Blue Twist (Wolverton Blue 3)

Blue Twist (Wolverton Blue 3), oil on linen, 46 x 38 cm

Last Friday, I revisited Wolverton Woods to catch the end of the bluebells. I was attracted by the fantastic contortions of the large beech tree that became the focus of this painting.

Blue Twist
oil on canvas, 46 x 38 cm

£160

Trees with attitude: Altitude and Solicitude

When you are walking through a wood, and you look up, it's then that you realise the sheer magnitude of trees. 

Frobury Blue

This is a plein air painting from yesterday that I did a little extra work on this morning, mainly to restate the contrasts between the darks and the lights.

Unusually, I had company on this painting expedition. My friend, Rose, joined me for both the walk and the paint. She worked in acrylics while I stuck to my favoured plein air medium of oils. We were specifically looking for a good display of bluebells and ended up back at the first wood that we passed through, having walked three or four miles to look at an alternative.

It's a good job that we both enjoy walking!

The tall , hollow, tree stump was the focus of both of our paintings. In fact, the bluebells were almost incidental.

Frobury Blue

Oil on canvas, 46 x 55 cm

More bluebells en plein air an be found here: 3 Years of Plein Air Bluebells

Micheldever Woods

I've got a Christmas craft fair in Micheldever next month, so I thought I'd do something with the best photograph from our visit to the woods that share the village's name. It's really about the way that the light catches the leaves, making them glow.

Oil on Canvas, 20 x 50 cm
SOLD

Dappled

The photograph I was working from was too blue, so I was making mental colour corrections all the way through the painting process - I wanted it to be a warm painting. After all, no child would wear that outfit if it were cold, would they... ?

I don't think I will provide a truthful answer to that.

But it was a warm day; a day for adventures. And she does look like she's off to seek an adventure. A nice one, of course.

Oil on natural colour linen canvas, 33 x 41 cm

Clinker's Copse (Bluebells on a Sunday Morning)

I've been trying to capture 2013's bluebells for over a week. When the glorious weather was here, the bluebells weren't quite ready. When the bluebells were ready, the winds were too high.

But, this morning, there was a break in the weather. It was dry, ocasionally sunny and just about warm enough. I scrounged some time from the family weekend and headed off to the woods on foot.

The painting took just over two hours to complete.

Oil on canvas, 14 x 18"
FOR SALE [click here]