News and snaps from my studio. Sometimes I write about new pieces that I’m working on that are not released yet. If I think of a tip or piece of advice that will help you look after your painting I’ll often share it here. If there’s something specific you want to find, there is a search box down below.
New Owl Painting
This is the painting that I was demonstrating at the Atkins Gallery this week. Almost finished, I will see whan I go an collect him, whether he needs any more work. I love the colours in this piece. Hope you do too.
Dante - Wild Stag Painting
In a beautiful vibrant palette of greens and teal, this new original oil painting is now available to purchase here on my website.
Find out more here
Large Atmospheric Highland Cow Oil Painting
She’s just gorgeous. This is ‘Rannoch Moor’ and she measures 78 x 102 cm so rather a big girl. Reminiscent of the rugged, windswept beauty of the Scottish countryside. An oil painting on stretched canvas, this piece is gallery wrapped ready to hang unframed
If you would like a closer look at this piece, please click through to her listing, here on my website.
Rannoch Moor is suitable for international shipping if required. Please contact me for an up to date shipping quotation to your overseas location.
Colourful Background for my Stag Painting
I decided that my ne stag painting needed some more colour and interest. So I have added another layer, and used some beautiful new Autumn colours in the foliage. I will add another layer with some leaves and other botanical shapes once this layer is dry. I hope to habve this piece ready to display at the Melbourne Festival, which is taking place on the 16/17 September
Big Bold and Bright - New Large Cow Paintings
I can always tell when the nights are beginning to draw in by the colours that find their way back into my paintings! Here I am revelling in the bright reds again with touches of orange and lemon yellow.
This big Highland Cow oil painting is very nearly finished and will soon be available for sale (with her sister below,) on my website
Highland cow in a summer meadow
I am re-working this painting as I wanted to add a lot more interest into her surroundings and a summery feel to the piece.
These soft blended oil paint effects look almost like watercolour and Im excited to see how she will turn out!
Highland cow in a summer meadow
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These two have been in the works for a long time. They were painted at my old studio and moved into storage when i took this new studio at the Ferrers Centre. I have only just had time to get them out and have a look. I decided they werent finished after all, and I have addedd some more layers of brighter colour and changed their background. Now they are finally ready to greet the world with their high spirits!
This piece is an original oil pn a stretched canvas, ready to hang. The painting is available for worldwide shipping (with a couple of restricted countries). Find out more here
An Oil Painting Demonstration
Last week I was delighted to attend the Desford and Peckleton Art Club. Theirs is an evening meeting so I arrived at 1830 to set up my easel and get my paints ready. The demonstration ran between 1915 and 2100 with a tea break in the middle.
It is always a strange experience, to paint in front of a group of people. Just as in the studio, you hope that you will achieve the desired results but you never quite know. It’s exactly the same when folk are watching and listening, with the added chance of making yourself look like a fool!
I decided that I would demonstrate some of the current ideas I’m working on so that I could show my thoughts and decision-making process in ‘real-time’. I took one piece that I had already made a start on, the week before. And one blank canvas that I had prepared with a rough coat of black oil paint as a base.
Both pieces were of the same Eagle Owl in different poses. These were photos that we had taken of Max, one of the owls at the Rosliston Owl Centre on our visit back in April.
With the first piece, I was able to show how I begin a painting by working straight onto the canvas with a large brush. How I map out the composition, and my thought process when deciding where everything should go. In the second painting, I showed how I progress a piece after the first layer is dry, working back into the piece in glazes of colour and editing as I go along.
It was a very nice evening and hopefully it was interesting for the group of artists.
Ready to start layer 2, bac at the studio
My colours were transparent maroon, ultramarine and white
I had to dash away quickly at the end, as I turn into a pumpkin at sunset. This is due to my impaired vision not allowing me to drive after dark. Particularly on unlit country roads. I think this will preclude my attending evening groups in future, however, I will still be able to demonstrate for daytime art clubs.
Here is the first of the paintings after another hour’s work back in the studio today.
Warm shades of copper, gold and soft green
It’s a very busy time n the studio this month as we all have a full schedule of exhibitions over the Autumn and Winter to prepare for.. This new piece measures around 60 x 90 cm and is a flurry of colours and shapes, in soft seasonal tones. I love to be inspired by the tangle of hedgerow foliage this time of year, and it shows up in my paintings.
Once dry, this piece will be available to purchase on my website, or from my studio by appointment.
Lion Painting For Sale
He is a big lad!
A dramatic large painting of a lion, 100 X 100 cm. Or 40 x 40 “ lion painting on stretched canvas. I chose a new palette that I'm loving at the moment which is based around a transparent maroon and indanthrone blue, together they mix to make some really stunning muted shades, browns, and greyed-down violets. Then I added an Indian yellow-red shade for the golden highlights, all with a warm white that I mixed. I’ve named him ‘Rough Boy’ and he is now available for sale.
Featuring:
The Milky Way!
‘Starlight’ is an original oil painting measuring 60 x 76 cm, with a beautiful Barn Owl against a starry night sky. He is available for sale currently and will be on display at my studio. I love to be surrounded by owls, they are so calming.
Painting of a Snowy Owl
I love owls, and they are gorgeous to paint, too. This new one is a Snowy Owl, half in shade, with one golden amber eye glowing.
Update* He is now finished and available for sale here
Large Stag Oil Painting, as yet un-named - 100 x 150 cm
A big new deer painting in the works
My latest large painting (100 x 150 cm ) is a painting of a stag, with proud antlers festooned with undergrowth and bracken. Im using beautiful natural shades of leaf-green, sage-green, gold and warm browns to give a contemporary yet classical effect. Once finished, he will be available to purchase on my website here
Lion painting for sale
I was at the studio this morning tidying up after the weekend’s festivities, and I thought Id take a couple of photographs and a video of my original painting of a lion, called ‘Rufus’. I love this piece, the colours always put me in a good mood, and his serious expression makes me smile.
Rufus is looking for a special home and is available to purchase here where you can see lots more photographs of this lovely fella.
Blondie - New Highland Cow Painting
Im exploring lighting effects in my paintings, and have four pieces currently taking turns now that I have completed my commissions for the time being.
The recent bespoke painting of Molly the Black Labrador reminded me of how much I used to like painting the light effects on the fur, wool and feathers of my subjects and has led me to return to this approach for a while and see where it leads me.
Ross - a handsome Highlander!
He’s a real colourful character, with a face full of fun. There is a lot of texture and intuitive use of colour in this striking piece. 61 x 91 original oil painting on canvas, ready to hang.
Now available - at Creative Fine Art
I have three new paintings of the famous Highland Cow, which are available to reserve through my publisher Creative Fine Art
These are all original oil paintings on canvas and will be presented in a simple float frame.
Here they are with some of the tweeds and tartans that help inspire my colour choices!
A new Highland Cow painting on the easel this week
I love painting my Highland Cows in a folk art style, with the flowers and mosaic pieces. These paintings paint themselves and I have very little to do with it, we just go with the flow. I’m loving this girl with her jaunty hair and her jazzy background.
I have a collection of colourful Highlanc Cow prints on canvas available here - shipping worldwide!
The new addition to my website this week is Loch Torridon, featuring a Highland Cow against a dramatic colourific background. This piece is the latest triptych piece - painted over three canvases that are designed to hang together with a small gap in between the panels. I decided to name her for a place that gets the most wonderful sunsets, a tribute to the beautiful bright glowing peachy colours.
I love the look of these pieces on three panels, I think it’s a gorgeous and modern look, in keeping with the luxurious use of colour. Have a closer look here
Every encounter with a bird or animal is magical, but imagine coming face to face with a majestic deer in the wild! What a breathtaking, exhilarating, special experience it is! A connection with a wild animal, however necessarily fleeting, is one of life’s great moments.
Wild animal encounters - a special privilege!
The two new pieces on my website evoke these feelings and are painted in gorgeous uplifting colours which seem to change according to the light. These are both oil paintings, in my usual expressive style. Check them out here
