Two new images chosen for Marine art show

This is my latest image, well it has been ongoing for 8 months now as I have only just resolved many issues that I had within it. It is 16" x 20" oil on panel and is called 'On the Hard at Pinmill'. This painting, along with a plein air panel has just been chosen to be exhibited at Francis Iles Gallery in Rochester. The Marine Show is an annual event and will run from the 7th to the 28th August 2010.

http://www.francis-iles.com/html/next_exhibition.html

The second painting is a plein air study of Faversham Creek at Faversham in Kent completed late last year in a 2hour session late one afternoon. It is a 8" x 12" oil on panel.

If you are around Rochester in August pop into the gallery for a  look, you will not be disappointed.

I do hope that you like these images,

best wishes 

Paul

CLA Game Fair at Ragley Hall

Having finally packed my van and checked my list, I was finally ready to leave. Catherine waved goodbye and off I went to pick up a fellow artist an hour away. We arrived at the showground by 3.30 pm having been delayed by the famous M25 due to the carriageway being flooded. Arh! English weather eh! Anyway, we arrived a little tired but safe and ready to unload and display our artworks.

I left Mike at the Birds Birds Birds stand with his items along with three of my paintings

,

These were Morning Scramble above, Under Leaden Skies below left and Marsh Ghost, the owl below right. Paul Cumberland had displayed them nicely at the back of the stand. Despite many kind words and much talk during the weekend they remained unsold, although the Woodcock came very close to being sold. Only the fact that it had to go back to the publishers for scanning before the buyer could have it prevented the sale from being completed. A lesson learned, not to paint right up to the deadline and get these things done prior to a show. Oh well there was nothing that I could do at the time as I could not be consulted.

I had gone on and started setting up on my publishers stand at Sally Mitchell Fine Art, just a 100 yards away when Sally's son John (who was in charge of the stand and all proceedings) and whom until then I had only ever spoken to on the telephone, met with me for the very first time. I was warmly received and introduced to all the other members of staff and artist colleagues, Malcolm Coward, who's work I had long admired for the quality of light and impression in his paintings, Jonathan Walker, Paul Doyle, Elizabeth Scrivener and last but not least,one face I knew well my old friend Pip McGarry.

I was handed a beer, shown my booth, and left to get on with its organization and presentation in preparation for the next day. All the artists had a painting or demonstration area on the side of the main display area. It was a great space and source for a lot of fun over the weekend.

This image shows the area on Saturday as I was well into a small landscape painting, I managed four small paintings during the weekend, not all completed, but well underway. A spaniel and three landscapes.

The evenings were full of fun and good banter between us all, tired from the days talking and demonstrating, We ate and drank well comsuming some fresh lamb bought in by Elizabeth's daughter Alex. It was scrummy!

As Friday dawned I woke very early woken by the noise of those arriving late at the show to set up, so my day started at 4.20am!!!Not a great start, but hey no hangover so I could not complain too much. By the time the show opened at 7.30am I was ready and already painting. Within an hour, my painting of the Spaniel, Last Retrieve of the Day had found a new home, its new owners were extremely delighted with their decision, and I know that it will be treasured by them for many many years to come.

I had a great weekend catching up with old friends, many of  whom I had not seem for many years. I also made some new acquaintances and I hope new friends in the company of Sally Mitchell and the artists with whom I enjoyed the weekend.

I will be back next year at the CLA game fair which will be held at Blenheim Palace. I shall look forward to that, especially if it turns out to be as successful as this event.

My extra display inside the Sally Mitchell stand showing the coveted red spot upon my Last Retrieve of the Day painting.

Lastly, I would just like to thank Sally and John Mitchell for making it possible for me to be at the game fair this year, and again to John and all his staff for making me feel so welcome and a member of the team. Thanks also to Paul Cumberland for displaying my paintings and for allowing me to park my camper behind his stand.

Finally I was able to see some Malcolm Coward originals for the very first time, and I can assure you I was not disappointed. They lived up to and beyond all expectation, as did the John Trickett images, also long admired, though sadly John was not there to meet in person.

So all in all a great weekend made greater by fantastic people.

CLA Game FAir

Bags are packed and van ready to go in two hours for the CLA Game fair at Ragley Hall in Warickshire just outside Stratford upon Avon.

I shall be demonstrating and painting images as well as showing my recent paintings on the Sally Mitchell Fine Art stand and the Birds Birds Birds Stand.

I hope to bump into you there.

It will be a fun time and a good time to catch up with some old friends and falconry buddies whilst there.

Back on Monday

Best wishes 

Paul

Not Much Further

 This 12" x 16" oil on panel is a studio painting that I have based upon work that I completed En plein air at Camber Sands beach late last week. I took many reference images and candid shots during my painting session in the afternoon. These two children were doing their level best to haul their numerous items of much needed beach kit with them towards the sea.

I isolated them from other family members as it would have detracted from the overall narrative of these two individuals and the unaided, but determined effort to make it all the way to the water.

I used a lot of palette knife in this work and found a freedom of expression in doing so, I hope that you agree.

For now though I have to leave this little excursion into summer, returning to my deadline for wildlife images needed for the upcoming Marwell show in August. I only have three to do!!!

Best wishes 

Paul

Early Summers Day at Camber Sands

This is a new En plein air study Contre-jour upon Cambers famous sandy beach, standing with the beautiful and rare dunes behind me. It was completed in 2 hours, 8" x 12" oil on gesso panel.

As I cooked myself I longed to run into the inviting water joining the throng of people already enjoying its cool refreshing feel. Sadly it was not to be, as nice as the day was I was here to work, and after a short break I started on a second panel beginning around 3pm as the sun had travelled to the most Westerly point before  finally setting behind the Winchelsea peninsula. So many people had arrived at Camber beach on this sweltering day that I had to make rigid decisions as to whom and how many I would feature in my work.

The second of these panels is 10" x 12" worked in oil and again Contre-jour. This effect has a limiting effect upon ones palette, subduing the range to be used, once of course that range has been established.

Using these studies I plan upon creating new work back in the studio.

Last painting for the game fair

Well I have just finished the final painting due to be launched at this years CLA Game Fair at Ragley Hall Warwickshire during the weekend of the 24th July 2010. 

This one is called 'Bracken Path' showing an old family ground full of ancient oaks, conifer woodland and golden red bracken. Three cock Pheasants have been flushed from centre right and dash away to safety.

At the end of the day the sun spreads a golden fleece upon the land, a rare touch of warmth on a winters evening. 

Well fingers crossed it does well at the event. I hope that you enjoy the image.

Best wishes 

Paul

New London Gallery

                             Sunrise over Florida Oil on canvas 12 x 20

Earlier this year I was approached by a top London Gallery,( The Arthur Ackermann Gallery in 

Knightsbridge), to see if I would exhibit with a group of other artists in an upcoming show, called 'Call of the Wild'. I know many of you who follow my blog posts will already be aware of this, and how successful the show was. 

Well, since then I have had a few meetings with the owner and other key members of staff . Today they visited my studio and took a large consignment of paintings with them. I HAVE A NEW LONDON GALLERY!!! 

I am so very happy. My work has often appeared in London galleries such as the Mall and Tryon Galleries respectively but Catherine and I have wanted to see for a longtime now,  my art shown in a permanent gallery, one that is acting for me and my work on an ongoing basis. Ackermann confirmed that as of today I was now one of their gallery artists.

So now I am painting with a renewed vigour and energy, not to mention one hell of a huge smile on my face, though that could be down to cracking open and consuming a good bottle of red!!!!!!

Morning Scramble

Well here is another painting destined to be shown at the C.L.A. Game fair at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire. Only this time, as with the painting posted a few days back, 'Under Leaden Skies', they will be displayed on the Birds Birds Birds Gallery Stand at the show. Paul Cumberland has for many years been taking my bird and game images to numerous shows including the CLA, so he will be showing a number of my works along with those of his other artists, including my daughter Sam's paintings, as she is also one of his artists.

I have a good number of other paintings in readiness for the show and the Sally Mitchell Fine Art stand where I will be demonstrating and talking to collectors throughout the event.

Having said that, I am so heavily into painting game images right now. I am fascinated and filled with heaps of ideas, and I have two more paintings on the go right now. Well one, and another in my head at this moment. This is all very good, but I have deadlines looming for some African images to be created, including a large Cheetah image. So as much as I dearly want to stay with the game paintings, I know that I will have to take a short break from them.

'Morning Scramble' was painted as a compliment to my recent work called 'Morning Flush'. The aforementioned has just been released as a fine art limited edition print by Sally Mitchell.  Morning Scramble depicts many birds having been disturbed making a hasty departure for a safer location. An early winters morning with a covering of snow and the corn stubble just appearing through, long deep shadows breaking those undulated furrows all combine to set the atmospheric scene I am presenting to you. I dare say that it was my clumsy feet that had disturbed these birds in the first instance, but an enjoyable painting to create. I hope that you like it.

Best wishes

Paul