Field Trips to Keswick and Castleton

A quick dash to favourite locations in the Lake District and Peak Districts over the weekend, to take photos for paintings for forthcoming shows.

Derwent Water from Isthmus Wood, Keswick.

Ringinglow, Sheffield, from the Alpaca farm.

Ringinglow with the outskirts of Sheffield in the distance.  It's really beautiful, honestly.  And there are alpacas.  What more could you ask for?

Alpacas!  Told you...

Heading straight out the Ringinglow road to the Peak District.  Doesn't take long from the centre of Sheffield.

Burbage Valley.

Rain clouds at Castleton.

Sun, rain and shadows, Castleton, two minutes later.

Wonderful trip!

Remembrance Poppies, Cromer

Came across these wild flowers and poppies in the graveyard of the parish church at Cromer.

Such as simple, effective and beautiful idea for the anniversary of World War One.

Jean Feeney - Field Poppies and the Bass Rock, 2014 (Oil, 8 x 8)

Currently on exhibition at Annanart.

Judith I Bridgland, Craigleith with Poppies, North Berwick (Oil on linen, 20 x 20)

Exhibited and sold through Thompson's Gallery, Aldeburgh in 2013.

At Auction - "Sun and Shadows, the Campsies"

Coming up shortly for auction in Glasgow is this early painting of mine, Sun and Shadows, the Campsies.  

It's an oil on canvas measuring 14 x 16", and is of a scene very familiar to me, looking over the valley from Mugdock to Strathblane with the Campsie Fells and  Dumgoyne.

 

Interestingly, it was the very first painting that I ever sold in London, so I was very excited indeed the day that I got the news of its sale.  It represented quite a breakthrough in my career.

It was purchased at the Ainscough Gallery in Chelsea on 6 December 1997, and I'm pleased to say that with an estimate of £400-800, it's increased in value since then! 

If you weant to follow its progress (or even put in an online bid...), then you can see it on the McTears Auctioneers website HERE.

Photography Trip to Norfolk

Cley Windmill

Sheringham

Cromer Pier

Blakeney

Wells next the Sea

Wells next the Sea

Brancaster. 

Distant rain, Brancaster

Rustling reeds at Salthouse

And finally, the light-up shrimps of Cromer.  You've got to love a town with light-up shrimps as its main attraction.

National Museum of Women in the Arts Advert

Nice little advert for my Aldeburgh show in the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC...

A Tour of My Show

I'm just back from the opening of my show in Aldeburgh - very many thanks to everyone who came along - you know who you are!

I also took the chance of a trip to Norfolk as well as Suffolk, amidst a mixture of lovely weather and Hurricane Bertha - so expect some dramatic paintings of the Broads and Fens coming up in the next few months!

In the meantime, my show with fellow Scottish artist Stephanie Rew is on at Thompson's Gallery in Aldeburgh until the 31st of this month..  If you can't make it along, don't worry - you can take a virtual walk around the show in the gallery with the sound of the seagulls in the background, just by clicking HERE.

Sunset Clouds over the Sea (Oil on linen, 16 x 40)

Commonwealth Games

It's been a pretty hectic summer so far!

Here's a few photos which I took at the Commonwealth Games in my home city of Glasgow.

Angie hands over to a very proud Myrtle on the last day of the Baton Relay.  Outside Greggs.

Taking our seats before the start of the Opening Ceremony at Parkhead.

Those teacakes!

 

One minute to go!!

Kitsch-a-go-go!! John Barrowman appears out of a giant kilt. The crowd decide to just 'go with it'.  Because it's meant to all be a bit hand-knitted.

Barrowman!! And teacakes!!!!

And Nessie!!!  Made out of that great Scottish invention, the tyre....

 

 Is that Lulu?

Is THAT Lulu?

Our hearts melt.  You don't need fancy pyrotechnics.  Just Scotties.

Possibly the most exciting moment, ever.  Seeing the Scotland team waiting in the wings for their big moment to come on stage.

The crowd go bonkers.  To be fair, they went bonkers for everyone.

The comedy section of the night.  Sir Chris tries to get the lid off the baton.

Party on!

Rugby Sevens.  Always include at least two of your five a day in every crowd.

A couple get engaged....

...a man streaks with his clothes on....

...and a patriotic moment.

Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of any of the road races, as they were right outside my house and I just ran out to see them without my camera, just my house keys!  However, I did see this actually happen...

SMALL BOY TRIES TO EMULATE HEROIC ATHLETES. FAILS.