Moon light 5th November 2022

 My moon light oil painting has been a long work in progress and it would be nice to finally finish it!

As I write this, it is a cold November evening and the moon has been out shining so beautifully since I first saw it over by the sea around 5pm. As dusk moved in slowly the sky became so pink and the moon was so lovely to see shining up there in the sky, above us all. 

It really is the best part about this time of year, when there is a full moon shining in the night sky and all the stars shimmer.
I would like to paint more moon paintings.  I had better finish this one first!

Wishing you all a cozy November evening!

Caroline

Applecross

 These two fishing crofts sit by a sea inlet in the highlands of Scotland. During my travels about the highlands I came across some beautiful views and locations. The road to this place was a very bendy road that was steep to climb, my little red car at the time made it! I was lucky with the weather and the view from the top was very fine. Then the road descended and finally ended up in this very small village with some more fine views to see of the sea inlet.
It was a long drive back home to Moray but it was such a fine day's drive and outing. I took some photographs and this is one of the scenes I saw from that lovely day!

Wishing you all a very fine day!

Caroline

Ben Nevis from Corpach

Back in the old days when I used to travel about the highlands in my car with my faithful dog Spot at my side, we used to come across all kinds of beautiful locations. One of my best memories is of arriving in Fort William and then driving further to try and get a good view of Ben Nevis.

I have never been to the top of Ben Nevis, but it is very popular as a destination. A steep climb on a narrow path right up to the top.  The weather can change very suddenly, you can start off on a fine sunny morning and walk into mist and a cold weather front. 

The view from Corpach is really beautiful especially when there is good clear weather. At the time I painted this, I had sketched and painted another similar view. The limited palette of blues is very much how it appeared on my visit to this location. 

It is quite humbling to gaze upon this mountain. To think of all of the challenges that have been undertaken to climb it and of the lives lost. On a fine sunny day the mountain appears quite peaceful and non threatening, yet when winter arrives it tells a different story, it displays a wild world of snow and ice where men only thread if they are experienced climbers. 

Wishing you a good day from Caroline

seascape

Morning light is an oil painting of one of the beaches here locally.  I have been sketching and painting some very small beach paintings.  But they have been taking me a while to create.  Strange how even small paintings take their time to come into being.  However what is the rush!

Wishing you all a happy and peaceful Spring time!  Best wishes Caroline

Snow painting

I have been busy during January working on my snow painting. It is a big canvas and I am using oil paints. I was painting this subject for the class I run once a week and the tutorial was about getting your tonal values right. Often when painting trees against a sky it can be tricky to get the tonal values right. I very much enjoyed painting this scene and it took me a long time which is a good thing!

I am now working on a river scene which is certainly turning into an epic! and it is still not near completion. But what is the rush! there isn't one. Painting is to be enjoyed!

I hope you are painting too and are not too snowed up or suffering from the storms!

Best wishes
Caroline
Painting in the highlands of Scotland!

Drawing of a stone and a painting

Happy New Year to you all!!

I love drawing and still find it the most relaxing of art activities.  I was set the task of drawing a stone and then painting a stone using fine brush work when I took an online course quite a few years ago with the artist/mentor Deborah Paris. I did find the task quite hard in that I had to slow right down and focus!  Not always an easy thing to do!  I put on an audio book and settled into the task and finally discovered I was really enjoying myself!

Remember to take time to slow right down and take life easy so you can appreciate it fully!

Best wishes to you all
Caroline

Drawing of an Iris

I have to admit that one of my favourite artistic past times is drawing!  I simply love the simplicity of a nice heavy weight good quality cartridge paper, a set of good graphite pencils, which have all the grades from soft to hard. A putty eraser, a decent pencil sharpener and a fine relaxing location to work in.  The day I started on my drawing was a fine sunny day, I was fortunate enough to be able to have a studio overlooking the sea. It was luxury to be at peace and to very happily spend my afternoon drawing. While every now and then I could gaze up and look out at the view which gave me a fine view of the sea that stretched out for miles.  So while I was not drawing the sea that day I was still able to enjoy and be near to the sea!

Hoping that you will find a peaceful afternoon to create some artwork!  Best wishes Caroline