Back to Painting!

18" x 14" Waterford 140lb NOT 

This was painted last week at my thursday Avon Valley Artists session. The subject was old buildings or barns. This particular subject is a beautiful complex of converted barns at the village of Ducklington in Oxfordshire where my sister lives. It would be almost impossible to paint on site as the road curves around in an s bend and there is literally nowhere to park yourself. Therefore I took a whole series of photographs and have painted the subject several times (one I sold). This is the latest effort. I am quite happy with it apart from the tree which is overworked a little - some may think a lot!

19" x 14" Fabriano Artistico 140lb NOT 

Another thursday session painting, the subject being Autumn foliage and berries. I did my `Charles Reid' bit by adding a tomato and some peppers. It was described as `flamboyant' at the comment session we have afterwards. I'm not sure how to take that!

15" x 11" Fabriano Artistico 90lb NOT 

I've become very interested in the way Charles Reid does portraits. In fact I asked him at Urchfont if he would write a new `Portraits in Watercolour' book as his previous one is long out of print ( I have it) and needs updating. This is one I attempted for my Bathampton Art Group Xmas subject which was a celebrity portrait. It is supposed to be Judi Dench painted from a photograph that didn't really flatter her - I attempted to take away some of the harshness and this was the result. Some of my fellow painters recognized her some did not. I quite like it although the eyes are overemphasized.