My garden in the spring

Here is a quick post while watching the Royal Wedding...
I have just finished a couple of paintings of my garden which I'm madly in love with. For those who remembered I did a painting of my garden in the snow a few months ago and decided now to cover all seasons...

My garden in spring after the rain     oil on board 12"x10"

This one was done in the late afternoon from my living room window. There had been some heavy rain all day and suddenly the sun came out and warmed up all this luxurious greens.

view from the window

I didn't tell my boyfriend I dropped some paint on the carpet
but since I managed to clean it up and I'm pretty sure he doesn't read
my blog he will never know!

My garden in the snow - The painting I did last winter

Here is an other one I did last week end as I just came back from a week end away. It was sunny but a bit misty and I couldn't resist the shades of purple in the distant hills.

My garden in spring in the afternoon   oil on board  7"x5"

This time I set up on the garden table

I take the opportunity of this post to inform you of two upcoming events if you happen to be in Bath:

There is a show starting today at The Octagon in Bath called "inspired" which I will have some work at and which also features talented artists such as Adebanji Alade, David Pilgrim and Shane Feeney to name a few. It will be on until May 11. More info here.

I was pleased to see my work on the invite and the Bath Magazine insert:

I will also be a part of the Newbridge Arts Trail which will be on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th of May. Come and say hello if you're around. More info here.

Last but not least, I urge anyone who hasn't seen it yet to go and admire Peter Brown's work at the Victoria Art Gallery. Absolutely beautiful. More info here.

This afternoon I'm off to Paris to paint for a few days. I will hopefully come back with plenty of paintings to post on my blog...

Now back to the Royal wedding...

Graham and Paul at March Golf course

Here is a commission I just finished. It was for Paul (on the right) who wanted to give this painting for Graham's birthday (on the left). It was done from photographs. They play golf quite often together so it was a good way to have a usual scene with both of them. I'm not used to this type of subject but Paul was very happy with it. Let's hope Graham will be too...
Happy Easter everybody!

Graham and Paul at March Golf course    oil on board  16"x12"

Oxford with the Plein Air Society

A couple of weeks ago I went painting with the Plein Air Society for the third time. After Bristol and Cardiff, this time it was in Oxford. Quite a few people turned up including talented painters such as Andrew Taylor, David Pilgrim, Roy Connelly, Glynis Dray and Anthony Bridge.
Although the day started with a depressing grey sky, the sun didn't wait long to come out - that's the beauty of England; weather changing every hour!
After a quick cup of tea, some of us set up for a painting around the Radcliffe Camera. I loved the light on these golden stones...

Radcliffe Camera, March morning   oil on board  10"x14"

We found a good spot in a narrow pedestrian street. I chatted with a few passers by who were lovely.  

my painting after a couple of hours

David Pilgrim did a lovely painting of the same view which you can check out here. (tough competition going on here!)

David painting the Radcliffe Camera

 At lunchtime we found an other spot for our second painting in Turl Street. (note: I said "at luncthime" and not "after lunchtime" because there is not such thing as breaks in those crazy painting marathons! I actually ate my sandwich while I was painting this - let's hope I didn't leave any breadcrumbs on the canvas...)

View from Turl Street, Oxford   oil on board  7"x10"

I think I was a little bit blocking Roy Connelly's view although he kindly pretended I wasn't ;)

Roy's easel and mine

David, painting from the other side of the street
and making some very convincing painter-style gestures

Finally, in the afternoon some of us ended up painting the Magdalen bridge which was enhanced by beautiful afternoon sunshine.

Magdalen bridge, Oxford, March afternoon    oil on board  12"x10"

It was a lovely way to end the day. I got so carried away by the painting and the conversation with Roy that I almost missed my train back!

Roy painting and my easel set up before I started

Reflections on the river, Bath

A couple of weeks ago I went painting alongside the river just a short walk from my flat. I have just finished the painting at the studio.

Reflections on the river, Bath    oil on board   12"x10"

I found a good spot at the Bridge, well hidden behind a wall, so I didn't have to face too many curious passers by. Don't get me wrong, I love chatting to people and talk about the painting in progress but there is always a moment in the process when I feel like giving up and throwing the canvas to the water so it's in everybody's interest not to be around when it happens!

Grapes on a table

Grapes on a table     oil on canvas  12"x10"

Last year, a good friend of mine got married and asked me if I could paint a still life for her as a wedding present which of course I accepted. Almost a year since the wedding and quite embarrassingly I still hadn't done her painting. As I was seeing her today, I decided on an impulse to paint it yesterday night - better late than ever! I suppose it might not be the usual occupation for a 28 years old on a Friday night but I had a great time painting it! (and the grapes were delicious too so no food wasted here!)

The grapes setting and the painting after a few minutes

The finished painting around midnight