Druidstone Beach

The painting above is of the beach at Druidstone and is sold. It comes to mind as yesterday we took two of the grandchildren to Aberglasney and saw David Cowdry, and Druidstone is one of his special places.

Anyway David's Exhibition is the highlight of Aberglasney's events and you only have until Thursday to see it.

Tomorrow we have hundreds of grandchildren (okay I am prone to exageration but that's how it seems) so today is the time to get those other jobs done.

Terms of Endearment

The painting above of the Queen at the Waverely Stores, Carmarthen, was just something I did for Sue the owner. The Queen and the Duke didn't actually go there but maybe they should have.

Anyway we have been away for a few days in Ludlow and the place was occupied by a good number of "Midlanders", Brummies , Black Country ... I like the accent but Alex is less keen.

Now when I was growing up it was customary for the bus conductress to refer to everyone as,"Luv."
Similarly in shops it was,"Luv or Sweetheart." Nowadays there is a drive to sanitise the language and remove all terms of endearment from casual conversation on the basis that they are sexist...or whatever.

Well I was never offended by being called, "Luv or Sweetheart." in fact I find it reassuringly friendly and warming. So when we went to Ludlow and found ourselves still reffered to as, "Luv or Bab," it was conforting to know that the process of sterilising the language had not yet reached the Midlands.

Yacht in the Milford Haven

Our friend Tony dropped around yesterday. The painting above is one I did of him on his yacht in the Haven. One thing I dislike when painting is having to put in lettering. It can kill a painting if not done in keeping with the subject and in many cases is better left out. This one turned out okay. When we first took up sailing he took us all out on his yacht and regaled us with stories and filled the children's minds with adventure.

Natalino also got in touch he is our ornithological friend from Malta who came to see a bull finch. Unfortunately they went missing on the days he was over here.

Bro Myrddin

This is an old painting of Ysgol Bro Myrddin (Welsh Secondary School) when it was in Richmond terrace. I think I did it for one of our children (who went there ).

It was pretty run down by the time the school was moved to a new site outside town.

Mr Evans was the headmaster when our children were there. A real gentleman.  They must have made an impression (although I am not sure what sort of impression) as he still remembers them all by name and asks after them when we see him.

Fishing Boat

I did the little fishing boat on a small piece of board that was left in the corner. I had time one day and painted it quickly on a piece less than 2" x  3". So it is what it is and passed half an hour for me.

I was going to cut the grass today but fortunately it is too wet. Grandchildren tomorrow so I am hoping for better weather later in the week to get out painting.

Colour Palette

Whenever I look at a painting I always tend to break it down. trying to understand how an artist has made it. How they arrived at the composition and what palette of colours they used.

I have often experimented with differing colour palettes and produced many boards with experimental variations over the years. A limited palette is key to my mind in producing a successfull painting.

I have even tried  the Zorn palette occasionally, but not particulalry successfully. The Zorn palette is the name for the very limited palette used by Anders Zorn (1860- 1920). It comprised of a black a white and probably cadmium red and yellow ochre.

Now I choose my palette according to my subject but from a small range of hues, generally no more than half a dozen including Titanium White and no black.

Yesterday I walked to town as usual to get our food shopping from Lidl's. I was standing in the crowded checkout loading my basket when the cashier said, "Is that Desmond Dekker?"
Finally I realised everyone was looking at me and it dawned on me it was my phone!

Link  Get up in the morning...

Mwnt Beach and Church

I have now completed the commission of Mwnt I was working on (pictured above). I will "probably" be working outside again for my next painting, but not today! .

At some stage I should thank Tim Berners Lee for his assistance in my work. Tim is the inventor of the internet and I owe much of my sales to his invention and to Mr Google. Because of them I  have the ability to both showcase my work and see other peoples work without leaving the comfort of my own home.

So thanks guys!

(Yes I know there is no Mr Google. It was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin.)

Beach and Church of the Holy Cross at Mwnt

This is the commission I am working on this week on the easel. It is quite large being around 2.5ft x 1.5 ft when finished and framed. It shows the Beach and Church of the Holy Cross at Mwnt. I need it to dry a bit now out before continuing. I will be putting in some beach with surf and vegetation and possibly a few sheep in the foreground?

Today all being well I am going off to Ferryside to paint with my work experience student.

Aberglasney Mansion and Gardens

Yesterday we had two of the grandchildren so I didn't get any painting done. Instead we took them to Aberglasney. The gardens were looking the best I have ever seen them. I am not a botanical officianado but I do enjoy walking in the gardens. Anyway well done to Jospeph and his team. Its all looking beautiful.

Jane Russell is exhibiting in the Mansion at the moment so it is definitely worth a visit.

Sorrento

Having recently returned from the Med and the warm weather we are experiencing I am still in holiday mode. I didn't do any paintings in Malta but here is a painting of Sorrento which catches the Mediterranean light. I would definitely return to Sorrento. It was a good number of years since we were there so it has probably changed a bit. In fact Naples Arrivals was an old aircraft hanger.

The oddest place we landed was an airstrip in Greece and the arrivals was a brick hut. We had to wait in there while the baggage handlers literally threw the cases into the hut through a hole in the outside wall!

Pontyberem

Ima not entirely sure why I did this watercolour and ink of Pontyberem Miners Institute but it obviously took my fancy at some point in time. I think I still have it. Anyway it was sometime ago and it might have been when I was commissioned to do a painting fo a chapel there?

Today I have been preparing boards for new work which I hope to start on later today or tomorrow.

David Lloyd George - Ffestiniog Railway.

The painting above is the David Lloyd George on the Ffestiniog Railway. It has been around a while to be honest probably it is in the wrong place? Anyway  much going on.

 I have a new commission to start.

 I have a work experience student for 2 days.

I have been asked to consider licensing some of my work by a card company although nothing may come of it.  I am often asked permission to use an image of my work for one reason or another.

Newport Pembs

I don't do that many watercolours as finished paintings these days but here is one from a few years ago of St Mary's Church Newport Pembs. Newport is a lovely spot to camp.

We have been away to Malta with all the children and grandchildren for 2 weeks. We had a lovely time but I am ready to do a bit of painting now!

On the way back we were talking to a very friendly gentleman who was coming to the UK for a short  bird watching holiday.  I thought of all the special birds he might wish to see but the one he hadn't seen and was coming to photograph was the Bull Finch. Its funny how we take things for granted. We have them in our garden pretty much on a daily basis.