I am loving the glaze of cobolt on this and the acrylic on the oils give a rusty feel. Hamburg harbour at night, view from a boat. The unseen boat making smooth ripples in the deep dark water as it moves alongside the warehouse lit up like a fairground.
A journey to Regensburg (Bavaria, Germany) and back in more ways than one. Glad to have completed this work. Cathartic. A painting that started life as an image of a medieval stone bridge over the River Danube on an overcast and oppressive day in August 2009.
The painting went through many moody transformations over the following months to reveal, I hope a more optimistic aspect.
I have used a mixture of oil and acrylic, enjoying the effect of the glaze and the acrylic floating on the oil paint, forming their own tiny pontoons of colour.
It is now hung in the Bigger Picture Gallery, 2A Anerley Hill, Crystal Palace. I spoke to one visitor who was looking at this - she studied German for two months there. Who'd have thought...
On the left is one of several in a series of tulips in anticipation of Spring (well one can imagine).
Bunch of Flowers! is now sold and I have no photo as my camera was stolen with the images on...somewhere in Berlin. I'll ask permission from the new owner to take a picture - on the left is the sister painting.
For more from the Art Zoo in January have a look in the still life online gallery
This is now sold and living in Bavaria, a memory for some Germans returning to the homeland from some time living in Crystal Palace.
Their twins were born during this weather so a lovely reminder and a great story.
Unfortunately my camera went walkabout and this is the best image I have. This is one of my favourite paintings. Has a freshness and the car gives it a sense of a place in time whereas the original is more timeless.
Pisarro did get there first in 1870 with his Fox Hill Upper Norwood and I'll have to find out if the two houses are those one's there on the right in his painting. It really snowed and snowed earlier in the year and Huw got some excellent pictures of Fox Hill in The Snow. I absolutley love these two buildings and they looked so magical at night covered in a blanket of white, the snow still falling gently.
Official Christmas cards this year and Fox Hill in The Snow is also available as a print.
This is another English Springer Spaniel portrait for a birthday present. Humphrey is pure joy and it shows in his whole being. Only 10 months old he embraces all that life has to offer a puppy.
I was reminded of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life when George Bailey lassoos the moon.
George Bailey: What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey. That's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary.
Mary: I'll take it. Then what?
George Bailey: Well, then you can swallow it, and it'll all dissolve, see... and the moonbeams would shoot out of your fingers and your toes and the ends of your hair... am I talking too much?
Humphrey Spaniel lassos the sun, swallows it....etc.
We visited Massa Lubrense in June. Getting up early we'd wander down the hill into the tiny harbour and wait for the shop or the cafe to open. Down by the shore is a massive wall of bougainvillea and just to the right a yellow bench. Sitting next to the bougainvillea on a yellow bench with a purple dress looked appealing to me. Especially with the blue geometry of the sling and yellow panel behind the woman. I totally forgot about the bougainvillea (it's in another painting) and just focussed in on the woman and how she was sitting.
We visited Massa Lubrense in June. Getting up early we'd wander up the hill into the town then sit and have cappuccinos and cake listening to the town of Masse Lubrense wake up. There was a quiet serenity to the bell tower overlooking the ever increasing flurry of activity below as the heat of the day began to rise with the sun over the back of the town turning the sky bright blue.
I spent alot of time listening to James Edwards (Grin Recordings) mixes and origninal work whilst painting this wildlife painting. Some of his tracks have interesting names, so it works for me.
I imagine it was very hot for this lioness living in Africa so I'm pushing the heat and the darks.
You can commission a contemporary painting by contacting me directly