Sea Mist

' Sea Mist' oil on canvas 20 x 16 inches.

I am feeling so much better! and have been able to do some more painting. I decided to tackle the big size of canvas after having been doing only small practice pieces for a while now.  I kept to a limited palette and then used a very large very soft brush to smooth out the sky.  The end result was much more like a watercolour painting with an almost flat looking wash effect!  I have also been carrying on with my small acrylic paintings where I build up the painting using lots of very fine glazes. I must take a photo of them soon, I am pleased with one of them.  I managed to achieve a subdue lighting and then used a satin varnish to bring out the warm tones.  But more on that later!

 The sun was shining here today though it is still quite cool, it was minus 2 in Braemar  last night bbbrrrr!
Keep warm and happy painting to you all!

Another move forward

'moorland in summer' 12 x 18 inches oil on canvas.

This is the second of five paintings that I have been very slowly working on since Christmas. This painting is a work of the imagination it is a place I visited on the isle of Skye many years ago and I remember how changeable the skies are on this island. The tiny specks of wild flowers or grasses in for the foreground are yellow and represent hope.

  I had another set back these last two weeks when I was only able to paint for a very short while due to my shoulder giving me trouble again. I think, fingers crossed my osteopath may have sorted it out! but I still need to move carefully forward.  Yet this whole business of my grumpy shoulder! has made me think a lot about how much we all dream of being able to have more time or less of a grumbly complaint so that we can actually paint! yet in my day dreams and late evening dreams I have at least be able to think about my present paintings and to learn from past mistakes and about how important it is to think about what we do when we set about painting.


  It was a strange feeling coming into my studio on Monday evening and knowing that I had to give it a couple more days before I could paint as my osteopath had just given me that morning a very good session on my shoulder.  She always kindly says when I am about to go home that I must rest my shoulder that day and take care with it during the following day. Yet I just had to hold my paint brush and then simply knew what was the next thing I needed to do to my painting yet I had to be wise and wait!  It does all feel a bit like I am writing a poem, if I am going to make a comparison, there is that time when you just know what it is you want to say yet you are unable to find the words or are miles away from pen and paper being out on a walk at the time. Something else happens! the ideas and the visions or plans gets buried deep inside, all feeling a bit as if autumn leaves are falling slowly and gently on top yet being light enough to conceal, they do not really remove them (the visions).  

Often during the twilight hours or at times of darkness the yearning for the light to shine out really seems to be at it's most strongest.  When all is silent the mind and it's pictures comes to life and truely inspires the inner eye.  I have been able to remember what it is I need to do with the painting that is on the easel now, that distant unreachable painting, for now at least!

I look forward to sharing another of my paintings with you soon.  

Happy painting to you all!