St Benets Abbey Site Norfolk Broads

I have been working on a series of soft landscapes of Norfolk for submission to the Picturecraft Gallery in Holt and delivered them today.

This is the last one I accomplished based on the site of St Benets Abbey showing the remains of the gatehouse and the drainage pump built into it. The yachts seem to glide by through the flat fields, but are actually on the River Bure. I have had some lovely visits there just a few miles from home with my grand children.

Here is the painting at the early blocking in stage:

Getting all the works together in my studio prior to loading the car and off to the gallery.

Wish me luck:

SUNFLOWER FIELDS FOR EVER

Some years ago used to spend summer holidays in SW France and painted a field of sunflowers with the mist rolling in on an early morning. Don't know if I ever posted the original piece.... but

Decided to use the idea for a new brighter acrylic painting full of light and colour on 16" square canvas. So had fun finishing my new version today in my warm little study watching the sky turn orange and apricot as the sun went down over the trees so early this time of the year.

NOT VERY SUCCESSFUL YUPO PRACTICE

Have been spending the past two days sorting my art room and getting works ready for delivery next Wednesday and Thursday to Kings Lynn and Alby, because I am going over to my girls tomorrow until Monday and bringing our eldest grand daughter back with me for a few days.

But prior to that I was playing with my last sheet of YUPO with acrylic inks and although some areas were successful in this waterfall scene, the whole painting did not work for me. Two close ups I think work individually:

floral area and waterfall reflections

When finished I just felt it was too bright and chocolate box so the following completed painting was washed away in the bath so that I could play again on this my last sheet. Will post the result of that playtime another day - very sombre in comparison about a derelict church interior!

By the way, for those in England, the London Art Supplier Jacksons have stopped stocking YUPO but have an alternative French version called Lana Vanguard. I've ordered a pack so I can continue to play with this technique without having to keep washing out what I did before!!!

EASTERN OPEN - FLYING OVER THE MARSHES

You may remember back in February I posted two images of paintings I had created whilst staying at Anitas when we were playing with interactive acrylics and acrylic inks. One of them was about marshes in the north of Norfolk with birds.

I liked this painting so much that I decided to make a pair to enter into the Eastern Open this year and here is the result. This time I added far more birds flying over and this time much darker and added the inevitable reeds that grow around our marshes and fenland of East Anglia.

Enlarge to see detail

Not only to remind you of the first painting under this title Flying over the Marshes, but to see them together, I took a photo of them as a pair. They are 20" x 8" canvases with both interative and ink acrylics.
Sandra kindly delivered them for me to our local collection point and now one must wait to see if the very august selection committee think anything of them. The panel consists of Artists & Aspire Project Leader, Head of Quality at Liverpool School of Art and Design and Senior Curator of Fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. I hope I will be lucky a third time having been accepted in 2006 ands 2007. Tried last year with my flowers from my travels in Amsterdam and South Africa, but realise now they were not suitable for this event. I find that one of the hardest things to work out - what is right for which venue.

THEMED OPEN EXHIBITION GREAT YARMOUTH - RENEWAL

Snowdrop walk at Walsingham

Great Yarmouth, a thriving east coast town of Norfolk, recently refurbished its library gallery and Seachange Arts have invited Norfolk and Waveney artists to submit work for an open exhibition under the theme RENEWAL.

I needed a third piece to go with my Cyclamen Glen acrylic and Dandelion Time canvas. Having noted that snowdrop time had come around again, I was lead to the wonderful display at Walsingham, the small North Norfolk village reknowned for its annual pilgrimage. Above is the finished framed acrylic painting showing part of the snowdrop walk measuring 22" x 18". I was pleased with the limited palette and impressionist ground cover and it all seemed to work well together right from the start.

For your interest, I also show images of two stages of the painting.

We were asked to explain how our work represents the exhibition theme of RENEWAL, and here is my response - as ever taking me back to my natural history studies.

• 'All these plants painted herald the renewal of life year on year from the cyclamen in the woodland glen, the snowdrops fighting up through the cold winter earth, to the dandelion seed with its cleverly structured parachute to be carried away by the wind to grow anew far from its parent plant. '

FINISHED WOODLAND ACRYLIC

Well, here is the finished product. Somehow lost the greater contrasts I had in the earlier stages, but felt the figures needed to be more 'closed in' by all those majestic trees and thought the gap I had originally was rather contrived at the end of the pathway.

Had fun with all my texture overlays for the woods keeping the path and figures smoother, as can be seen from the following closeups.

In this post I am glad to say all three images can be enlarged by clicking to reveal the thickly layered paint and variety of colours used.

Now I wonder what will happen with my next practice effort of playing with squirted colours.

IN THE WOODS ACRYLIC PAINTING

I said yesterday that I would post the work I played with at Sandra's yesterday when we got together for the day in her garden room to paint and inspire one another. .. sorry its still in the car and I don't plan to crunch my way up the front path to the cold, cold, ice bound and snow covered car to get it for you!!!!!!

So instead have been taking photos of a new piece I started this morning all from playing. I had shown Sandra one of my old 'tools' - a roller with pattern that when pushed over lots of thick acrylic paint turns into tree like patterns. So thats how I began with this 30" x 12" canvas. I used a little bit of a plan by squirting blue and white at the top , then greens, yellows, browns mid area the whole width and softer colours at the bottom. Then rolled to give me a background to work on.

The first image shows the whole piece after I had cut back into the thick paint to create tree trunks. I used a soft spongy brush sold to use for masking fluid and it worked a treat.

In the woods first stage

Close up of portion of first stage

Then I added foliage yellows, greens and blues and darks into the interior of the wood

Stage 2Close up of portion of wood stage 2

I now plan to add figures and have searched my image archives and come up with two of my grand daughters walking in the Walpole Gardens a few years back. Shall place it - once decided on the right size - at the bottom left golden mean ie 10 inches in from left and 4 inches up from bottom.

It has quite an interesting textured look for the woods and I shall look up some photos I took in the woods at Felthorpe last summer to give me ideas to develop the foreground. Its almost a good thing that we have snow forecast for the next 5 - 10 days - I can stay in my cosy little upstairs study and play, play, play, having food shopped on Monday to stock up. Hurrah for freezers!!

WALSINGHAM PILGRIMAGES

I have been away from home for four days and one of them was spent visiting the Norfolk village of Little Walsingham, where there are ruins of an Augustian Priory dating from the 1150's, which thousands of pilgrims visit from all over the world every year. !! Above is the enormous East Window, with the 1930's Church and tower of the Anglican Shrine to our Lady of Walsingham in the background (red roof/tower)... and an image of another aspect of the ruined priory on the left. It must have been a collosal building.

The village is full of historic buildings including timber framed and lots of delightful coffee shops. We found this one, where we sat by the fire in large cushioned leather chairs and ate fruit cake with filtered coffees before our explorations.

Then we had the glorious walks through the woodlands, by tranquil rivers and over bridges among the snowdrop thronged natural woods and parkland - all on a wonderful sunny day. Looks like snow but I can assure you it was stunningly carpeted with snowdrops.

We then visited the Anglican Shrine , stopped for tea and then walked down hill through the village to the wonderful Saint Mary and All Saints church with a 14th century tower and lead covered spire. The third snowdrop image above is of the East Window of the Priory from the church graveyard wall. The great interest here is the east window designed by John Hayward in the 1960, when the church was renovated after a great fire. The window has over 15 sections, all depicting the area's history and celebrating a number of saints. Rather a lot of lead so that the whole window from a distance appears quite dark. ... but what interested me most were the STATIONS OF THE CROSS created in carved different coloured woods, but on speaking to a member of the church they had no history of them. Here's one (isn't it marvelous and all the otheres are as creative)

A wonderful day in company of my friend Anne from Cromer. We went to church in the evening and then sat up chatting till late. We took her dogs for long walks Sunday morning before I left for home.

COMPLETED OIL OF THE RISING SUN PUB

Well, here it is completed. I've added the people at the picnic tables, the bridge and posts , softened some of the colours in the roofs, adjusted some of the greenery behind one or two of the chimney pots and made myself clean up the palette and brushes and put the paints all away so that I wont fiddle anymore!!! Oh yes and added the name of the pub on the wall after a discussion with Anita about how she would tackle lettering this small.

Hope it doesnt disappoint all those who kindly commented on my earlier stage post. Afraid the blue has come over rather strong in this photo.

LOCAL RIVER SCENE

Do you remember I started an oil painting of the local riverside pub from a photo I took last May, and now with Christmas and New Year celebrations over, I have returned to it. This is the stage so far. Pleased with the finish of the trees and sky. I still have to add the little wooden bridge on the right, the garden tables and people eating and wandering around, add white for the pub window frames and improve the building on the left with the dark panelling and its reflection.

Hoped to get a few hours with it today but just returned from a visit to the opticians and I have gone very snazy ordering a pair of VOODOO glasses made from a very smooth quite thick surface with a floral motif on the sides to get away from my slim metallic ones which are beginning to make the bridge of my nose sore and feel quite sharp. Cant wait for them to be ready - or for Anita to see them on me !! mad woman that I am - what a choice at my age!!??

Im really enjoying working in oils as a change from all those recent penwork zentangles.

BOATHOUSES AND BOATS gesso and watercolour

I've been having a difficult time these past few days working on my third local landscape to pair with the Wells painting I recently posted. I felt it had to be another watercolour on gesso, but the first attempt seem to get all muddy (something I greatly dislike in a watercolour) and I was having trouble trying to make the sky plain and clean to offset the great deal of detail of the trees, river, boats and boathouses. I decided I didnt think it was good enough although by chance it has a sultry feeling of a storm coming.
click to enlarge

So I began all over again with a fresh piece of watercolour with a layer of gesso. This time the drawing came out different, as I had to keep to the same size painting as I already have the pair of gilt frames and double cream mounts. The river got wider, I only fitted in two boats and the boathouses needed to be bigger for where I had placed them. So in the end I didnt finish it!!!

Still not satisfied! So, yes you've guessed it -I started all over again. This time with a basic watercolour and no gesso. This time it turned out sunny. Shows we have no control over our work - it evolves all its own. !!!

click to enlarge

What I want to know is which do you prefer for me to put into my Christmas Show??? Can you be bothered to choose and let me know why - many thanks for those who do. I dont think I'll actually waste the effort as I can always keep the other finished one for a show next Spring.

I must be mad!!! yes??

SECOND WATERCOLOUR ON GESSO

This is my second attempt at this technique, but this time I put the gesso on with a knife and much thicker. I also tinted it a little pink to make a warm glow through the glazes.

Its a view of Wells Next the Sea on the north Norfolk coast, which I cropped to make a square painting. I think the composition works well in this format, even if I left out things (particularly a larger central pole and lots of little boats) from my original photo .


Its not quite as 'clean' as my first work in this technique, but then it was not such a sunny day - more like scudding rain clouds actually. As you can see its not finished yet, needing another layer on the buildings on the right, the rigging on the black and white Albatross boat and some detail on the quayside wall. Maybe a little more detail on the staging including the metal posts for mooring. Didnt realize how much more there was to do.

WATER COLOUR ON GESSO

I have for so long admired Sandy Maudlin (click on link on right) and her teachings. For a long time have promised myself I would try the technique of watercolour washes over gesso background on watercolour paper. At last, in readiness for a Christmas Show at Holt, I am preparing some work in this style.

As the show is in north Norfolk, I decided to get together any of my landscapes of the region and add a few new ones from my store of personal photographs over the years I have lived in East Anglia. I am not keen on using photos but as long as they are my own there is no copyright problem and, at least, I have visited the scene in question and was captivated by the subject and particular composition.

I chose this colourful image of a boat moored in Brancaster Staithe*. For this first one I applied the gesso not too thickly with a large brush and it has left stroke marks which are quite interestingly showing through the water colour. The painting measures 16 x 20 inches and has a double cream mount in a rather snazzy silver frame.

* just edited this post as its location was confirmed by a north Norfolk landscape artist friend. I had difficulty knowing where exactly I took the photo as I did a series on the same day as I travelled along the coastline.

this is my one hundredth post!! - SPREADEAGLE INN PROJECT

I visited my daughter and girls for couple of days this week and then went on to the Spread Eagle Inn where my decorative artwork is on display in the five en suite barn conversions. When I posted details of this project some weeks back I was asked to let you see the paintings in situ, so photographed them today. Surprising how small they look once up on the walls but remember they are behind double beds!! Worthwhile enlarging to see colour schemes working well together.

1 After the Rain in the Old Forge

2 Two Poppy Paintings in the Smithy Suite

3 Sculptured Tulips in The Carriage House Suite

4 White Orchids in the Stable Suite (the touches of soft green leaves match the cushions and lampshades perfectly)

5 The two paintings created for the Cartshed Suite

Arent they lovely rooms? Lori has such wonderful skills in decor and I think she chose the best paintings for each suite from those selected over a long email exchange. She actually chose 8 out of the 14 I then took over to her - number 8 is the Buttercups and Daisies in the lounge area of the Old Forge suite. What a delightful place to stay if you want a country retreat near Swaffham in Norfolk.. .. wonderful food too!! We are planning weekend acrylic workshops for next year as well!!

ACRYLIC LOCAL COASTAL SCENES

I have been thinking ahead trying to decide what work I shall exhibit for the Christmas Show at Holt Picture Gallery. Flowers have not been that successful there of late so decided I'd conform and join the landscape artists who exhibit there. To give me a good start I've created another view of Hunstanton Beach in acrylic.

Hunstanton Beach No 2

Another acrylic I created some while back from a visit to one of the many little fishing harbours on the north coast of Norfolk. It was a wonderful sight for an artist to see how the fishermen had just dropped such wonderful colour nets together in such a glorious heap!. I took the painting out my store and decided to make some finishing touches by softening the clouds and the far distance. Also softened the blue of the near water. It gives the scene more atmosphere.

Brancaster North Norfolk

Thought I'd post these two today and, as Ive got to the 4th December to deliver, will let you know what else I plan to exhibit as and when.

CHICKENS AMONGST THE DAFFS

Thought you'd be interested in seeing the chicken acrylic painting (36 x 14 inches) that Lisa 'uplifted' for her farmhouse kitchen!!! (see previous post). It was inspired by a visit to the Skylark Gallery in Lincolnshire where chickens were roaming amongst the flower beds by the side of the carpark area - I added the field and village on the horizon from my imagination and the white cockerels on the left on the fence were from a completely different location. Great what you can do with painting - you really do feel you have become a creator.

FARMHOUSE OIL PAINTING

Next Saturday we are going with the family to a 40th celebrations party at our close family friends' Norfolk farmhouse. Planning a personal gift, I took some photos of the farm and its surrounds last time we visited and have produced an oil painting for them 24 x 12 inches on a box canvas. The first photo also shows the original watercolour study I did but the house was not wide enough and decided I wanted more interest in the landscape so changed the format size to panoramic and added the barn, more trees and detail to the right. So I started the oil with better proportions using two of the photos to guide me (photo 2). Trees could have been bluer but I have no more time to add another layer.

This is the completed oil painting hopefully drying in time to put a light temporary varnish over it before delivering. I know Lisa likes my canvas work as she 'pinched of the wall' an acrylic painting in the same format of chickens amongs daffodils with farmland behind from my daughter's hallway for her farmhouse kitchen?!!! being family we did not mind - quite a compliment really that she liked it so much!!!

ANOTHER DIP INTO MY SOUTH AFRICA SKETCHBOOK

This time I thought I'd post some of the scenery on our 3,000 mile trip. They are somewhat out of order though as the first one of Gariep Dam is on the Freestate and Eastern Cape border on our way back to Richard and Jenny's home on the south coast. The colours were so beautiful and soft as we came over the hill and this enormous dam came into our view.

The next double spread in my sketchbook is of our visit to the Kimberly Diamond mine. They still have the engines and gantry and a full village has been erected nearby including the restored buildings showing the times when the mine was hand dug in 1870s onwards. I got the view over the hole as they have erected a large extension off the tourist hall you can walk along - and it seems to sway!!!!

No 3 today is of my (I feel rather successful) sketch of Table Mountain. We had been up the cable car that morning and Richard drove us out of the city and round to the beach to look back across the water.

MY LOCAL ALLOTMENT GEMS

Dont forget to click on the images to get to the detail. For instance that white bindweed in front of the drum is a nightmare round here winding round and choking up our beautiful plants if you dont do a regular check and good hearty tug. Just a bit of English fun to share with you today.


Those of you who have been following my blog will remember we have an allotment area at the end of our lane. I walked through there today to visit our local surgery for some blood tests (just trying to get to the root of some 'funny turns' Ive had lately!?) . Its always a treat to see what every one is doing with their small patch of land. For those of you overseas who dont know this term, its land belonging to the local parish council for letting to people to grow their own vegetables and fruit. I think it stems from the 1940's when dear old UK was under seige and we were asked to DIG FOR VICTORY due to the shortage of imported foods. It has continued ever since in many towns and villages.

In my sketchbook above are two entries that made me see modern 'installations' art. The drum was a fantastic colour due to owner (met him up there today) cleaning the rusty metal and the elements turned it these fabulous torquoise and bronzy shades. The tap is connected to a cylinderical concrete and stone post and there was a lot of teasel about.


These sketches are to show the various ways the allotment gardeners use to scare away the birds - especially a lot of pigeons around here. Liked the idea of a 'naked' umbrella frame being used to hang plastic bottles to blow in the wind. We are such an ingeneous nation of gardeners!!! This particular gardener told me they all use such items as cassette tape strung on poles, old shiny computer discs, and as you can see from the scarecrow named Worzle strips of silver paper.