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December 2023

Hi guys, Xmas is approaching but by the time you get to read this, it might be the new year. Well, happy New Year to you. I’ve had a hiatus with my paintings but I’m happy to say that I am now fully recovered and have uploaded my three recent paintings for you to look at.

I’ve changed my style somewhat- more abstract. The first Nature puts on a show is based on a sunrise near my home. I have deliberately left areas unpainted. Someone called me a fauvist at one time- maybe this is proof. A friend said he liked the Mae West lips which form the clouds. The next Nature puts on a show II is an interesting artwork for as you can probably see it is painted in oils- a very expensive medium these days. Anyway, I have used it sparingly and the branches of the trees are left to the imagination, although in the flesh you can see the grooves where

the branches would be. I like it a lot. The third is only in the embryo stage at the moment. Think I’ll call it The Long and winding road, another stage in my journey. I envisage it as blocks of colour- again in oils. It’ll be interesting to see how it turns out.

nature puts on a show Ii oil on canvas 40x59cm £550

September 2023

Blog  September 2023

Hi a lot and then not such a lot has happened since I last posted.

I had two major exhibitions but sold very little. The economic situation seems to have hit the art world particularly badly in Pembrokeshire and West Wales. I had to sell my car as I could no longer afford to run it. Everything came at once; the road tax was £330 ! My car insurance doubled and my car was such a gas guzzler that I decided to cut my losses and sell. Besides Europe was burning and I didn’t want to contribute to global warming.  So now I’m getting about by public transport which I am quite used to as I only got my driving licence late in life. I went up to Cardigan which is at least an hour’s drive and got a bus eye view of the countryside. Well worth the long wait at the bus stop. We’re in the middle of a heat wave at the moment which I am loving as I used to live in Spain and miss the heat.

I’m having a bit of success with my digital prints which seem to be more popular than my oils and acrylics and am slowly recovering from artist’s block after such a dreadful summer. I finished my first print and have started experimenting with abstract art as I feel this is the way forward for me. I find it difficult to assess if it’s good or not and rely on friends Facebook and Instagram comments as a guide.   

That’s all for now, I’ll try and keep you updated more regularly.

colby gardens

Blog five

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Some figurative paintings after a Walk to Colby Gardens

Nothing much to write this week as I have an artist and writer’s block. Someone said throw a shark in but I don’t have one handy.

Just jogged my creative juices with a walk to Colby gardens. Took some photos for prints and had a lovely picnic at Wiseman’s Bridge back in my car. It’s too lovely a day to stay in the house. I have painted some digital landscapes; Colby gardens, Colby Walk and Colby café inspired by the Welsh views there. They have a contemporary feel and I have managed to get figurative too. Now,  back home in Tenby and I’m going to have the remainder of my picnic and some leek and potato soup from the veggie box. Seems like the summer is just going on and on. I’m not complaining. Lovely weather for photos.

colby walk
colby gardens
Colby cafe
vase of gladioli 2

Blog four

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BLOG WEEK FOUR

Had a brainwave this morning. I was running out of inspiration for my paintings and felt that I need to move to London for a change but then realised I could just spend a week there, get loads of photographs and come back here and paint them and try and sell them in an online London art gallery. Meanwhile, I have been inspired by a vase of gladioli that I got free from the food hub in Tenby. The flowers are gradually opening so I intend to do a few studies over the next few days. If it works, I’ll upload them here. Oh yeah, I nearly forgot. I got an unexpected phone call today telling me that the introduction to photoshop course is happening after all. I hope I can improvise with the programme I already have as I can’t now afford to buy photoshop but I’m sure Edpixle is adaptable. Fingers crossed.

I’m off to the hub again to meet a group of artists to create murals and scapes for a children’s play area which should be fun AND I’m getting paid!!!!

I would like to start a Beryl Cook appreciation society and gain signature to have the art establishment officially recognise her. She did sell a lot of paintings in her lifetime but is seen as a popular artist because of the nature of her settings, namely fat people in bars and bowling greens for example but there is so much technique and humour, and as a friend pointed out the vibrant colour in her art.  Her work is very similar to that of an internationally recognised Columbian painter called Botero. Methinks it might have something to do with her being a woman?

vase of gladioli
vase of gladioli 2

Blog Three

BLOG WEEK THREE

I have decided to get fit this week and started with a short cycle ride. I need to get up to North Pembrokeshire somehow to take photos for paintings of landscapes as I have somewhat exhausted South Pembrokeshire. Though not sure what medium to paint in, oils, acrylics or digital. Felt a bit low last night as I realised that I didn’t sell anything except a few cards in my pop up exhibition in Pembroke. Money’s tight at the moment and I have a large amount of prints and sketches as well as some larger paintings that I am putting in an exhibition in St John’s church in Tenby. It’s an annual event here. At least the weather is nice – sunny but a little crispy. I had to put my heating on for half an hour though this morning- so not so good.

I did go up to N Pembrokeshire today and managed to produce a semi abstract landscape painting. ‘Abstract art is easy to do but easy to do badly’, I’ve been told. I’m working on a triptych of different views of a lone tree, at night, in day time and with a turquoise sky.

A long day at the Oriel Q gallery in Narberth stewarding a photography and art exhibition. There was an interactive element and some visitors spent hours interacting so that was fun. A debate ensued about whether photography was the ‘death of art’ but I pointed out that is what some people are saying about digital art. Fortunately, I think there will always be a need for something other than lifelike reproductions.

On an up note, I was approached by an online gallery, virtualartists, in London and have sent them an image for an exhibition in October. Maybe this is the way to break into the London art market

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