Grouville Bay

So, we are up to our necks in the middle of renovating our apartment. The demolition phase which has been very exciting and completely eye opening is nearly over and we are looking forward to seeing all the dust and rubble cleared out and the new walls go up. I decided it would be great to have a record of the weekly developments to look back on so I have been recording these on another blog which you can see here. It's pretty all consuming at the moment but am still trying to squeeze in some painting here and there.

Here is a small piece I did a couple of weeks ago inspired by a photo my cousin posted on her facebook page, taken on a beach we grew up near and spent hours digging in the sand and paddling in the waves. She was out walking her dog and about to get soaked by the fast approaching rain but still took the time to snap a quick shot of the beautiful light and reflections.

"Raining in the East" oil on board, 6x6"

I haven't posted anything in ages, whoops! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. It's been a mixed few weeks for me with lots of things going on, and honestly my heart really hasn't been in my painting which is why every time I've tried to get down to it I've ended up wiping it or painting over anything I've done. It's not really so surprising as I've had lots on my mind from house renovations and trying to find a temporary apartment and or studio, to Thanksgiving and getting organised for Christmas as well as just general life!

Anyway, here is a little abstract. I vow to be better at blogging (although perhaps that will have to be a new year's resolution, one to begin after the holidays are over!).

"#6" oil on board, 6x6"

The House on North Uist

I have to admit, although we had a wonderful holiday, it is nice to be home. Particularly, as its much hotter at home than it was on our holiday! I am quite enjoying the heat and humidity of NYC after chilly Scotland.

acrylic on board, 6x6"

Here is another picture from North Uist, this is done from the beach in front of the house we stayed at. I'm really pleased with the way this turned out and I've already ordered a couple of greeting cards of this painting to use as a thank you to the owners of the house, hopefully they'll like it too! You can see the byre at the bottom of the garden where I set up a little studio in the painting on the left. I could paint those views over and over.

Hot Hot Summer

I have been so busy the last couple of weeks visitors and trips away I really haven't had much time to paint. New York is sizziling hot as well so its hard to stay inside when the sunshine is beckoning.  We recently had a weekend in Bermuda so I am full of inspiration so I really must pick the paint brushes up again now before we have more house guests arriving next week. This little painting I completed a few weeks ago:

6x6" oil on board

Also, thanks to magazines 64 West for featuring one of my pieces on their new facebook site. The magazine is all about connecting Bermuda to another 123 small islands in the Western Atlantic Ocean. Click HERE to see the post.

Light Space & Time Online Seascapes Exhibition

I completely forgot to post about this a few weeks ago but I recently entered this piece into an online exhibition at Light Space & Time Gallery and was awarded a "special merit" award! You can see more information on the exhibition as well as all of the work by me and my fellow artists by clicking HERE.

This painting was another mini sketch so I was suprised to have it accepted but I have to admit this is one of my favourites, I just love the colours and the way they overlap. 

"The Layers Below" 6x6" oil on board

Mini Series Continued

As I was painting this I realised one of my favourite places was emerging on the painting surface. This is reminisant of a view from St Ouen's beach in Jersey looking South down the shoreline.

My plan is to sell the originals of these mini's via a gallery in New York but to have the prints available on my Etsy store either individually or in groups of 3 or 4. I'm hoping to have enough completed and dried to begin listing them by April so watch this space.

6x6, oil on board

Happy Weekend

I've had a great week in the studio. I'm making good progress with the new paintings for Jane Packer which I'll start to post next week and also completed several abstracted seascapes. I had been thinking spring was on the way but it's been snowing all day so I'm heading up to the Catskills for some skiing. Maybe it will inspire some landscape based painting, wait and see!

oil on board, 6x6"

Home Studio

Now that we have moved, I have been working on getting a little home studio set up. It's getting there but I'm sharing the room with a load of boxes at the moment, things that we are putting off unpacking until after we complete the renovations so it's kind of cramped. However, its working well for small scale paintings like these four little ones I started on. I'll post a finished update in a few days.

Another Mini

This is my husbands favourite of the mini series so far. I love all the colours in this one and I can't wait to get more completed, they are so happy and cute!

6x6" seascape,  acrylic on canvas

Mini Seascape

Another mini....

 6x6" seascape, acrylic on canvas

Cityscapes

"Blue Monday" 6x6, acrylic and graphite on board

Here's one from my cityscape series I'm working on currently. I love it's sketchy feel which contributes to the rain like effect and atmosphere in the painting. It's not of any city in particular although when I look at it I think of London which must be lodged somewhere in my subconscious having lived there for 4 years!

More Water Towers

I have had a lovely weekend, good food and great company and you really can't beat New York in the autumn (sorry, fall!). I'm still painting some of NYC's many water towers, here are a couple more of my recent small paintings.

"Candy Towers" 5x7, watercolour on paper

"Competing for Glory" 6x6, acrylic on board

Water Towers & Other Things

I've been having a very busy but very exciting couple of weeks and suddenly it's seems that lots of things are happening at once. Having managed to figure out how to suitably package my two paintings that were going to California - several rolls of bubble wrap later, I had a very unpleasant reality when I discovered the outrageous cost I would have to pay for UPS's shipping services. However, as luck would have it that was also the day I sold the my a large charcoal drawing which was a very nice surprise and extremely well timed to cover my UPS bill! Much to my relief the paintings have now arrived at the gallery so I assume they are being installed as I write this.


I have also been adding the final touches to my card range and working on a new project which is based on New York's many Water Towers. This was inspired by a friend who is looking for a painting of New York's lesser depicted rooftop silhouette, the hundreds of water towers. This weekend the weather finally cooperated and allowed me to go out and pound the pavements in search of some suitable angles to start painting from and it's amazing how you start to notice them just about everywhere when you actually look. So I've done a few sketches and completely fallen in love with the subject, they are just so "paintable"! 

Water Towers, West Soho, 6x6, acrylic on board