished look,  in contrast to the much larger 'Bath Guildhall' I just painted. I think that crane rig is hovering above the back of Somerset House, and the whiter patch left of the church is sunlight on the facades of the tall buildings along the Strand (where many of the buses are going). I have always been intending to do some finishing so maybe I should add a few more touches of paint to define this area.

Been pretty busy and I couldn't get over to Bath last week, but wanted to paint the Guildhall. On Sunday I drew the outlines with watercolour on  a gesso-board, at street level. 100's of people walking by, and buses, kept blocking the view. Drizzly rain finally beat me to a stop before I could get into painting properly.
Then I  joined a  tour of the Abbey roof and tower; the sun came out, so asked if I could paint from the roof. As a special circumstance the tour guide generously agreed and I returned on Monday morning, climbed the 212 winding steps and spent several hours up there over two days trying to process so much information and capture something of the complex scene.


The painting still needs a little finishing. By chance I had Vivaldi music on my walkman player, and in the glorious sun was somehow reminded of  Canetto's painting of Venice.  However right now I feel I've had my fill of painting buildings  and  something simple like a tree or cloud  and landscape would be a great alternative.

A recent small 10" x 8" commission. It was a beautiful day  but got very windy/gusty after a while, and I nearly got blown away finishing this.

A beautiful peaceful view. Enjoyed my visits there, meeting people coming and going with their gardening tools, baskets to collect their produce, fruit and veges etc. I had to get those sunflowers in :-):-)
This painting is featured along with others, on the promotional brochure for the Bath Prize 2011

When registering to enter the Bath Prize Painting Competition, one  is first allocated  a particular place in the city to paint, however one can submit other paintings as well. A coincidence - the first place I ever painted plein air in Bath, in April this year, was very near the same allocated place of Queen Street, but viewed from the other side of the arch in Trimbridge (see below).
A prominent detail above is a 'manikin' in the LH corner which had displayed a blue dress. Here is an earlier stage of the work ....

 The thoughtful woman in the shop even left it out for me to paint a while longer when closing up at 5.30. However 2 weeks later ...... returning to finish the work, she had placed an eye-catching RED dress outside. Making a rather instant decision, I decided to quickly paint red opaquely over the Blue dress before she took the red one back in - I think the red works well and have given the painting the quirky title  "Wild Scarlet, in Queen Street, Bath" - referring to the two shop notices of the 'Wild Cafe', and 'Scarlet Vintage' dress shop.
I always felt hungry whilst painting outside the cafe, seeing people enjoying their tuck, thinking "Later I'll get 10mins to have a nice rest and a coffee" -  but I never did manage it, parking time always ran out, etc. I  recommend the Scarlet Vintage dress shop with the helpful proprietor woman, displaying the most elegant colourful dresses I've seen for a long time (I don't usually take much notice of such shops).
Having been to the site to work 4 times trying to get the right light, etc, I felt there was a danger of loosing freshness and spontaneity so it is good to finish the work; hopefully I can loosen up do something more lively.
Below is the first painting in Trimbridge done in April. a it is lot smaller and so executed more quickly. I think I'm pleased with the sense of light in this one.

Another meeting of the UK plein Air Society proved a very enjoyable day, blessed with great weather. After starting the meet with a coffee together at the British Camp Hotel, catching up, and getting aquainted with new members etc., we climbed, recovered our breath(!),  and painted towards the North first, with  a view one of the peaks above Malvern Town  ( the town is below the peak to the right and out of the picture)
We'd all set up first on the NE side looking  towards the Beacon peak.  Peter Cronin - foreground, Roy Wilkinson - far left, Anthony Bridge - far right, GlynisDray -  has just been checking progress on the others and heading back to her easel,
 Moving round the ramparts, a longish walk to the South showed another stunning view from the Black Mountains and round towards Cheltenham and Gloucester.  At the new site, I always seem to be the last to settle and start painting, with the wide choice of open vista. I could see rain towards the Black Mountains so turned my back to that to include the southern tip of the hills;  this painting is a bit literal but I couldn't resist adding colleagues at their work; Roy Wilkinson and  Anthony Bridge, perched against the skyline. . We could see rain in the north, felt  a few scattered drops but the raincloud barely missed us and I heard they's had a good downpour in Malvern. Lucky - it is very exposed on the hill.
My easel, just before packing up at 4.50pm,  the models (posing for free) had long gone for coffee at the hotel a mile or so below so I had to hurry to catch up.

About 5.00 pm Saturday at Sink Farm, Hangmans Lane, Hanley Castle. About twenty  cows surrounded me at the start (quite intimidating!!), but they soon got bored watching and wandered off towards the barns and vanished, milking time. I went back for an hour today . The sky was somewhat different, however reworking a bit the next day certainly helps to consolidate the piece. Painting into the sun creates its problems, with light changing by the minute but I was trying a system of mixed optical grey, it tends to restrain the colour so works well in this instance as the colour gets bleached out in this type of lighting situation with the sun popping in and out of the clouds.

Oil on canvas 20" x 16" Working on  a larger format, 'en plein air'.
The edge of Salisbury plain, looking West, with strange light/colour effects in the sky ..... There's  a also a compositional challenge here ... I wanted to convey something of the richness of a roadside verge, some sunlight  hitting  a patch of brambles etc, yet it also relates to the overall landscape in some way. This  has pehaps has too much of the wider landscape intruding. Below shows the progression of the work.

A  magnificent Copper Beech, by the car park near Heaven's Gate. Done in the last hour of fading light, I didn't quite catch the sense of light I wanted here, but somehow like the sense of 'attack' in this one. Oil on gesso panel 14" x 10".

Some Bach  to listen to ........  it helps my mental flow when working.

Jenny Asparro: Partitia no 2

Something completely different! I found this in a corner of the attic - one of two designs for an 8ft high building hoarding in North London in the area called 'Little Venice', near Regents Park Canal. This project was being planned for the hoarding of a large building site, just as the last recession hit in the early 1990's and the idea was suddenly scrapped.