Show review: 3 Wessex sketchers "painting the seasons"

Thank you everybody who came to our show (work from Bob Child, Andrew Taylor and myself) at the West Barn in Bradford-on-Avon on 4-6 October. We had an overwhelming number of visitors (about 600 people in 3 days!) and it was lovely to be able to chat about our work to so many people. We were blessed with great weather so the venue attracted many walkers and we got equal interest from their enthusiastic dogs! 

The West barn, Barton Farm, in Bradford-on-Avon

You can see below the set up of the show which was fairly similar to the show we had last year at the same place. The space is just perfect for three artists and the old barn stones gave a great feel to the display (which is an other way of saying that you can get away with having pictures not hanging perfectly straight because it is a part of the countryside charm, isn't it!).

Below are some pictures of the reception which took place on Friday evening. We were blessed with a great musical duet who set up on the balcony of the barn. It was a lovely evening, thank you everybody who managed to come and we are delighted and grateful for all the red dots!

Here is a picture of us three on the evening. As you can see my baby was thoughtful and considerate enough to stay nice and warm in my belly and wait before sending me into labour (which hasn't happened yet...). I don't think the crowd needed this kind of entertainment!

The three "Wessex sketchers": Andrew Taylor (left), myself and Bob Child

And here is below a close up of the work on display:

Bath and Bristol paintings by Valérie Pirlot

Venice paintings by Valérie Pirlot

Cornwall paintings by Valérie Pirlot

Watercolours by Bob Child

Watercolours by Bob Child

Paintings by Andrew Taylor

We were very pleased with the success of the show and hope to be back next year for some more! For those who couldn't make it, you can still contact us for prices and availability as several paintings are still available for purchase.

Do feel free to browse our websites:

www.valeriepirlot.com

www.peartreestudios.co.uk

www.andrewptaylor.co.uk

I'm not sure when my next blog post will be as I'm preparing for the imminent arrival. Maybe I'll be posting baby portraits soon, who knows! I do like the idea of painting in plein air with the baby on a carrier, and soon she will be passing me the brushes! 

Upcoming show!

I would like to invite you all to my Art show "Painting the seasons" that will run on the 4-5-6 October in Bradford-on-Avon with two other local painters (Andrew Taylor and Bob Child). Do come and say hello, we will be there for the three days. There will be plenty of original paintings on sale, and also a large selection of prints and postcards. Or just come to see a heavily pregnant woman that could possibly go into labour while hanging her paintings! (that's me!)

You are all welcome to join us during the preview evening reception which will be held the Friday 4 October 6-9pm. The three of us will be present and there will be drinks, nibbles and music and plenty of art for sale! 

Painting the seasons
(Bob Child, Valérie Pirlot, Andrew Taylor)
Oil and watercolour landscapes by three local painters

Friday 4 October - Sunday 6 October 2013
The West Barn, Barton Farm, Bradford-on-Avon BA15 1LF, UK
10am - 6pm FREE ENTRY 

It is the same venue and concept as our show last year. Click here to have a look at the pictures.

For a preview of what will be on show, feel free to have a look at our websites (most of our available paintings will be on show):

www.valeriepirlot.com

www.andrewptaylor.co.uk

www.peartreestudios.co.uk

For all of you who can't be there, you can reserve paintings in advance - simply browse our websites and contact me for prices and I'll be happy to help and reserve/ship work to you. 

Hopefully see you there!

Here is just a small sample of what will be in show:

Watercolours by Bob Child:

Bob Child

Tutton Hill 1 (Bob Child)

Chartres (Bob Child)

George St (Bob Child)

Watergates (Bob Child)

Oil paintings by Valérie Pirlot:

Valérie Pirlot                     image©Luca Girardini

George Street - Friday evening in August (Valérie Pirlot)

Claude Vale, Bath, in the snow, morning (Valérie Pirlot)

Hot summer day, Sydney Gardens, Bath (2) (Valérie Pirlot)

Boats at low tide, Porthleven harbour (Valérie Pirlot)

Oil paintings by Andrew Taylor:

Andrew Taylor

Cloud view from Redhorn Hill (Andrew Taylor)

Cheverell Corn Bales (Andrew Taylor)

Princes Bridge (Andrew Taylor)

Haystacks field (Andrew Taylor)

Hot summer day at Sydney Gardens, Bath

The week end before last I went painting at my favourite place in Bath: Sydney Gardens. It was properly hot but the shade of the trees and the presence of water helped making it bearable. This is my favourite painting place because it combines all the perfect ingredients to a good painting session: beautiful scenery, lots of greens, reflections with the water, peace and quiet, and plenty of spots in the shade. I did a study of three different bridges (two on Saturday and one on Sunday). Here is the first one:

Hot summer day, Sydney Gardens, Bath (1)  12"x10"  oil on board

Detail

The picture below shows the actual view, although the photograph doesn't do justice to the beauty of the place (which explains why for me painting in plein air can often be so much more rewarding than from photographs):

That's me below adding the final touches. I have always been secretly convinced that the quality of a painting is always directly proportional to how basic/comfortable/unflattering the outfit of the painter looks. Based on this, surely I must have painted a masterpiece!

Oh, and by the way, if you were thinking for a moment that I look like I had too many ice creams this summer, I must reassure you; this rounded belly is actually the sign of my next big masterpiece; the kind of work that takes 9 months to complete! I'm now almost 6 months pregnant and enjoying every bit of it! I'll give more explanation in my next posts about how it changed my painting habits...

Below is my next painting on that day. I loved the reflections of the sky in the water and the beautiful sunlit Bath stone of the bridge:

Hot summer day, Sydney Gardens, Bath (2)  12"x9"  oil on board

It is funny the type of encounter you make while painting. While painting this, a skater guy complimented me on my work and asked me if I was interested in producing paintings at the back of his handmade skateboards! Well, I never thought of my work as being young and trendy before! I kindly turned it down, but flattered nonetheless by the offer. What's next? Nightclubs murals? 

Detail1

Detail2

The painting towards the end of the session

Finally, here is my third painting at Sydney Gardens. I went for a long format to catch the lovely curve of the path alongside the canal. This scene had all the elements I love in a painting: highlights of the bridge, water reflections, lovely greens, strong curvy lines, and patches of blue skies:

Hot summer day, Sydney Gardens, Bath (3)  16"x9"  oil on board

Here is below the painting towards the end. I spent a bit longer than usual one this one, and felt it was time to go when I noticed that two little spiders had started building an impressive web against my leg! Honestly, do I look like a tree??

Detail

Before I forget, if you get a chance, get a copy of the latest Artists & Illustrator magazine. Three other plein air painters and myself (and my bump!) are making the cover! Click here for more info.


My paintings are available for sale directly from me or through a gallery and can be shipped worldwide. Prices depends on size and subject and generally range from £100 to £500. Please email me to check prices and availability at valpirlot1@hotmail.com

Artists & Illustrators Summer issue cover!

I'm very excited to announce that three other fellow plein air painters (Roy Connelly, Paul Banning, Antony Bridge) and myself are featured in the new issue of Artists & Illustrators! And we are on the front cover!! I should play it cool and blasé but I'm far too thrilled and excited for that! 

This is a special issue about plein air painting and the magazine followed us during a painting session outdoors. We all had to face pretty bad weather but it was a lot of fun. The magazine is out now so grab a copy if you can (for more info go to www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk). Here is below a small low resolution preview of the feature to give you a tease of what it looks like:

Roy Connelly and Paul Banning painting in Suffolk

Roy Connelly and Paul Banning painting in Suffolk

Antony Bridge and myself painting in Bath

Antony Bridge and myself painting in Bath

The magazine team has been really lovely and the photographer has been kind enough to send me all the great images of the day out painting in Bath where Antony Bridge and myself produced a painting near Putleney Bridge. I have included many pictures below. The photographer's name is Gareth Iwan Jones - do check out his beautiful website (www.garethiwanjones.com)

©Gareth Iwan Jones     www.garethiwanjones.com

©Gareth Iwan Jones     www.garethiwanjones.com

©Gareth Iwan Jones     www.garethiwanjones.com

©Gareth Iwan Jones     www.garethiwanjones.com

Here is below the painting I produced during the session. The weather was overcast and it even rained at some point but I managed to catch a glimpse of sun between the clouds:

Pulteney Bridge, Bath, in the afternoon  16"x9"  oil on board

Detail

Below you'll see all the steps:

©Gareth Iwan Jones     www.garethiwanjones.com

©Gareth Iwan Jones     www.garethiwanjones.com

©Gareth Iwan Jones     www.garethiwanjones.com

©Gareth Iwan Jones     www.garethiwanjones.com

©Gareth Iwan Jones     www.garethiwanjones.com

©Gareth Iwan Jones     www.garethiwanjones.com

©Gareth Iwan Jones     www.garethiwanjones.com

The finished painting:

©Gareth Iwan Jones     www.garethiwanjones.com

©Gareth Iwan Jones     www.garethiwanjones.com

Although we were both sitting on the same bench, Antony painted the Abbey (while I painted the bridge) and he did the lovely painting you can see below:

©Gareth Iwan Jones     www.garethiwanjones.com

Here is again my finished painting below. The painting session happened in the afternoon, and I must confess that Antony and I did arrive in the morning at the place to practice before the arrival of the magazine team. I painted exactly the same view, the first time as a practice, and since it was an overcast day, both paintings ended up looking very similar. Scroll below to see the first one!

Pulteney Bridge, Bath, in the afternoon  16"x9"  oil on board

Here is below the painting I did in the morning as a warm up:

Pulteney Bridge, Bath, in the morning  16"x9"  oil on board

The painting during the morning "warm up" session

Detail of the morning painting

After the afternoon painting session with the team, Antony and I decided to reward ourselves with a nice hot beverage in town. Although quite tired, we felt we could find time for a last little painting before calling it a day so we headed back to mine and set up in one of my favourite spots which shows beautiful views of Bath and we caught the sunset. I produced this little painting:

Bath view from Oldfield park, summer evening  10"x8"  oil on board

The painting towards the end

Antony was loving those greens

The sun came out and gave me the chance to add some lovely highlights

Detail

My paintings are available for sale directly from me or through a gallery and can be shipped worldwide. Prices depends on size and subject and generally range from £100 to £500. Please email me to check prices and availability at valpirlot1@hotmail.com

I would like to finish this post by mentioning that I currently have paintings on show at two places for the moment (Bristol and Corsham) so if you are around, please go and have a look:

"Inspired" at the Guidlhall Arts Centre in Bristol

A permanent painting and sculpture exhibition continuously updated throughout the year which precedes the Bristol Prize 2013.

The show currently includes all my recent Cornwall paintings.

Small Street, Bristol BS1 1DW

www.guildhallartscentre.co.uk/events/inspired

Mayastudio gallery

9B Station Road

Corsham SN13 9EY

Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm

The gallery currently includes my recent Bath paintings amongst others.