The long hot Summer

Sadly Summer has come to an end. But what a wonderful Summer it has been!
I have covered many miles walking over The South Downs and travelling to the coast.
I can now reap the rewards and concentrate on painting some of my favourite views and capturing memories.
One hot sunny day took me to the Downs at Lewes where I headed up to the Southerham nature reserve . It's a fabulous place filled with wildflowers that constantly change throughout the Summer.

Souterham nature reserve to Mount Caburn

 On the day of my walk the air was filled with butterflies and the red and black of the Burnet moth...amazing!
A very inspiring area resulting in two paintings "Wild to the sky " and "Wild to the brow"  (Sold)

Acrylic paintings on canvas of the Lewes Downs in Smmer 

The arrival of the heatwave meant that some days were just far too hot for walking, especially up the steep slopes of the South Downs ! On these days my trips were to the coast. I've been watching the tide times this year so that I could catch low tide.
 My quest has been to capture the reflections on the sea and wet sand....I wasn't dissapointed !

Summer days on Cooden Beach in East Sussex

With temperatures soaring I headed off to Cooden Beach...wow....I mean WOW!
The sea water was so hot and the sand glistened in the bright sunlight.
A mixture of sand and soft clay "rocks" where small shellfish dig in and make their home.
I couldn't have wished for a more perfect day....time to get painting...
                           

"Those Blue Sky Days" (Cooden Beach) Acrylic on canvas 

So many Summertime memories ! Now, where're my brushes .....see you soon ! :)

"Goring-by-Sea" and commission painting

Goring-by-Sea,West Sussex

Good grief ! Where did August go? It seems to have gone so quickly and now we're sadly at the end of the Summer !
It's been a busy month. I don't often take on commissions as they can be restrictive but I received a request that was of a local scene from Burgess Hill and I couldn't resist the challenge!
The painting includes a waterfall, something that I havn't done before.
It's an enchanting view that  that made me think of the wonderful art of Arthur Rackham

Arthur Rackham

  Situated in a rather shady area meant that it wasn't easy to see the detail of some areas but all in all I was happy with the result.....
                                           "Down by the Witch's Den" 
                        

"Down by the Witch's Den" Acrylic on canvas 

After so much green I decided to head back to the seaside for my next painting. This time the subject was a splendid blue fishing boat close to the beach huts at Goring-by-sea in West Sussex.
It's a scene that I was looking forward to painting, that is until the hot weather arrived!
With paint drying so quickly it became harder and harder to put in the details .
I was getting up before the birds just to make progress !  I eventually managed to complete it but every time I look at it I remember how much of a task it became so it's perhaps not my most favourite painting at the moment.....

                                               "Goring-by-Sea" 

Painting of the fishing boat and beach huts at Goring-by-Sea, West Sussex

 

Painting Hastings Pier

Hastings Pier in East Sussex

I've waited a long time to be able to paint Hastings Pier!
It was opened in 1872 and closed in 2008 as it became unsafe. Plans were arranged for it's redevelopment but then in 2010  disaster struck and a devastating fire sadly destroyed 95% of it

2010, Hastings Pier on fire

Luckily, unlike some other piers, it was not left to slowly disappear into the sea and work was completed for it's reopening last year .
It's spacious new design means that it's an ideal location for a variety of events such as concerts, fairs etc .
Originally the huts were painted a depressing black!

But the people of Hastings ( known for their colourful enthusiasm to dress up and celebrate just about everything) complained and by popular demand the huts are now bright and seaside colours and look great!

Huts on Hastings Pier

My local beaches of Seaford and Brighton are made of pebbles so it was interesting to explore a beach  where wet sand and pools of water catch the reflections perfectly .
I loved this view as it seemed show how defiant Hastings Pier is.....long may it survive!

                                          "Pier Reflections"

"Pier Reflections" Painting of Hastings Pier

      
                                   Acrylic on canvas 18"x 24"x 1.5"
 https://www.artfinder.com/product/pier-reflections/#/

Ferring ,West Sussex. Painting the beach and beach huts

Ferring beach in West Sussex

Today is the Summer Solstice and predicted to be the hottest day in June since 1976 ! Phew! I love the sunshine but not the heat!
It's far too hot to go exploring and too hot for painting . My acrylic paint start to dry on my brush before I can get it on the canvas ! Arrrrgh!  But I'm not one to be defeated so I've been getting up really early and painting before the temperature rises . In fact I think it's the first time I've ever painted at 5am.
My adventures this Summer have continued with a trip to Ferring beach in West Sussex.
 Here a colourful row of beach huts lead you up to the Bluebird cafe. I've wanted to paint these since last year but didn't get a chance to visit.  It was great to find a subject with lots of  Summer colour ....

                                              "Beach huts to the Bluebird"
                                     Acrylic on canvas 24" x 18"

Painting the Beach huts on Ferring beach 

 I left my sister at the cafe to enjoy her coffee while I went off to explore the beach. 
The colours were spectacular,  seaweed greens and browns contrasting with the blue glistening water. 

Ferring beach

 The tide was out which had left the beach covered in rock pools where flocks of seagulls noisily  swooped and dived to catch the tasty sea life that was now exposed....
                                          "Seashore and Seagulls"
                             Acrylic on canvas   24" x 12" x 1.5"

"Seashore and Seagulls"  Acrylic painting

 

Seaford beach "Beach Huts and Boats"

Seaford beach, East Sussex

It's been rather a hectic week , the long awaited Summer has arrived and brought with it 5 painting sales and a trip to the seaside .
Seaford is one of my nearest beaches, as the crow flies , or perhaps I should say as the seagull flies , it's about 15 miles away from my home.
I like Seaford, I was often taken there as a young child. It's very tranquil, unlike Brighton just along the coast.
It also has a lot to see, to the east are the cliffs of Seaford Head where you can walk along the cliff top path to the Seven Sisters.

The Seven Sisters

Seaford Head is also where you will find the Kittiwakes nesting, it can get very noisey! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcyRNjb_FC8
To the west is the busy harbour of Newhaven where the cross channel ferry departs

Ferry leaving Newhaven harbour

In between is Seaford beach,( a man made beach that has to be replenished after bad weather
http://www.slideshare.net/terryjones/seaford-beach-replenishment)
There's a Martello tower that is now used as a museum , a small selection of fishing boats and a colourful row of beach huts. All in all there's something for everyone!
  
I spent a lovely morning exploring the beach and couldn't wait to get home and start painting !

                                        "Beach Huts and Boats"
                                 Acrylic on canvas 20"x 16"

"Beach Huts and Boats" Painting of Seaford beach, East Sussex