A Sheffield Painting for Charity and my Magic Brush

Here is the painting that I am donating to the Red Cross charity art event to be held in the fantastic Winter Gardens here in Sheffield in June. It’s a winter sunset scene and features the Ranmoor Inn pub, which always looks so welcoming. I’ve done a few versions of this scene as I find the viewpoint and perspective interesting and challenging with the two roads on either side of the pub diverging away from the focal point. 

 

Also today, I’m showing you my ‘magic’ brush. This is the last of a set of hand crafted sign writing brushes that I was given when I did the coachwork painting and sign writing on the restoration of Hull tram 132. 

As you can see, it is well on its last legs but somehow seems to keep going. It’s absolutely fantastic for doing trees and thin sweeping brushstrokes. I used it for the trees on the painting above. I wish I still had the rest of these amazing brushes but they either got nicked or lost during a house move.

Anyhow, check my website for the Red Cross event dates and you can see Hull tram 132 in the Streetlife Museum in Hull.

Work in progress, storm sky paintings and a good weekend

 

Here are the two storm skies I’m working on that I mentioned last time. I’m happy with the way the skies are coming on. I’ve loosely painted in the view so far which is looking down a very steep street here in Sheffield. It’s called Blake Street and has apparently been used as a location for a Hovis advert and was seen in the film ‘The Full Monty’, well the Blake pub at the top of the street was. The pub has recently reopened as a really brill real ale pub which is good for me and the 3^rd Eye as we only live five minutes away.

Well, to round off a good weekend, I sold two of my new woodland paintings today from my studio, the one featured on my first blog and ‘Pinkie Wood’ shown here. Seeing them online gives you an idea but seeing them for real reveals the texture, subtleties of colour change and hidden depths.

These new paintings are getting good viewings on my website, Saatchi Online and ArtWanted. I’m inspired to do more of these, even bigger ones.

Just listening to Jarvis Cocker on 6Music while writing this. It’s my favourite radio show of the moment and is being broadcasted from here in Sheff, so lots of Sheffield music old and new.

Next time: the ‘magic brush’, the commissions in progress and a painting for the Red Cross.

Latest addition to Woodland Series

Red Wood Birches

Today’s image is ‘Red Wood Birches’. This is the latest painting I’ve completed in my new woodland series. I’m moving away from my previous naturalistic depiction of the subject (which can be seen on my website) to a more abstracted, textural approach. I love trying to get the reddest reds I can. Irene the third eye suggested I try different compositions such as this one with the dominant trees placed on the left. It’s a challenge to do this and get the painting to balance, but it's fun to break the traditional rules of painting and the way to move on and create something ‘new’.

This week, I’m working on some commissions and some new skyscapes. I’ve had these going through my mind for some weeks now and need to focus and buckle down to get something produced. I had a ‘breakthrough’ day yesterday when things began to happen. We had some great storm skies here on Monday which inspired me to bring two sky paintings I’ve been working on for weeks to come to life. Then I started two commission pieces that I am pleased with thus far. I also came up with a new title for the sky/cityscapes, which I will reveal when I show the works in progress next time.

Anyway, must get on. Time flies, it really does.

New Blog and New Woodland Paintings

Hello and welcome to my new blog.

I’m a full-time artist specialising in contemporary landscape and floral paintings.  In these posts I’m going to try to record my day-to-day, week-to-week life as a painter. I’ll be showing you works in progress, my thoughts, ideas, preparation for exhibitions and events, plus all the high and lows of creating art.

I can’t believe it’s Friday already. As usual, the week’s gone by in a flash!  I’ve been busy working on a new series of Woodland paintings which I’m really excited about. I haven’t done any of these for quite a while so it’s great to be working on some again. The painting shown above is called ‘Bluebell Time Birches’. It is on a boxed canvas measuring 50cmx50cm.

Hope you’ve enjoyed reading this and I look forward to telling you loads more about my latest news in future posts.  I’ll also keep you updated with everything I’ve got lined up for 2011.

Anyway, I’m off for a beer now and a relaxing game of Scrabble.

Have a peaceful weekend.