The South Downs above Rodmell

The Bluebells faded away and the countryside turned to lush greens and brilliant whites . New crops  growing in the fields, Cow parsley along the verges and Hawthorn blossom adorned the trees .
The sun came out and it was a perfect day for a walk over the Downs .
My path took me from Rodmell , past Telscombe and to the sea at Saltdean.
It was a lovely walk with amazing views !

Views from my walk from Rodmell to Saltdean

On my way I passed the vineyard at Breaky Bottom . It sits nestled among the patchwork fields that curve and slope around it . A perfect composition to paint !
                                        "Blossom over Breaky Bottom" 
                                  

"Blossom over Breaky Bottom" Acrylic on canvas

Arriving at the coast I was greeted by the colourful flowers that grow wild along the cliff tops at Saltdean . Thay made a vivid contrast against the white chalk and sea views.
                                                      "Wild by the sea" 

Painting the wildflowers on the cliffs at Saltdean

Painting Bluebells and streams

My oh my! Where did April go? Spring has suddenly arrived in all it's glory!
My painting World has so busy with artworks selling before I've finished them! This means I've got a bit behind with my blog and have little to add to my online galleries. I'm not complaining, life is very good, it just seems that I can't paint fast enough and feels a bit overwhelming at times  !
Anyway, April arrived and I waited enthusiastically for the trees and hedgerows to burst into leaf and colour.
My first walk was along the footpaths between Scaynes Hill and Danehill. A pretty walk of woodland and open fields. It also took me over the Bluebell Railway line , I arrived just as a train passed by.

The Bluebell Railway

 A little further on I came upon a stream at the edge of the woods. It was such a pretty place that I decided to stop and have my lunch there ....it also became the subject of a painting...of course...
                                           "Woodland Spring" (sold) 

"Woodland Spring" Acrylic painting

 
                           

 Then  the Easter Bank Holiday arrived and in just a few days the trees and hedgerows burst into leaf
 and the Bluebells were a mass of scented blue...heaven !

Bluebells at Wivelsfield

The weathar was wonderful so we headed off to Horsted Keynes to explore a few more paths . Our walk took us by the wonderful old Mill house

The old Mill house at Horsted Keynes

If you wish to see more photos from my walks then please take a look at my Facebook page Footpaths and photos
To my delight I found another stream. Usually the trees tend to block out the light but here the blazed through .....  just perfect to paint !
                                         "The Bluebell Stream" 
                                 

"The Bluebell Stream" Acrylic painting on canvas

Ditchling beacon paintings

Ditchling beacon, Sussex

Oh my! March has been such a busy month! I've been decorating the house and Spring cleaning so you can imagine how delighted I was to see the sun shine and escape to the South Downs for the day.
I reached Blackcap at about 8am, such a wonderful time of day to be up there...just me, the Sky Larks  and the wonderful views ...bliss!  The track west over plumpton Plain looked like it went on forever!

Blackcap and Plumpton Plain

As I approached Ditchling Beacon my solitude came to an end as the dog walkers came into sight. I now had to share the rest of my walk . The car parks at the beacon and Clayton windmills mean it's easy walking for those that don't want to wander far and threrfore this area is very popular .
Heading west I stopped at the dew pond for my lunch. A lovely spot where the windswept Hawthorns stand defiant by the still water of the pond. The reflection of the blue sky made it all look quite surreal!

The dew pond along the South Downs Way and the Jack and Jill windmills at Clayton

I veered off from The South Downs way and headed off towards Clayton passing the windmills "Jack" and "Jill" and to catch the bus home.
It was a lovely day and gave me 3 new views to paint.....happy me!

                                        "Sussex Stile"  (Sold) 
                            Acrylic on canvas 24" x 18"  

Painting of the stile at Ditchling Beacon

                                             "Downland Dew Pond
                                   Acrylic on box canvas 24" x 12"

"Downland Dew Pond" Acrylic painting 24" x 12"

                                   "Windswept and Water"
                                                            Acrylic on canvas 12" x10" 

Acrylic painting of the Hawthorn and dew pond at Ditchling

 

Ashdown Forest painting

The sun going down over Ashdown Forest

It snowed! Nothing like the rest of the country had and most had melted by the following morning !
That's very typical for here and we probably won't see any more. Oh well, maybe next year.
As a compromise we went to Ashdown Forest in the hope of catching a good Winter sunset.
 There, to our surprise there were still patches of snow lingering on the high ground ....happy me!
The sunset turned out to be rather amazing as well....

Sunset over Ashdown Forest

 Just as the sun started to sink and before the sky turned red, there was a glow over the forest which to me seemed rather magical and a great scene for a painting ....

                                                     "Forest Glow" 
                                                    Acrylic on canvas 16" x 12" 

"Forest Glow" Painting of Ashdown Forest just before sunset

                                                  "As the sun prepares for bed,
                                                      before it's pillows turn blazing red .
                                                   There is a momentary glow,
                                                      on fiery gorse and Winter snow. "

Frosty morning painting

Goodness! It's been soooo long since I've been here!
Christmas arrived and brought with it a rather unpleasant flu virus . No painting. No walking .
It's been a frustrating time but now at last I'm happily back on track.
The year has got off to a good start with 4 painting sales and the Winter weather is finally arriving....HURRAY!
I awoke last week to be greeted by a wonderful frosty morning and couldn't wait to get out !
The sun was just rising and created a glorious glow upon the scenery around me .

A frosty morning around Newick and Chailey

The colours are so different at this time of the year and painting with them was a new challenge for me. It took a lot of work but I'm happy with the result .

                                            " One Frosty Morning" 
                                  Acrylic on canvas 24" x 18" 

"One Frosty Morning" A painting from my early morning Winter walk

 

Grey skies and still life painting

The grey skies and dark Winter days have arrived and my walks are now few and far between .
I'm hoping for some good frosty mornings or maybe even snow but at the moment it just seems to rain .
So, I have decided to bide my time with a few still life paintings. It's been a long time since my last one and I have sooooo missed creating them!
Once I have an idea in my head it all turns into a fun quest to source the objects that I wish to put together to create the composition. Then there's the challenge of photographing them in different positions and light to discover the effect that I like the best.
Light, shadows, colour, reflections etc.
On a recent Autumn walk I collected a few  twigs ,berries and nuts and decided to put them together with a Ploughmans lunch. This of course required finishing off with a bottle of good ale.
Now , not being one to waste things I thought it only right that I should consume the food and drink the ale whilst still fresh....of course it was all in the name of art you know.
 
                                                 "The Ploughmans"
                                       Acrylic on canvas

"The Ploughmans" Autumn still life painting on canvas

    If you wish to see more views of this painting then please visit my gallery  HERE

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

 

Balsdean. "The silence and the crow"

Balsdean 

Back in the heat of the Summer I explored the paths between Kingston ridge and Rottingdean . A wonderful area, mostly agricultural and I was amazed that the farmers manage to plough and grow crops in such a flint filled area!

Flint on the South Downs

The paths twist and wind along the valley of Balsdean. It was once a small hamlet consisting of farms, manor house and chapel but in 1939 it was taken over by the MOD and the buildings were destroyed by being used for firing practice . It has an interesting history and you can find out more here https://southdownhill.wordpress.com/2016/06/27/balsdean-newmarket-farm-photos/

What struck me the most was as you enter the area you are overwhelmed by the sudden silence ! Just as if someone suddenly turned off the volume .

Balsdean 

There's a few bits and pieces remaining of the lost village but on this day it was just me , beautiful scenery and the odd curious crow.....perfect!

                      "The silence and the crow" 
                               (  acrylic on canvas  )

                                               

"The silence and the crow" Acrylic painting on canvas

Windover Hill and The Long Man of Wilmington

Windover Hill and The Long Man of Wilmington

In the heat of the Summer I decided I would take a walk up and over Windover Hill in Wilmington. A walk that I have wanted to do for a long time.
I started at the base of the hill where the chalk image of The long Man of Wilmington stands proudly on the slopes over looking the Sussex landscape. It's almost as if he is guarding the territory.
My climb up the steep paths was a slow one , not only was it very hot but there were so many little blue butterflies that I was afraid I might step on one!

Ascending the hill was no mean feat ( I'm not the fittest of people)  so being passed by a cyclist made me smile at his determination.

Ascending Windover Hill

As you can see the views were magnificent!
The heatwave had turned the landscape into a sun scorched panorama .

Views of Windover Hill

As I reached the top I could see the unmistakeable rise of Firle Beacon in the distance along the route of The South Downs Way.
 This was the perfect view for a painting .....

                                                 "Sun Scorched to the Beacon" 
                                       Acrylic on canvas 24" x 18" 

"Sun Scorched to the Beacon" Acrylic on canvas

 

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 ! :)

Painting Eastbourne Pier "Seaside Gold"

Eastbourne pier, East Sussex

I had planned several walks over the South Downs this Summer and then.....the heatwave arrived!
Far too hot for climbing steep hills so I decided to concentrate on the coast ...sea breeze and cooler ....cunning plan! Ha ha!
As I don't drive I have to rely upon public transport and havn't visited the coast as much as I would have liked over the past 2 years because of the rail strikes :(
This year however I decided to go on a quest.
I have been watching the weather and tide times and planning trips that coinside with low tide. This is when the beach comes alive with the reflections that surround it.
One of my trips was to Eastbourne Pier. A very grand structure recently adorned with golden domes . A wonderful addition that was part of the rebuild after  the pier was severly damaged by fire .

I wasn't dissapointed....in the Summer sun the reflections looked amazing!

Time to paint!!!

                                                     "Seaside Gold" 
                                Acrylic on canvas 24" x 18" 

"Seaside Gold" Painting of Eastbourne pier

 

Brighton Palace Pier

Brighton Palace Pier with it's new sign

Well what can I say....Brighton Palace Pier epitomizes the Sussex seaside !
It's noisy, fun and colourful!
 Amusements, ice creams, fish 'n' chips, fun fair, deck chairs, sticks of rock, candy floss and so very much more! 

Add caption

The Pier holds so many happy memories for so many people.
It was always called " Palace Pier" but new owners changed it about 18 years ago to "Brighton Pier", which upset many of the locals. Now it has once again been changed .
I couldn't wait to go and see the new sign in all it's glory....looks wonderful! :)
 I felt that a painting was needed to celebrate the event :)

                                              "Brighton Palace Pier"
                                   Acrylic on canvas 24" x 18" 

Painting of Brighton Palace Pier

 

"Seaweed and Salt Water" Painting of Cuckmere Haven

Cuckmere Haven

Summer has well and truly arrived! Hurrah!
I have been busy making the most of the wonderful weather and venturing off to various seaside resorts.
For a long time I have wanted to follow the path from the picturesque village of Alfriston along the river to Cuckmere Haven .  Good weather gave me the chance to do so. It's a lovely riverside walk that takes you past the chalk horse on the Downs and ending at the Seven Sisters .
You can see photos from my walk here https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.179164846272581&type=3

Now, I have painted views from this area several times.The cliffs and coastguard cottages are iconic ..

Views from Cuckmere Haven

but this time I wanted to do something slightly different.
 The river twists and turns to the shore where it becomes one with the sea. I spent ages mesmerized by the flow of the conflicting directions where the river water joins the rolling waves.
 The tide was receding, pulling the seaweed around the rocks and pebbles making wonderful green swirls and abstract patterns . Nature creating art..perfect!
                                               "Seaweed and Salt Water"
                                     acrylic on canvas 

Painting of Cuckmere Haven

The original painting has been sold but products are available https://www.redbubble.com/people/poak/works/32813521-seaweed-and-salt-water