Cannon Heath Down revisited

The Vale of Kingsclere, oil on canvas, 60 x 30 cm

I have been neglecting this blog recently in favour of building an all-new Web site on another platform. This site will remain as an archive.

However, it only seemed right to post today's work here.

Two Eclairs ... and Three French Fancies

The last time that I painted éclairs, there was only one of them and I opened the cake up (and applied a little artistic licence) to emphasise the creaminess. This time, I had two cakes ... for the duration of my daughter's Brownie session. So I had to move fast, because she'd want her cake as soon as she came home.

I ate mine just before I went to fetch her.

Two Eclairs

Acrylic on box canvas, 20 x 26 cm 

And it seems that I neglected to post the little painting of three French Fancies made as a sort of demonstration piece when I was helping a young student figure out acrylics.

Three French Fancies

Acrylic on canvas, 5 x 7"

(not for sale) 

She made her own painting from the other side.Obviously, it isn't mine to share, but I was very impressed with what she achieved in the limited time.

Egg Custard Tart

I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that this particular sort of egg custard tart - deep-filled, dusted with cinnamon, encased in pastry whose waxy texture is like no other, presented in a foil cup case - is uniquely British.

They are rather delicious. In a comfort-food sort of way.

Egg Custard Tart
Acrylic on canvas, 20 x 26 cm

Blueberry Muffin

This cake needed to be disturbed for a more interesting picture. It was still delicious, even after a couple of hours of sitting in its broken state.

Palette: Pyrrole Red, Cadmium Yellow Hue, Phthalo Blue and two flavours of Titanium (White and Buff).

Acrylic on canvas, 20 x 20 cm

Giger Counter (Abstract)

The title came to me early in the process of painting this; it's a dreadful pun conflating the name of the Swiss surrealist (who died this May) and the instrument used to measure ionizing radiation levels (spelt 'Geiger' and named after the German physicist). The texture of my picture reminded me of that of some of H. R. Giger's work. The painting was based on the leftover dribbly acrylic from painting the edges of my Really Big Canvas. I liked the effect of the dribbly underpainting on that work, and decided to make a painting that was just about that.

Doughnut

There were five doughnuts in the packet. One each, and one to paint. "But who is going to eat the last doughnut?" asked my daughter. Good question...

Acrylic on canvas, 20 x 20 cm

Profiteroles - SOLD

Yesterday's pudding... with a little exagerration.

Profiteroles
Acrylic on box canvas, 30 x 30 cm.

SOLD

Swan House

This painting was painted inside its subject.

Five Knives

Having painted some brushes and some pencils, it seemed only right that I should give my painting knives the same treatment.

People at an Exhibition

Painting inspired by Penlee House (Penzance); title inspired by Mussorgsky.

I recently visited Penlee House art gallery in Penzance, Cornwall, to see their splendid Model Citzens: Myths and Realities exhibition, which looked at the human subjects of the Newlyn School. While there, I made a couple of quick sketches - including a few of my fellow visitors:

I decided to work this up into a painting. Using a subdued palette (buff titanium, black, ultramarine, yellow ochre, alazarin crimson (hue), hooker's green and - finally - a little titanium white), I hoped to echo the colours of the Newlyn School paintings that were on show. Two of my people were from sketches made in the exhibition. The third is borrowed from one of the paintings.

The three Newlyn paintings are:

William Holt Yates Titcomb, 'Jubilee Day, St Ives, Cornwall (Good News from the Front)'
William John Wainwright, 'Mackerel in the Bay'
Henry Scott Tuke, 'All Hands to the Pumps'

 And finally, here are a few of my in-progress shots:

People at an Exhibition
Acrylic on canvas, 18 x 22 inches

Eclair

 Cake!

Imaginary Dancer 2 "Carefree" - SOLD

Dancer 1 was surprisingly well-received, and it was suggested that I paint her a friend.

Four-Pastel Sketches

It rained for most of today, but the evening was delightful. My generous husband suggested I get out on the hills for an hour or so after tea; how could I refuse?

Bedwyn (The Tree in the Yellow Field)

We were on our way to visit the Crofton Beam Engine near Great Bedwyn when I saw this tree. It looked fabulous against the yellow field. It still looked fabulous when we returned the same way, so I stopped the car and went to take some reference photographs.

It's taken me a few months to get around to painting it, and it went through a few stages over the last week ...

Blue and White Balloons

A friend is organising a charity event and I offered her a painting for a raffle prize.

LEGO Minifigures 96: Buffalo Soldier

I don't know what the proper name is for this native American, but there seems to be a certain buffaloness about him, and he certainly has the trappings of a warrior.

LEGO Minifigures 95: Wyld Style

One of the stars of the LEGO Movie. Quite a complex character, for a toy.

Acrylic on canvas, 7x7cm

All 7x7cm paintings are £10 exclusive of post and packaging;
please contact me if you would like to buy one

LEGO Minifigures 94: Han Solo

Han Solo from Star Wars.

Acrylic on canvas, 7x7cm

All 7x7cm paintings are £10 exclusive of post and packaging;
please contact me if you would like to buy one

Long Rock (Waves)

This is based on a photograph that I took last December (2013) at Long Rock, Marazion, Cornwall. It was (I thought) unusually rough that day for Marazion, which is in a sheltered spot in Mounts Bay. It got significantly worse within a month or two.

New Forest Ponies 2

When I painted New Forest Ponies 1 - a 7 x 5" acrylic on canvas board - it was always my intention to reuse the source image for a bigger, palette knife oil. It took me almost a year and a half to do it, but here is the result.