Rosie Swale-Pope

The painting above is the one I did yesterday. It is of Bull Point in North Devon. I did the painting from a sketch I made when we were stopping in Damage Barton last month. I had seen Bull Point Lighthouse from the sea having sailed past it several times so it was familiar to me but not from close up.

Last night Alex and I went to a charity dinner in Carmarthen. It was a good meal and we had very pleasant company. However the highlight was that the guest speaker was Rosie Swale-Pope.

My word what an extraordinary lady she is. I was aware of her run around the globe but there is so much more to her than that. An adventurer, eccentric, author and marathon runner. She was the first woman to sail the atlantic in a small boat (a 17ft boat she found in a barn in Dolgellau).

She has raised so much for charity and yet she hardly has a penny to rub together. She slept in the car park of the Hotel last night.

It is fair to say I was impressed.

Anyway today Alex is working in the gallery and I am off to the Rugby including a pre-game dinner so that should be good!

Reflections

The painting above is one I did yesterday. It is the view from the canal bridge over the River Usk looking towards the road bridge at Brynich. What makes the view for me is the shadow on the bridge and the Beacons in the background. I did consider putting a figure on the bridge but decided the painting didn't need it.

Today I did a painting of Bull Pt. from my sketch book of our trip to North Devon. It may never be framed (the painting is fine but the subject is out of context in this part of the world) but it was nice to reflect on the rocky coastline and enjoyable walks we had along the coastal path.

Tonight we are out at a charity event so an early post today.

Blank canvas

Alex and I have enjoyed sailing our small yachts around the coast of Pembrokeshire and the Bristol Channel for a good many years. During that time I have become attached to images of working boats such as that of the tug "Anglegarth" above. I sold this painting a few years ago but still hold on to a number of my favourite working boat paintings. I also have a number which I have yet to do. As they are generally quite detailed I have to set aside some time to do them.

They are therefore quite expensive and a limited market. I have an image in mind of one of the Fisher tankers coming in the West Channel at St Annes Head with the light behind it and I guess I will get around to painting it one day.

Today I did a painting of the River Usk at Brynich, Brecon where the road goes over the canal and river. We also took our camper van to Poniets for its MOT. I visited my mom walked the dog a couple of times and we stripped off a lot of wallpaper ready for coving to be put up in the halls.

Tomorrow I would like to say is a blank canvas but the list is already getting longer

Idle images

As we came back from Brecon on Sunday I sat idly enjoying the scenery pass by while Alex drove the van. I am quite content being driven and in fact I have only ever driven the van once in the whole time we have had it. She enjoys driving so who am I to argue. This is great for me as I can day dream and collect images in my head for future use. One such image was of cattle standing in a flooded field in the Towy Valley. The image struck me and today when I went into the gallery that is what I painted.

The painting above is of Snowdonia from Harlech beach. This is one of the fruits of a fortnight in North Wales earlier this year. It is actually not quite so blue in real life as it appears on my monitor. Anyway the painting itself sold over the weekend.

Also today we visted my mom did the shopping and now are in the process of clearing the remnants of a ceiling which is being replaced. Life is never dull!

A painting a builder, an electrician and 4 grandchildren

The painting above is a commission we delivered last week. It is an oil painting of Whitesands Bay near St.Davids Pembrokeshire. When we went there it was a beautiful warm day with blue skies. The beach was actually more crowded than that but I didnt want too many figures in the painting.

Today I spent working on an advert in Welsh Country a glossy bi-monthly magazine (is that twice monthly or every two months? Anway the magazine is every two months). I was finally happy with the advert and the images to go with it. At the end of the day it was not that expensive so nothing lost whatever happens.

We also had the builder and electrician in today along with 4 grandchildren so "mayhem" is probably an understatement. Tomorrow I am painting in the gallery so I am really ready for that.

I hear two grandchildren departing now so its nearly safe to surface. Dinner is calling anyway.

Painting on hold

The painting above Bridge 159 Brecon Canal was bought by the Lord Lieutenant of Powys Hon Sian Legge-Bourke over the weekend. I have had the pleasure of meeting Sian Legge-Bourke on several previous occasions. As you may be aware I am not a fan of persons who put on airs and graces. This however is a Lady of substance. She is absolutely solid and down to earth. She is not the least bit patronising and is a pleasure to talk to. Of course added to that she had a great eye for a painting!

Today I had to collect a couple of paintings, and we also had the builders in. Painting is going to be impossible for a couple of days. It's hard enough to breath with all the dust and plaster.

I have several paintings in mind so it will be all systems go when things are straighter.

Mushroom Soup

Well we are back. Had a very nice long weekend in Brecon. We met a lot of very nice people and sold some paintings. We used to live in Brecon before moving to Carmarthen about 20 years ago so we know the town well. It is on old market town which is largely unspoilt. We owned a house with a view to kill for. The Beacons were the backdrop to our garden and I can still recall opening the backdoor and taking in the magnificence of Pen y Fan dusted with snow in winter.

This weekend we camped in a small site on the Libanus Road. We were the only occupants, no surprise considering the monsoon. The site is bordered by a river which runs into the Usk and on Friday it was a wall of angry water swollen by hours of torrential rain.

On Friday evening we went to the Private view of the Small Picture Show. There was an abundance of high class work. Three paintings by Ken Howard,work by William Selwyn,Sian Egerton, John Knapp Fisher, HRH Prince Charles donated a ltd edition print, and many more in fact too many to mention. We took 6 paintings of which 4 were sold by Saturday morning.

The painting above was bought by a very nice couple Ian and Clare. They own the Ardent Galleries in Brecon stocked with lovely work so if you get a chance drop in to see them.

We have the builders coming in tomorrow so we have to start moving paintings and clearing the halls now.

First Alex has made mushroom soup which I hear is ready.