Marridge Hill, England.

Afternoon Light on Marriage Hill. Oil on panel, 20cmx 30cm.
Afternoon Light on Marriage Hill. Oil on panel, 20cmx 30cm.

Marridge Hill in afternoon light on a cold but sunny winter’s day is a view I have always wanted to paint and its been around a long time. Almost unchanged since the 16th Century it is British farmland at its best!

The hill is made up of chalk which lends well to its reflecting colours from the sun enhanced by the dark trees in the foreground. Painting either in early morning or late afternoon light provides good shadows and a palette that is richer in reds. I hope to post more paintings soon from a recent trip to England!

River in Winter

Happy New Year 2015!

Painting outisde in the winter is almost my favourite time of year as the woods are richer in colour especially after a rainfall, last years twigs and leaves decomposing with earthy umber tones, yellow, reds and grays . Enough of green which i find hard painting!
This river is actually a torrent and so it fills up pretty quickly and the water level is always changing, I painted this view from a window inside because outside was wet and cold, the sensible descision was to paint near a warm radiator at this time of year!

River in Winter. oil on panel, 20cm x 30cm
River in Winter. oil on panel, 20cm x 30cm

Meadow in September.

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I know it is December but here is a painting from September! The meadow is near where i live and this year hay was continuously cut from it due to a long and rainy summer. The grass just kept on growing!

Florence Walls

During a trip to Florence i managed to paint the famous walls on the Oltrarno. It was so busy because it was an important festa, (The Feast of the Immaculate Conception) and I was unable to find a position in the centre and there was no way i was going to stand in the middle of a million tourists as i would loose my concentration in a second and probably end up in Japan! This is a view from the walls between Porta S. Giorgio and Porta S. Miniato, one of the entrance gates to the town as well as an old watch station, then to the left is the old gate of San Niccolo, standing 60 metres tall it is the tallest of the towers still standing today.

Florence Walls. 25cmx 27cm, oil on board.
Florence Walls. 25cmx 27cm, oil on board.

In the Garden

In the Garden. 30cm x 40cm, oil on linen.
In the Garden. 30cm x 40cm, oil on linen.

In the garden during a summer morning is a distant memory with all these autumn rainy days!  The darkness of the trees contrasting against the sun shining on the stone walls was helpful in this painting as it set off the dark and light values.

The Beach in Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre.

This is one of the beaches in Cinque Terre, in the village of Riomaggiore as you turn left by the harbour.  its only access is a narrow pathway carved out of rock which brings you to a very hot and stony beach! Both an uncomfortable painting and sunbathing spot, I suppose you have to suffer if you need a suntan or a painting. Painted out of season in November there were less tourists in the Cinque Terre but still the sun was quite hot.

La Spiaggia a Riomaggiore, novembre.
The Beach in Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre.  Oil on board, 20cm x 30cm.

Scogliera a Maralunga

Scogliera a Maralunga, 30cm x 40cm, oil on linen
Scogliera a Maralunga, 40cm x 50cm, oil on linen

This painting was painted during the summer 2014 at the sea we often go to in Italy. The sea can be reached from the rocky coast that surrounds most of Liguria, this area is called Maralunga, it is a small peninsula in the Mediterranean among many others near the port of La Spezia.

Winter Trees

Winter Trees, 40cm x 50cm, oil on linen
Winter Trees, 40cm x 50cm, oil on linen

A portrait of my daughter.

A Portrait of my Daughter. 40cm x 50cm, oil on linen.
A Portrait of my Daughter. 40cm x 50cm, oil on linen.

I painted this oil on canvas a couple of years ago when my daughter was 18 months old. It was based on sketches and observation as she played around me in the studio, her hair and skin tones were important to me.