Summer and the frustrated painter!

Well here I am right in the middle of the Summer.
 As a landscape artist I should be in my element......but I 'm not!
I'm surrounded by beautiful countryside and wonderful beaches, so many places that I wish to walk, so many views that I want to paint.
It's the weather that frustrates me so much. Each time I venture out to explore, the clouds appear, the light dims and my quest becomes futile. Yes, there have been some wonderful sunny days but they have either been far too hot for walking or I have had other commitments .
(I don't drive and as the busses are so few and far between my trips need planning in advance . I can't just jump in a car when the sun comes out. )

So I sit here at odds wondering what to do .....
I  make so many demands on myself  ...
perhaps too many ?
Should I persevere ? Change my artistic direction? Explore new ideas?
It's hard to think clearly when your head is full of clouds and your journey ends in disappointment.

I did manage to get to the Lewes Downs on a day when the sun broke through . It's a stunning area in the Summer . There is such a vast array of colourful flowers and so many beautiful butterflies and insects  .
 A frenzied dance on a warm scented breeze. ...

The Southerham nature reserve on the Lewes Downs

My trips here never fail to inspire ....
                                              
                                             "The Butterfly Path" 

"The Butterfly Path" Acrylic painting on canvas 

 After a few fruitless outings I decided my best dose of self medication would be to spend a day at the beach. A colouful and fun filled trip to Brighton.
 Seaside, sticks of rock, deck chairs and the new up-side-down house was sure to put a smile on my face! 

Brighton Summer 2019

 It was a good day and just what the doctor ordered!
 It also reminded me that as we near the end of July that my painting "Joan and Nancy's trip to the seaside" is the August picture in the Artist and Illustrator's 2019 calendar .....now that's a bit special :) 

My painting in the Artist and Illustrators calendar :)

 To mark the occasion I thought I would have a similar bit of fun including the old West pier .....
                                   
                                               "Sun, Salt and Seaworn" 

A fun seaside painting "Sun, Salt and Seaworn"

The "Sun" is for sunbathing.
The "Salt" is for the tattooed sailor .The tattoo says "sink or swim", which I felt was very apt in regards to the fragile state of the pier.
The "Seaworn" refers to the West pier ruins


For now though I shall go back to watching the weather forecast ...
back to thinking....
thinking of what to do .

Sussex Autumn landcapes

Autumn seemed to take a long time to arrive this year. Then suddenly, for just a few days, the countryside turned into a mass of glorious colour before quickly fading away for another year.
I was lucky enough to have a few sunshine walks during this brief period which gave me some wonderful views to paint.....
The first is from a beautiful walk on the ouskirts of Cuckfield
                                "Autumn Days and Bridle Ways"

"Autumn Days and Bridle Ways" (Cuckfield)

 Second is from an early morning walk around Wivelsfield ...
                                              "One Autumn Morning"

"One Autumn Morning" Wivelsfield)  Acrylic on canvas

  Lastly but not least , from the Sussex Border path walking from Scaynes Hill to Wivelsfield ...
                                                 "Shades of Autumn"

Autumn painting "Shades of Autumn" (Scaynes Hill)

  With Winter now approaching I struggle with the weather and light . It gets harder to get good reference photos for painting. So....I've decided to paint a few more still life subjects and a bit of Summer fun now again :) 
                                                "Waiting for an ice cream" 

"Waiting for an ice cream" A fun and colourful Summer painting

  Oh....and that reminds me....I'm delighted that my painting "Joan and Nancy's trip to the seaside" has been chosen by the Artists and Illustrators magazine to be included in their 2019 calender....I'm August....perfect! :) 

Artists and Illustrators 2019 calender

 

Dark days and painting a "Misty Morning"

As the days get shorter and the sun sits low in the sky it becomes increasingly harder to get good clear reference photos for painting. I dislike these dark gloomy months and try to find ways of using them to my advantage.
I have therefore been venturing out really early whilst it's still dark so as to catch the bright morning light with the rising sun. The air is chilled and the first frosts blanket the ground with an icy glow.
The landscape looks very different now and quite atmospheric . You never quite know what awaits you around a corner or beyond the hedge.
It was on one of these days that I watched the mist form in the fields as the rising sun appeared over the tree tops.
 I witnessed a painting being created. Nature was the canvas and the sun was the brush.......

                                              "Misty Morning" 

"Misty Morning" Acrylic on canvas. Inspired from a walk around north Chailey

The dark days mean that my walks will now be few and far between.
 However, on the bright side this means that I shall be working through my reference photos that I have been purposely collecting during the year.
 There will be moments of colourful Summer fun to brighten up my days once again .
For a start I am delighted to announce that this month's Artist and Illustrators magazine have included my painting "Large Cod and Chips" in their 2017 calendar ....I'm "August"....perfect! 

My painting "Large Cod and Chips" in the A&I calendar

   

Feature and flowers. Painting the wild flowers of the South Downs

Wild flowers on Mount Caburn, Lewes, Sussex

I think this Summer I have become obsessed with the wild flowers !
I am just in awe of their beauty and have sat for hours taking in my colourful and aromatic surroundings .

Wild flowers on Mount Caburn

Then of course there's the butterflies! So many and so many different varieties . I do however have a favourite.
 It is the small Chalk Hill Blue .

Chalk Hill Blue butterfly

To me it symbolises my return to Sussex ( I lived elsewhere for 30 years) the South Downs and the wonderful events that have happened since being back .

My recent walk took me up the slopes of Mount Caburn, part of the South Downs on the outskirts of Lewes.
 It's like being on top of the World and on a clear day you can see forever! Well....nearly.

View south towards Newhaven from the top of Mt. Caburn

With so much inspirational choice I decided to paint 2 larger compositions, each measuring 30" x 20" and both acrylic on canvas...

                                                     "Chalk Hill Blue"

"Chalk Hill Blue"

 "The Summertime slopes of Mount Caburn on the South Downs in Sussex. Here a carpet of beautiful wild flowers flourish among the grass and Chalk Hill Blue butterflies delightfully dance and flutter in the sunshine.
This painting is highlighted with tiny flecks of metallic paint that gently catch the light of the summer sunshine."


                                                         "Wild Summer"

"Wild Summer"

 
The scent of wild flowers fill the air as Peacock butterflies dance in and out of the colourful blooms. Summertime on top of the South downs in Sussex with breathtaking views towards Firle beacon.
This painting is highlighted with tiny flecks of metallic paint that gently catch the light of the summer sunshine."

 To top off my wonderful Summer I am delighted to announce that this month the Artists and Illustrators magazine have given me a full page feature ! WOW! 

My feature in this month's Artists and Illustrators magazine

                                     "

"Cupcake Temptation" in Artist and Illustrators magazine

Today I received my copy of the May 2015 edition of the Artist and Illustrators magazine and was delighted to see that my still life painting "Cupcake Temptation" has been published in the Portfolio Plus section.
Such a lovely way to start the Spring season :) 
The cake was pretty good too!

"Cupcake Temptation" Acrylic still life painting

Artist and Illustrators magazine May2015 

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