I haven't posted for a long time. Partially because I was busy getting married (yeah!!), but also because I have been working on several commissions which I only have recently finished. One of them is for a lady (Jessica) that lives just a minute's walk from my house in Bath, and owns a beautiful garden with wild flowers and many cats. She wanted me to capture the wild beauty of her garden and I produced 4 paintings (two in plein air, and two from photographs) from different angles. I have just delivered the last paintings to her and she really loves them all which is a fantastic feeling for an artist.
Below was the first painting I did. I liked the way the sun was hitting some leaves and flowers and just a little bit of the cat's fur. The door half open is inviting us to come in.
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| Teddy's stroll in the garden 10"x12" oil on board |
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| Detail - Teddy |
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| Detail |
Below is a picture Jessica took from the top floor while I was painting in the garden.
Can you spot me??
The painting below has a rather moving story. This cat - called Bertie - is blind and he was lucky enough to be adopted by Jessica. He is attached to a pole because otherwise he would simply get lost in nature. But that way he can enjoy the garden and the fresh air. And in the house he is let free and can find his on way. He seemed so content and peaceful.
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| Bertie's corner 10"x12" oil on board |
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| Detail |
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The painting below shows the lovely shed in Jessica's garden, with the cat Jessie wondering around. I liked the reflections of the sky on the shed windows and the wild foliage making you feel like you're in the jungle.
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| Jessie and the shed 10"x8" oil on board |
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| Detail |
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Finally, the painting below depicts the entrance to the house. It was a hot sunny day and it felt like we could have been in the South of France.
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| Path to the house 14"x11" oil on board |
For those who would like an insight into my method, here is below the painting in progress:
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| Detail of the finished painting |
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| Detail of the finished painting |
I really enjoyed painting these and I'm so glad Jessica can enjoy them now in her house. She says that way, "summer is now perpetually in the house".
The quartet of Valérie's paintings, has captured the essence of the garden perfectly.
ReplyDeleteIt is such a great joy to look at the paintings each day, and they make it feel as if it is perpetually summer in the house!