Thank God its Friday

Getting a bit more organised now for the next exhibition in Aberglasney. Alex has been going flat out. She's pretty well made all the frames and has a only few more left to put together.

After taking the dogs out I did the lawns. That is ours and my mom's. Out of all the things I dont like gardening comes pretty near the top. I confess I didnt do our back lawn and it is more like a meadow but in my defence there are hundreds of frogs in it so!! Also it rained. I then started watching the cricket so I didn't get much done.

We had to meet Sian from the DOt foundry this afternoon. She kindly dropped off some prints for us in Carmarthen. Pictured above is one of the paintings she printed "Criccieth".
Oh and Enfys collected her watercolour commission. So not a bad day.

Llansteffan ~ watercolour

Had a good day today walked the dogs and then got down to a watercolour painting commission.
The painting is of Llansteffan Castle and the Green. The painting went smoothly which they dont always. It only takes a lack of concentration or not thinking out what you are going to do to spoil a painting.
I use Saunders Waterford paper and Windsor and Newton artists watercolours. I generally always stretch my watercolour paper.

After finishing the painting I even had an hour to watch the test match, England v Pakistan.
So all in all a good day.

Towy Valley

Autumn Abergwili Sold

Early every morning I take my dog for a walk. Today was no exception. I also had with me my son's black labrador. The walk involves a climb past the reservoir up through the woods and fields to Penlanffos. This affords a wonderful view right down the Towy Valley. I generally stop and look over the valley for 5 minutes. It is a moment for reflection and also to catch your breath after the long uphill climb.

You can see East all the way to the Black Mountains and West towards Green Castle corner.

This morning I could hear a buzzard over the woods and had the company of cattle in my viewing point. It was a bright warm morning with the sun behind Merlins Hill. It waould have made a good subject with the Hill and cattle all contre jour, ie. the light behind them. I have done several paintings looking down the valley from different points. The painting above is of Abergwili with Merlins Hill behind.

Today I did a painting of the Canal near Brecon. I will post this when I bring it home from the gallery.

No Day

Today has been a bit of a no day really hot and humid again plenty to do but pretty tied up. We had grandchildren 2 and 4 today could have gone off to the coast but I had to take mom for a hospital appointment.

Had a delivery of glass and mouldings which was a bit (ok a lot ) more than expected!! Prices are going up all the time and yet there is a recession odd really.

Forgot to say when I was in Brecon at the weekend I took our dog up the Crug a high hill topped by an iron age hill fort. The painting above is the view of Brecon from the Crug (Rock).Sold.

Great views of the Usk Valley and the Beacons.

Tomorrow I am painting in the Lounge Gallery in Carmarthen in the morning not sure what I am painting yet.

I guess I'll think about it in the morning.

Sticky Monday

Hot sticky day today good for the garden I suppose. Got a bit done anway I finished a watercolour I started in situ of the Beacons. Alex started framing some large paintings for the next exhibition.
Always a bit of a pain, large sheets of glass are awkward and dangerous to handle.It is probably better to be confident with it. I am always a bit nervous and tentative. Still all gone well today more materials are being delivered tomorrow.
The painting Saundersfoot above was sold today in Brecon I believe and one of Aberystwyth went last night.
Tomorrow two grandchildren and a large black labrador are lodging with us so not much chance of any work, or peace.
Right off shopping to Tesco now.

Lovely Weekend

Brecon Cathedral~ watercolour sold

Well we're back from Brecon. We stopped at a lovely campsite by the canal and had 2 very enjoyable days. I must add here that there were an extremely odd couple stopping in a caravan near us who spent the whole time polishing the outside of their caravan going over the same spots time after time with a little cloth each! Well it takes all sorts.
We didn't make a fortune but did ok. The Cathedral were hosting Sketty Choir so we had ample musical accompaniment. I took the opportunity to make watercolour sketches of the choirmaster and organist.
Both Alex and myself were shown up the tower to the roof. This was no mean feat for me as the passageways in the wall around the towere were 18ins wide and about 4-5ft high. I am 6ft 1ins and well proportioned. Still I didnt get stuck and the views were magnificent. I did a quick watercolour sketch which I gave to Richard Williams our guide.
It is now all hands to the pumps as we have paintings to frame for the next exhibition and I have 3 commissions to start.
We also have a new charge, my sons dog is lodging with us for 2 weeks while they are in Ireland..
So something else for me to fall over.

Weekend in Brecon

Okay so tomorrow we are off to Brecon all being well. No more posts for a couple of days. The painting above is from the little bridge in Market St. near to the Castle showing:

the old Brecon Gaol and in the Background the Cathedral. (the painting is sold)


I previously did a painting of some cottages backing onto this tributary from the same spot just before they were knocked down in 1990.





We will be in the Cathedral with our exhibition most of the time until Sunday noon. We will be taking Jac pictured above, our cocker spaniel who is welcomed in the cathedral but not during services.

As an aside Father Richard Williams who sometimes attends service in the Cathedral comes with his curate Jimmy, a large black hairy dog of unknown breed. Jimmy is quite a singer , but it can be a bit startling if you are unprepared for his input.

Well hoping to meet some new faces and i'll be back posting on Sunday..

The Stationary Engine

What a 24hrs, did I mention we look after my mother bless her? She is nearly 90 but claims to be 70 or 120 depending on what day it is. Unfortunately last night was not a good night.

Anyway in between everything else today I did finish off 2 oil paintings. Actually finish would be a better way of putting it depending on your viewpoint. Alex managed to mount 9 paintings. So all things considered not too bad a day., two walks with the dog and a visit to Tesco's..included.

The painting above The stationary engine is one I finished off. The other was of Harlech beach looking towards Snowdonia. We went to a vintage rally in "Pontargothi" (translation is Bridge over the Cothi river) a few weeks ago. It was a lovely summers day and I felt I should do a painting of some part of the show.

I like doing the occasional querky painting, street scenes and the like. I am also a sort of self taught engineer and have made small stationary engines and boilers etc in the past. So steam engines and vintage engines shows appeal to me. Well there it is I may or may not put it up for sale but I enjoyed doing it.

A bottle of wine and pasta now.

Tuesday Afternoon - with apologies to the Moody Blues

Well a bit of a hectic day. The forecast reliably stated that rain would clear around 10am and it would be a clear warm day..I look through the window 8hrs later its still raining cats and dogs.

Anyway went to Newton House Dinefwr ( painting above) first thing with alex and no3 grandaughter. This is a National Trust Estate once owned or possibly still is by the the Lord of Dinefwr. Very picturesque with a deer park and white longhorn cattle. Having dropped off a supply of newly printed postcards we went to Aberglasney.

The original owners of Aberglasney claimed descent from Elystan Glodrydd, Prince between Wye and Severn and Gwenllian, granddaughter of Hywel Dda, who lived around AD 1000.
In the 17th century it was Bought by Bishop Rudd. It is famous for its gardens although the Mansion itself was derelict until a trust took it over 1995.

The Mansion hosts many events including concerts and exhibitions. I am exhibiting there again in August but today we went to see the work of:

Robert Price a very fine traditional watercolourist http://www.robertprice.org.uk/

After other diversions including picking up grandson no1 I now have time to write this listen to Days of Future Past and recommend visiting Roberts website or better still if in the area call in to Aberglasney.

Day out in Pembrokeshire

Today I had to drive down to Pembrokeshire to find some bits and pieces for our camper while alex (my good lady wife) got on with some framing. Didnt really mind as I got to stop off at Hobbs Point,this is an old landing stage in Pembroke Dock on the Milford Haven waterway.

There were a few Tugs in the Dockyard and a yacht was slowly making its way seaward. The Haven is a busy industrial waterway with lots of interesting shipping. I have been fortunate to have done a lot of sailing in the area and consequently I have done many marine scenes. Pictured above is a painting of a Russian flagged vessel the Ohktar Bridge on the old Texaco jetty. (The Ohktar bridge was involved in a rescue in a round the world Yacht race). I have an affinity to this waterway as part of my family were workers in the Naval Dockyards which were based at Pembroke Dock .

Tommorrow its delivering stock to the National Trust and maybe a bit of sketching if Im lucky.

If you have seen my exhibition in Brecon drop a comment what do you think?

Current Exhibition Brecon Cathedral

Last year I was asked by Very Revd Geoffrey Marshall Dean of Brecon Cathedral if I would like to exhibit my work in the Transept of the Cathedral.

The Cathedral dates back to 1093 and I understand that I was the first artist to exhibit his work in it. I had a thoroughly enjoyable time and met some lovely people including, Geoffrey his charming wife Hazel, Richard Williams, Father Richard and his dog "Jimmy", Pat, Jackie, Karen in the Office and many others.

Following a successful exhibition last year I was invited back this year. Shown above is
"River at Brecon" a painting sold this week.

It is my intention to be present on 23rd, 24th July in the Cathedral and hopefully the morning of Sunday 24th July so come along take the opportunity to visit the Cathedral and exhibition and say hello.

The exhibition will be taken down on 2nd August 2010.

Cefn Sidan~ My first blog

Cefn Sidan and Worms Head

Well I have been asked several times if I would do a Blog so here goes.

Whats it like being a full time artist? How do you go about painting? What subjects do you choose?

I live in Carmarthen West Wales and the majority of my paintings are subjects from the area. I generally carry a small sketch pad with me to record images and even if I dont I carry some sort of mental library of pictures that I must do some day. Of course I dont get to paint every day as I have other duties such as, yesterday when we had 2 of the grandchildren to entertain. We went to Pembrey Country Park an old munitions factory on the South Wales Coast turned into a lovely Country Park. The beach is called Cefn Sidan and the view to the South East is of Worms Head and the Gower.

The painting above is of that view and is a painting I sold last week. Yesterday there were 2 horses on the beach and when they were on the wet sand their reflection and that of the clouds made for a very eye pleasing subject. Another painting in the offing in my mental library.