End of the year

Another year has gone so time to show- case a few of the newer blogs that I have started reading. Painting is solitary work so I am lucky that I have close artist friends in Sue Cook and Graham Rice who live in the same village. They have both been represented by galleries in this last year. Congratulations to them!

So less parochially I read Hazel Dooney's blog 'Self Vs Self' who lives in Australia. She seems to have developed an international artistic career avoiding the traditional gallery system. Whilst her work is controversial her blog is a fascinating insight into an artist's life. Here you can see some of her experimental work which I like very much.

Speeding to the other side of the world to America and Jeffrey Hayes' blog of contemporary still life paintings. They have an acknowledged debt to the traditional Dutch masters such as seen at the Ashmolean Museum. I enjoy the way oil paint is used in a painterly manner producing a vision of sumptuous objects besides learning how to improve my technique.

So back to my own world for two photography blogs which showcase places I visit and love. The first is Gretel Parker's 'Cotswold Peeps' narrating her walks . The second which is 'OX 18' which is a archive of photos by DR who I guess is male and produces a body of work that finds beauty everywhere.

Best wishes for the new year to all!

St. Leonard's House

I am delighted with how this image developed. I painted the raking winter sun over a gold acrylic background allowing it to glitter through my paint strokes. You can see a photo of St Leonard's House on my other blog.

So what do you think the man is doing at the door?

Phone Box behind the Bartholomew Rooms.

The telephone like the postbox acts as counterpoint to the doors when viewed en mass. Painted over a green canvas as an experiment with complementary colours. Not reached any conclusions yet about it.

Lost Door II

I thought I would try this door again but with a different atmosphere. I like the other one better. What do you think?

The Butcher

I found it difficult deciding how to paint the Butcher's door because the widow full of meat was the obvious point of interest. The door is set into a plain wall with a step down into the shop. So after much thought and observation I painted through the open door into the shop where women, with shopping baskets and bags, are ordering their meat from "the butcher". I struggled with balancing the colour of the florescent lighting in the shop with the natural day light out side.