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.
My latest Kingfisher painting is full of vim and vigour. Painted in acrylics with ink droppers, brush, ink pens and peacock feathers. A colourful bird in flight with splashes of water and beating wings.
Kingfisher in Flight
My latest Kingfisher painting is full of drama and movement.
Painted in acrylics with ink droppers, brush, ink pens and peacock feathers. A colourful bird in flight with splashes of water and beating wings.
I love this new painting, it’s really fun and vibrant. Feisty Pheasants is now available to purchase here on my website. International shipping is available.
Feisty Pheasants in Acrylics
Ive been wanting to explore some more types of paint and techniques recently, and have started to experiment with acrylic inks and acrylic paints. Its very nice to be able to develop my practice in this way. Im hugely enjoying it. This is a small canvas 40 x 50 cm with a couple of pheasants strutting their stuff
Swans on canvas
"Hi Sue, the painting has arrived!!!! It is so vibrant, beautiful, romantic, and loving. It is like a beautiful love song serenading us in the moonlight!!! Gorgeous!! It is our treasure. Thank you so much"
Lovely feedback! This commission was based on my original swan piece 'Together Again' which was painted a couple of years ago. The customer had seen it and set her heart on it although it was already sold, so I agreed to paint her a similar piece. She had a personal backstory as to why two greeting swans had a particular resonance for her. This project went very smoothly from start to finish. Even the courier delivered the painting in two days door to door to Georgia USA.
Barn Owl Artwork for Sale - Add a Touch of Elegance to Your Home
Barn Owls are one of my favourite birds to paint, I just find them beautiful, elegant and mysterious.
I had the privilege of meeting and flying Barn Owls for the first time last month, at one of our local bird of prey sanctuaries. It was absolutely an incredible experience. I almost cried when they brought the first one in. I’ve painted them for years but have never seen one up close. I found out that the owls couldn’t actually see us, as it was daytime, but they could hear our heartbeats and were able to work out where we were from hearing us breathe. The flight is completely silent, we were asked to close our eyes as the owl flew between us. Although we could hear nothing as she flew by our heads, we could feel the wind from her wings. After this experience I love owls even more - so expect more owl paintings from me this year!
Looking for Owl Prints on Canvas? I have a selection here!
The flight is completely silent, we were asked to close our eyes as the owl flew between us. Although we could hear nothing as she flew by our heads, we could feel the wind from her wings. After this experience I love owls even more - so expect more owl paintings from me this year!
Summer Rushes - my latest Kingfisher Painting in Oils
Here is a very fresh and vibrant Kingfisher painting, now available on my website in the Birds section here.
I absolutely love these beautiful little birds, it’ s fun to try and spot them down by the river bank although its typically just a flash of turquoise blue - and they’re gone!
Now that Summer is here, I hope to go to some of my favourite local riverside walks and see if I can see one again.
I love Kingfishers and they are a favourite painting subject of mine. This one is big at about 30” square, and very brightly coloured with shocking pink and teal blues. Im exploring acrylic painting right now, using brushes, fingertips and paint pens to add details and textures and pushing the colour to create work with a high visual impact. Shocking pink and orange work really well against the bright teal and orange of the bird, I find these colours truly heartwarming!
Original Tawny Owl Painting
‘Alight in the Dark’ is my most recent Owl painting in my Night Owl series.
Add a touch of nature to your home or office decor with a stunning oil painting of a tawny owl. With vibrant, glowing colors and a detailed rendering of the majestic creature, as he emerges from the velvety darkness.
This piece measures 60 x 60 cm or 24 x 24 “ and is available for sale on my website here until the end of the month.
Mourning Doves
This week I am working on this painting of doves. I enjoy finding out a little about the wildlife I paint. These are also known as the American Mourning Dove, or the Turtle Dove, and apparently are very common in America. I think they have the loveliest little faces.
Birds Eating Berries
This week I am wearing my bird artist hat, and working on a couple of originals. This piece features two Blue Tits, a perennial favourite. These sweet birds are eating berries and surrounded by a glorious burst of spring colour. I have some minor adjustments to make on this piece before it is ready. There is also a piece with Jays nearing completion, and there will be at least two more in this set.
This is the time of year when more Spring colours emerge on my palette. Lemon Yellow, Pinks, Lilacs and Peach. There is also a particular green that I shall never tire of using for spring foliage, mixed with a little pink - perfect!
Barn Owl in Flight
This new oil painting is a work in progress on my easel this week, Once this layer of paint is dry, I will be able to add the finishing touches. check back later in the week if you want to see the completed painting.
New Barn Owl paintings for Sale
This painting ‘ Midnight Haunt’ is the first of my new Barn Owl paintings for sale. There is a Tawny Owl also, nearing completion. As you may know, I love owls and really enjoy painting them. This new series explores owls in a nighttime setting and Im rather enjoying the mystery and beauty of these lovely birds.As it happens, I’m also painting them late into the evening as I am in the middle of a studio move and time is precious, as ever.
Here is the link to ‘Midnight Haunt’ the original painting
If you are looking for an owl painting for your home, keep an eye on my website for upcoming new releases. You are also welcome to sign up to my art collectors newsletter for monthly updates.
I am working on Barn Owl paintings this week, one of my favourite birds to paint. Check my ‘Originals’ page to see this gentleman when he is finished!
So far, I have been building up the layers quite slowly, next step is the darker feathers and a little more shading and detail.
Work in progress
I enjoy creating paintings of Barn Owls so much, I decided to make a couple more, they are such beautiful birds, and quite haunting too!
Read MoreLook at this wonderful forest of owls, created by students at my recent Owl painting workshop day at St Helens Heritage Centre in Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire. Believe it or not, this was the first time that half of the group had picked up a paintbrush!
The venue at Ashby is a lovely one, a brand-new building with lovely facilities and french windows leading out to a beautiful garden. This unique building stands at a site of historical significance, as evidenced in the wall displays throughout detailing the links to Ashby’s heritage and honouring some of the historical people. This was the site of a medieval vicarage, although there are archaeological finds going back to the Stone Age
We always enjoy the painting days at St Helen’s, and I have organised some more for next year, including a two-day course on painting hares. Gift vouchers for the workshops are available to buy online for instant download. here
A Process Photograph of my Tawny Owl Painting
A small new Owl painting in progress, just a few adjustments to go. This piece is acrylics and 45 X 60 cm. I want to soften the top right foliage area and around the eyes without disturbing the colour scheme which I'm liking a lot.
Today I revisited an owl that I have painted before , I wanted to use the same idea but really push the sky and the lighting effects more, to make this painting more like it was in my mind. I have a couple of alterations to make, and then we'll see if I managed to do what I set out to do this morning ☺️ Many artists won't paint the same scene twice, but I actually often do and I enjoy seeing which bits I can change or improve.
I can’t believe this sweet guy is my first-ever grouse! I’m using a new technique that I have adopted recently for smaller details. Because I cannot really see well enough to paint in the old way, instead, I put the paint down in the general vicinity and then push it into place with a dry brush. I took a video of me doing a few last bits in this way, yesterday, it is nice because sometimes you do need a little bit of detail.
What a lovely weekend spent painting with such a nice group of artists! Sharpe's Pottery Heritage and Arts Trust We were very nicely catered for by Sweet Caroline on both days with a super buffet, and toasties. And of course, there was plenty of cake - artists need to keep their strength up after all. We tried a variety of different acrylic painting techniques. The group all have different levels of expertise in different media so it was a really interesting weekend. Everyone got on really well and gave help, support and encouragement to one another. There was a lot of laughter and joking around, and everyone ended up producing 3 beautiful small paintings (apart from John who was on a roll on day 2 and painted two or three more!) Everyone took a paint kit home with them so they can carry on painting straightaway. I'm hoping they will keep in touch, and show me the results.
