Figures in watercolour

I was talking about watercolours yesterday to an old colleague. For me the most important thing about watercolours is to keep them simple. Reduce a picture to a number of shapes. I tend to only do simple sketches like this to which they are highly suited but even lovely finished works should have the freshness and spontaneity about them.

The painting below by Winslow Homer is a fine example. His work done in the Caribbean during 1884/85 was in my opinion the best.

Study of Cattle

The above study of cattle is one of the many that went in a major clear out of my watercolours last month.

We have been dog sitting this week so Jac has had good company. Thing is with two dogs in the house its like having a pack of them. Anytime I am cooking they are under my feet hoping for any little titbit or something to drop on the floor.

Last years paperwork is done now so that's a good job done.

At Sea

I want to finish our paperwork today and then hopefully start on a series of paintings. The commission was collected yesterday and I may have more work lined up. All went well with the grandchildren except one child lost their comfort blanket. This could have been a bit of a disaster but I retraced our steps back to the Leisure Centre and found the well worn item in a corridor. I have decided on a painting for our next charity auction donation which is in Cardiff.

The painting above is an old one, my take on old fishing boats off St Anns Head.

Goosey Goosey Gander

This is the first year we haven't had geese  on the reservoir. I don't know why we aren't on their visiting list. Is it a decline in numbers? We see a lot less of garden and migrating birds than I used to as a child We always used to have house martins nest in the road and on our house in particular but they stopped coming about 8 years ago. All part of the expansion of mankind and climate change I guess.

(Apparently the old nursery rhyme dates back to the 16th century and the hunt for catholic priests who were executed by having their legs tied  and thrown down stairs. A "goose" was the name for a lady of the night).

Anyway we do have a bird table and a good number of visitors which keeps us and Jac happy watching through the window.

Today we are grandchild sitting so although I primed three boards yesterday I may not get a chance to start them. One commission is being picked up today.

 Yesterday Alex was on line submitting an application for her mother. She was entering the details and was reading out the questions to her mother.

Alex, "What is your date of birth?"
Her mother replied ( I won't say her age but its only two digits).
Alex,"What town were you born in ?"
Mom,"Why do they want to know that?"
Alex puzzled."Its a standard question."
Mom,"I don't know. Its ridiculous."
Alex still puzzled,"What town were you born in?"
Mom, "Oh, I thought you said what time was I born."

To cap it all the final page froze and she lost it all and Alex gave up.

Misty Morning on the River Towy

I have only done three paintings since I finished the exhibition. Two were commissions and this is the third. Misty Morning on the river Towy. This is a lovely spot and typifies the river views as the day begins.

The other night we watched a charming film about a family birthday in Scotland. The film made me smile and laugh quite a bit too. Anyway unbeknown to the adults the children decided to give their grandfather a Viking burial when he died suddenly. They made a raft and sent him out to sea in a blaze of glory. Not a bad way to go and I can imagine our grandchildren doing the same for me, (but hopefully please wait until I am dead).

Dryslwyn Castle standing on the river Towy

I was told the other day that the following painting had sold for a goodly amount raising much needed monies for Ty Cwm. The painting is of Dryslwyn Castle standing on the river Towy.

 It is a large painting and was a real paint to frame due to the size of glass which needed to be cut from a full size sheet.

Alex didn't thank me for this. A sheet of  2mm glass is quite difficult to carry and handle in large sheets which is why we normally have it in split sizes ie. 3ft by 2ft. Anything over that size can break under its own weight very easily when turned onto the horizontal. Once it is supported in a frame its fine.

A day out at the seaside

Yesterday Alex and I decided to take time out and go to Pembrey for a relaxing day. We arrived at 10 am and walked Jac on the beach. Is there any time that this place isn't spectacular? I would be happy just painting Cefn Sidan every day. The sea, reflections, birds a big sky - painters heaven.

Anyway we took the camper van to a parking area which was a huge grassed field. There were a few cars in it and we decided to go to the far side by ourselves. We got out the deck chairs and I made salad lunch. Well we must have had our social magnet on because the next thing a car comes into the near empty field and parks 6ft from us.

"I don't believe it!"

The family got out and the two children start playing football. Now I have nothing against children I was a child myself a long time ago but  I could see where this was going to end up. There was a whole field and the two boys were playing football next to our van. Alex was gripping the edge of her chair and when the inevitable happened and the ball hit our van I grabbed the cutlery while she jumped up and said,

"Hey Pal can you go and play that somewhere else?"

She then gave the two parents the look, "Would you like to contribute to this conversation?"
No they didn't, quite wise I thought.

A short time later another car decided to join us happy band of campers and parked next to us on the other side. At this point we decided to say goodbye to their new found friends pack up and find another spot free from National Lampoons Vacation. (I expect they thought,"Goodbye Victor and Margaret!").

I can add that we found a nice empty car park and were undisturbed for the rest of the afternoon.