Guest Blogger!

Today I'm a Guest Blogger on a blog written by Rebecca Embleton, a portrait photographer from the North East of England.

She very kindly asked me to write a piece for her blog to tell her readers a bit about my work, and I was very pleased to do so.

I've written about this painting, 'Rockpools, Morar'.

It's the star of my 'To the Sea' show, and you can read how I went about preparing to paint it during the year that it's taken to get ready for the show.


READ THE BLOG HERE.

Visit Morar for yourself....

There's not many of my Morar paintings left now at the Affordable Art Fair at Bristol, but here's one that's still for sale...

Cow Parsley by the Bay, Camusdarach (Oil on linen, 12 x 12)

It's of the umbrella-shaped cow parsley growing at the side of the road which curves round the bays of white and pink sand at Morar.  The old single-track road travels right by the water's edge, so at every turn there's something new and exciting to see.  

Here's a link to Google maps so you can take a look round the bay where it was painted and see it for yourself - CLICK HERE.

Have a look for the painting on Stand A10 if you're at the fair today!

Rosebay Willowherb, Morar

Here's another of the Morar paintings bound for the Affordable Art Fair at Bristol...

Rosebay Willowherb, Morar (Oil on linen, 12 x 12)

Can you see the little yacht in the distance...?

Preparing for the Affordable Art Fair

The Affordable Art Fair at Bristol begins in a fortnight, and I'm just back from my framers with the paintings for it.

The consignment will consist of a selection of lovely new 12 x 12 canvasses of the sands at Morar on the west coast of Scotland, and also some local work of Bath and Bristol, as well as some larger paintings.

Clouds over Gorse, White Sands (Oil on linen, 12 x 12)

The sands at Morar are famously a beautiful white colour, or also in places, a pinkish shade.  I brought back some samples of each just to remind myself that the sand really is that colour!

The sand has a gentle slope down into the sea, and because of the whiteness underneath, the water reflects the colour of the sky.  The sea therefore can have a really amazing Mediterranean luminescent turquoise look to it.

I thought I'd contrast the rural Morar paintings with a couple of urban ones of Bristol and Bath, so I've also included this one of cranes at the waterfront.  I really like the ship with its dusky pink line of colour.

Two Cranes, Bristol Harbour (Oil on linen, 12 x 12)

The Affordables are always big, exciting fairs to go to, and I'm sure this one will be no exception.  The AAF at Temple Meads, Bristol runs from 18th-20th May, and you can find more information here.

I'll have work with the Lime Tree Gallery (Stand A10) and the Wren Gallery (Stand D9).

For a half price ticket to the Fair, go to the Wren Gallery website here, click on 'FAIRS' in the middle of the bar at the top, then click on the pink Affordable Art Fair icon on the right of the page to print your ticket.

Last week of 'Between Tides'

It's the final week of my exhibition in London. 

It's always a big thrill to have a show in the capital, and it's rather sad that it's nearly over, with no more solo shows until 2013.  That seems such a long time away!

Against all the current economic odds, the show has pretty much been a complete sell-out, which is fantastic news.  Especially popular have been paintings of the west coast of Scotland with the white sands around Morar, the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland, and autumn trees at Green Park in London.  

All the work is still on display in the gallery, and there are still a few are available for sale, including this one.

Curve of White Sand, Morar (Oil on linen 24 x 26)

'Curve of White Sand, Morar' was painted at the beach at Camusdarach on the 'Road to the Isles'.  From the amazing pink and white sands, you can see right out to the islands of Rhum, Eigg and Skye.  Because of the pale sands underneath reflecting the light, the sea is the most amazing colours of  green and turquoise as it rolls in over the beach.  It's an amazing place to be, and one which has a great sense of freshness and openness.  There's usually hardly anyone else around on the beach.

It's great to have had such a wonderful response to the show.  Perhaps the Hockney exhibition up the road from the gallery has had a positive influence on people's appreciation of brightly-coloured landscapes!