Artweeks in Eynsham

Artweeks in Eynsham

‘Artsweeks’ is Oxfordshire’s county wide visual arts festival during May. 

Eynsham has a number of artists who are exhibiting in their homes and studios or, like me, exhibiting in a local pubs. Parking is free and once parked just follow the signs. We will provide maps showing the location of the exhibitions.

• I am in ‘The White Hart’ on Newland Street. So have a beer and enjoy the paintings. I will be on site for each weekend to talk about my work or trying to explain why I like painting Morris Dancers.

• Alice Walker is in ‘The Music Room’ on Queens Street (opposite no. 43). She will be exhibiting work in a variety of media. Alongside Alice will be Joanna Ripley showing her sparkling stone jewellery.

• Julia Loken is exhibiting in her home ‘Myrtle Cottage’, Tanners Lane which is just off Queens Street. Here splendid garden is also open for viewing along with her traditional watercolours of predominantly botanical subjects.

• Jane Tomlinson is at 18 Newland Close which can be reached either from Newland Street or the lane up beside the ‘Queens Head’ on Queens Lane. She paints wildlife and produces the most amazing maps. She serves tea and coffee.

• Eynsham Arts Group is exhibiting a variety of work of good calibre by its’ members in the ‘Bartholomew Rooms’ on the square in front of the church.

• Eric White, at 28 Mill Street is showing his glowing paintings done using soft pastel.

• Peter Shrimpton is in the function room at ‘The Swan Hotel’ on Acre End Street showing metal sculpture. 

All are welcome. Eynsham is only five miles west of Oxford with frequent buses and free parking. Opening times vary slightly so check the Artworks website. We will be open from the 21st of May to the 20th of May but be aware that some of the artists are only open at the weekends.

More Pressure

'More Pressure'

graphite on Bristol Board

200 x 150 mm

I started on this as my back pain was to bad for painting. This drawing has taken me almost three weeks to finish. I use this technique as I love the tonal values that develop giving a very fae atmosphere. I have been watching the training at the Eynsham Fire Station. The standing fireman (aka Carl?) is signaling for more water pressure .

The Talbot, Eynsham

The Talbot, Eynsham

'The Talbot, Eynsham'

ink, watercolour, watercolour pencil on paper

150 x 200 mm

£135.00 mount and framed plus p&p

free delievery in Eynsham

On a fine summer's day it is a treat to have lunch on the decking which gives views of the River Thames and Wytham Hill.

This painting will be on show at the 'White Hart', Eynsham during the Artweeks Festival May 2 to 10.

The Evenlode,Eynsham

The Evenlode, Eynsham

'The Evenlode, Eynsham

ink, watercolour, watercolour pencil on paper

150 x 200 mm

£135.00 mounter & framed plus p&p

£100.00 mounted only plus p&p

A4 prints on demand plus p&p

When my family was young we used to eat here regularly as they offered great deals. It was nice not to cook all the time. 

The Queens Head, Eynsham

'The Queens Head', Eynsham

'The Queens Head', Eynsham

ink, watercolour, watercolour pencils on paper

150 x 200 mm

£135.00  mounted & framed plus p&p

£100.00 mounted only plus p&p

A4 prints on demand £20.00 plus p&p

This pub is called by my grand-daughter "Grand-ma's pub". Yes ... I do drink there!

'Jolly Sportsman' in Eynsham

'Jolly Sportsman' in Eynsham

'Jolly Sportsman' in Eynsham

ink, watercolour, watercolour pencil, graphite on paper

150 x 200 mm

£135.00 mounted and framed plus p&p

£100.00 mounted only plus p&p

A4 prints on demand £20.00 plus p&p

Eynsham Morris 2014 dyptch

Eynsham Morris 2014 dyptch

Eynsham Morris 2014 dyptch

ink, watercolour, watercolour pencil, graphite on bristol board

300 x 200 mm

£230.00 individually or £400.00 the pair

A4 prints on demand £20.00 plus p&p

Left side of Diptch

Eynsham Morris 2014

Commissioned portrait of the beloved Maisie.

Maiisie

‘Maisie’,

colour pencil and pastel on paper

Commissioned portrait

Maisie passed on earlier this year and despite her imperious hauteur she was the most softest and friendly of cats. When I visit her house I still look for her flirtations through the window while I wait for the door to be opened to me.

I used coloured pencils for her form and a touch of the softest white pastel for her immaculate bib.

Eynsham Morris 2014 Diptych (right)

Eynsham Morris 2014 Diptych (right)

The drawing for the right side of the  Eynsham Morris Men 2014 diptych. I have made the image darker here to make it easier to see. The actual drawing is lighter so I can paint over it without causing the colours  becoming to dark. I have been asked why I like painting Morris Men. I consider them to be the archetype of then people of  village of Eynsham in this work. In other paintings they have been symbols for ideas and concepts.

Pub Illustration

Queens Head, Eynsham

Illustrationn for a feature on Pubs in the 'Eynsham News'
http://issuu.com/eynsham1/docs/eynshamnewsissue9/c/sl0i5is

Painting Cats

Sam And Ella

'Sam and Ella'

oil on cradled ply.

255 x 505 mm

Sold

These sisters are prima donnas to each other as well as the rest of the world. I accepted the commission knowing it was going to be challenging. Loads of sketches and photos later and I feel that I have their relationship to each other nailed in this painting.  

Eynsham Morris Diptych; left Side

diptych, left side

Under drawing for the left side of my Eynsham Morrid diptych now finished. When I finish the drawing for the right side I plan to glaze with watercolours.

A Wedding Gift

'The Kiss'

ink and watercolour on bristol board

200 x 150 mm

Sold

I received a lovely commission last month to produce a painting for an #Armaleggan Morris wedding. This watercolour and ink painting shows the couple in their dancing clothes and 'disguised' faces.

May Day Morris-2

May Day Morris-2

This is the right hand side of my diptych of Eynsham Morris Line up. The next step is to shape welding with watercolour and then drawing with ink. 

I am now a fan of Koh-I-Noor 1900 Toson D'Or graphite pencils. I had no problems with leads broken in the pencils and it erased with minimum smudging.

May Day Morris

May Day Morris 1

This is four days work and the mapping of the image is just about in place. It is amazingly difficult to draw this many people and keep their proportions and their relative sizes more or less right. The mark making is horrid but I hope my next pass will improve my lines. I will leave it for a while as I have just accepted a watercolour commission which needs a fast turn around.

Eynsham Morris; May 2014

Intial Drawing

It's been about 9 years since I drew a full line up of Eynsham Morris. Last time I drew them on a very large sheet of paper and paid for it to be mounted and framed. Lessons have been learned over the years ... do not paint large pictures unless commissioned!  I was lucky and it was purchased. So I planned this time to work to a standard pre-cut mounts and frame with ones from Amazon.

Drawing to size proved to be very difficult. It got easier as the drawing developed but the finished result is not nice. I am not the fastest worker but I decided to take the lessons learnt and start again. Sigh!

Artweeks 2014

Morris dancer's beer mug.

I am exhibiting for the local Artweeks festival at the Organic Deli Cafe in Friar Entry, Oxford. I am right on the top floor of this medieval building. Looking round after we had hung the paintings you could see how much I am interested in painting morris dancers. They are not just men dressed in costume for a particular form of folk dancing but the cypher for ideas about spirituality and morality. Go and look and enjoy the food.

Two versions of #WharfStreamWay

Example 1

Example 2

I have sent in two versions of the #WharfStreamWay commission. I am having my usual self doubts. "Mother is having an artistic hissy fit!" quote my children. 

A Jewel

Meadow Grasshopper

ink and watercolour on Bristol board


This little jewel hopped on to my trousers from the grass. I was surprised to find there were so many types of grasshoppers with variations of colours. He seems to cope with his missing leg. Do you thinkhe will make a good decoration for the text panel?

Iris

iris

ink and watercolour on Bristol board


More dercorations for a text panel for the 'Wharf Stream Way'.  This flower was a little difficult to  use for a decoration as it grows in large groups on slow moving water. So I have opted for the vase of Iris look,

Decorations for a text box

Primroses

ink, watercolour on Bristol board

One of the text boxes for the interpretation panel of the 'Wharf Stream Way' includes info on the management of the stream.  Jane, who is producing the map of the walk, has illustrated the animals. My interest has always been for the plants and I have a collection of photos based on these walks. So I have chosen some of my favourite flowers as decoration for this panel.

Watergate on Wharf Stream

ink, watercolour on Bristol Board

200 x 150 mm

£150.00 unframed

This is my interpretation of what the watergate would have looked like on the wharf stream for the 'Wharf Stream Way'. I discovered that there many variations on what a watergate would look like and that there was not a difinative answer. Talking to some River People they felt it would have been what they called a 'Flash Lock'.

Finding Eynsham Wharf on Wharf Stream

I will be posting my interpretation  of the "watergate"  on the Eynsham "Wharf Stream Way" shortly. I have still failed to find a photo or drawing of the Wharf on this stream. However I have been handed a pile of photocopies which "may be of some use"! 

So firstly we have a hand drawn map of the wharf dated 1828.

Then on a cutout of a modern interpretation of the 1828 map.

So lastly is a satalite view of the area with 'wharf stream', 'side stream' and 'inn' marked on it.

This is the closest historical photo I have found of the area showing the bridge over the stream with the Talbot in the background.

I think the interpretation of the wharf will be based in part on a lot of my imagination!

St Helens Passage

St Helens Passage

St Helens Passage

ink and watercolour on paper

200 x 159 mm

Lorna Marrison

£75.00 unframed

120.00 framed

I like old time worn brick walls. Their colour  is far more interesting then modern bricks.

Reverence

Reverence

'Reverence'

oil on canvas

£260.00 unframed

A Morris dancer at the end of the day strapping on his bells in preparation for dance. 

Logo design

Spring Acre Small-holding

Sring is coming.

Sping

The light has returned and I have started finishing the paintings left over in the Autumn .

Hertford Bridge, Oxford

Hertford Bridge

Hertford Bridge

AKA the 'Bridge of Sighs',

New College Lane, Oxford

Graphite on Bristol Board

200 x 300 mm

£135.00 unframed
I liked this view as a night scene. So chose to use small marks of graphite to capture the nuances of dark and light. 

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve 2013

A Happy Christmas and the best New Year!