ORIGINAL ART by Paula Oakley: newick village

Showing posts with label newick village. Show all posts

Saturday, 17 December 2016

Christmas time and back to the seaside !

Well it's been a very busy few weeks! I have now sold so many paintings that I can't actually keep up with the demand !
I have however made sure to make time for the little things that make Christmas a little bit more special . A bit of baking...a bit of making and....... a bit of festive cheer :) I thought this year that I would have a woodland animal theme for when the grandchildren visit . For something a little different I made a cake stand for the Yule log, it has 2 doors that hide a secret surprise .....

Tree stump cake stand

of course I can't tell you what's inside or it wouldn't be a surprise!

Now as you know I'm rather partial to a good ale and thought it was only right that I should enter into the spirit of my theme .....well...it would be rude not to ;)

Christmas is an odd season, you find yourself doing things that you wouldn't normally do . I dislike cooking but it wouldn't seem right if I didn't make a few mince pies, with added cherry liqueur and chopped marzipan. A rather sticky result but tasted pretty darn good.

I was however being watched through the kitchen window to make sure that I made them right...

he was more concerned about his peanuts than me !

Another thing I enjoyed was a visit to our village church, I'm not religious but couldn't resist going to see the Christmas Tree festival. I have to say it was delightful and


Newick church Christmas Tree Festival

there's not many villages that would put Guy Fawkes on top of the tree..brillant !ha ha!


Newick bonfire society's Christmas tree

So then, "what's all this got to do with the seaside? " I hear you ask.
Well, as I don't cope very well with the dark gloomy days of Winter I specifically planned to paint something colourful and lighthearted to help keep me sane. The best subject of course is the Summertime seaside. I decided to create a composition that would capture a typical day at the beach..
So I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and some wonderful Summertime memories x
"Joan and Nancy's trip to the seaside"
Acrylic on canvas 24"x 18"


Acrylic seaside painting

A few days later........
So....did you guess what was inside the cake stand ?

Squirrel, Hedgehog, Fox and Owl !

Thursday, 5 November 2015

Bonfires and Autumn walks. Painting the Autumn colours


Autumn walks and celebrating Newick bonfire night

Well it's been such a busy few weeks that I have only just got around to updating my blog.
Autumn's arrival meant getting out and about on the sunny days to explore and capture the wonderful colours around me.
It also brings the fun of bonfire night. It's celebrated in a big way in Sussex and our small village excels it's self with processions, fireworks and fun. It was a big part of my childhood and as much as I still love it, my days of walking miles in fancy dress with a flaming torch are now distant memories...but....I do like to celebrate by making a hat to wear, this year my theme was "Sussex by the Sea" ...of course! ;)


My "Sussex by the Sea" bonfire hat

Anyway, between the merriment I have been busy working on three Autumn themed paintings.
It's been a lot more colourful this year and I have enjoyed some fantastic and inspiring views on my walks around the village. .....

"An Autumn morning"


"An Autumn morning" Acrylic on canvas

"Pathway to Autumn"


"Pathway to Autumn" Acrylic on canvas

"A Sussex Autumn"


"A Sussex Autumn" Acrylic on canvas

Before I go.... I would just like to say a very big "THANK YOU" to those that have been kind enough so far to take the time to vote for me :) Artist Of The Year 2015

Saturday, 27 July 2013

"The Royal Oak", painting the pubs of Newick village

I live in the village of Newick, East Sussex. A pretty little village that has changed very little over the years.
There are 3 pubs here, The Royal Oak, The Bull Inn and The Crown, each very different in style and all very popular. ( The 4th pub, The Bricklayers Arms has been demolished in my absence )
The Bull Inn is situated in the middle of the village green. Built in 1510 it is said to have been used as a resting place for the pilgrims .
I painted it a couple of years ago, the brickwork was a nightmare and it took quite some time to complete....
My memories...dipping hessian wrapped torches in paraffin around the back of the building, in preparation for bonfire night.
"Inn on the Green"

The Bull Inn, Newick,Sussex

Just up the road is The Royal Oak . A 16th century building that was once a manor house. This will be my new subject to paint. It's changed very little since this old postcard from 1911.

My memories...my induction into the world of beers, wines and spirits! 15 years of age with a half pint glass full of cider and the best ever ploughman's lunch. Large lumps of cheese, butter and pickle with a wedge of bread torn from a freshly baked cob loaf from the local bakery ....mmmmm :)

It's quite an awkward building to paint. Sittting on the edge of a narrow road opposite some cottages means it's not possible to get a full frontal view.

Today I managed to get it all sketched out and I've painted in the trees of the background.

Day 2....just a couple of hours painting today but I have started work on the weather boards and added some basic under painting....progress has begun!

Day 3...Painted most of the roof and chimneys today. I've also started on the fiddly little bits, it's very tiring on the eyes but I enjoy putting in the details.It's starting to look more colourful now .

Day 4... added lots of bits and pieces today and started work on the right hand side of the building. The weather's pretty grim, raining again, so not a very good photo ...