Au Bord de la Mer

Au Bord de la Mer. Oil on canvas

I painted this in France two summers ago. I'm using it to remind me of hot sunshine - so hot you need to get in the water to cool off. Meanwhile in Britain it's warm one day, cold the next. When the sun comes out there's no-where prettier. The landscape is fresh and dainty and everything is on a much smaller scale than the large agricultural areas in France. This year I will probably get to France too late to catch the big fields of sunflowers which lie each side of the road as I travel towards the village. I will also miss the apricots but I will be there for the peaches, the melons and later the figs and plums. For now, I need to get back to work.

No studio this time!

Darn that Dream. Oil on canvas

I have been talking of the past with an old friend who came to stay overnight. It was great and time flew by. It came at the right time because earlier in the day my hopes were dashed when I heard that I didn't get the studio. Oh well - next time!

June

First Day of Summer. Oil on canvas


Work is slow. I really need to find another studio. Three paintings go to the gallery next week for the Summer Show, then I'm on the move for a bit. Germany first then a few days in London. I've made enquiries about a studio going in Cardiff Bay. It would be great to get it but I'm not confident. I think there will be a lot of people after it.

Return to the Village

Return to the Village Oil on canvas.

This morning I talked on the phone to a close friend who lives in a village near me in France.
She and I have known each other for a dozen years or more and she supervised the builders as they restored my house. It will be July before I can get back to France but we started making provisional plans for when we do get together.

Time away

Just back from a week away. During that week I logged into the blog to look at my last post "Work in progress". I kept looking at the unfinished painting on the easel; I knew what I needed to do to finish it but the canvas was in Cardiff and I was in London so it was frustrating. In the end I stopped myself looking!

Work in progress

I have to forget about lack of space in the studio and just get on with it. Trying to find a place takes time and it gets in the way of work. In a month or so I will be heading to France. I'll put the word out to contacts that I'm still looking and double my efforts when I get back. If my old studio is still vacant I'll talk to the landlord.

The last of the french paintings.

The Road Home. Oil on canvas.

Click on images to enlarge.



Autumn Leaves. Oil on canvas.


Inspired by my last few weeks in France and painted in my studio in Wales; I completed the paintings in March.