31st December 2016

Amy

Ollie

Ollie again..stream paddling

Ollie and Maurice watching TV . I was attempting that lazy Sunday afternoon atmosphere.

Ollie

Lucy

Lucy again.

November 2016

Here are a few of the portraits that I've been working on in the last few months. The adult portraits are all done from life.

To see paintings larger just left click on each image.

Angela, looking a bit fed up. She had to sit for us as the model didn't turn up.

 Painted at an Andrew James portrait course. I love these big glasses and the shadows they create

 John, with dramatic light and dark tones.

 Two paintings of Ollie. What a gorgeous little face.

 John again, painted this time with more colour... interesting cool lights.

June 2016

April 1st 2016

Here are a few of the portraits that I painted on a Roger Dellar course last week. I learned to paint more thickly in mid tones all over in rough areas of colour... and then to bring order out of the chaos that was before me. It feels like dangerous and daring painting, ... but it results in a more painterly and cohesive picture. I painted Bob, (with the beard) at home to practice my skills and to introduce a little palette knife .. brilliant fun! It's not quite finished .. but I'm pleased so far.

!st February 2016

 I painted this from an old photo of Lucy. I really loved the sunshine in her hair.

 These two paintings of John were painted last Tuesday at the life class. I was splodging paint all over the place .... then trying to pull the figure out of chaos. I was going for an atmospheric effect.

I

25th January

 This portrait of John was done last week in the life class. He was lit from below , with light especially striking under his right brow. It made for quite a powerful image.

 I'm not sure that this painting of Amy is finished yet. 

16th January 2016. A self portrait.

My first attempt at a self portrait.

13th January 2016

 Lucy and Amy.

Amy in a very fine dress.

 Grannie. I've rejigged this painting because I wasn't happy with it. 

 A painting in warm oranges with the blue range to contrast.

4th May 2015

 My lovely mother in law on her 94th birthday

10th January 2015

 I've been enjoying playing with the black/white/grey range. It really makes the flesh tones sing. 

 Amy does this slightly pursed mouth smile that is characteristic of her and quite hard to capture!

26th December 2014

 I've been experimenting with simple backgounds that consist of just one or two colours. Backgrounds are so hard!

 This is one of my biggest paintings so I kept the colours simple in greys and black. I liked the juxtaposition of the two children.

 These two paintings are done at life classes and are therefore more loose and creative. It's important for me to get away from photos,in order to inject more of myself into the work, and to develop creativity.

28th October

My portrait of Julie, a woman in her 60' with a wonderful mane of grey/blond hair. She had a face full of expression...a life lived to the full. The painting was done from life, on a portrait course with Andrew James.

 We had started with a tonal sketch in charcoal and then in oils. Julie was more alert and cheerful at this early stage!

19th October 2014

Three paintings that I've been working on for the last few weeks. Two are from photos and one is from life.

This is actually quite a small painting...I was going for atmosphere by using glazes.

Looking at this again, I think I need to knock back the shadow areas of her dress...hmm...you never get to finish in this lark...there's always something else to do.

Done at life class last Tuesday. I loved the pose...and I've started to use the background to introduce liveliness and space.

October 3rd 2014 , Back to painting after a long hot summer. I've done a few paintings of my grandchildren, from photos, taken while on holiday in France.

I used some oil medium while painting this picture...it smelt awful, and got stuck to my fingers and brushes...but it made the colours glow beautifully.

Princesses climb trees too!

Cousins...just chillin'