Why I Have No New Paintings.

It's been so long, I can't bear to look at the date of my last picture. I have said, again and again, that I would manage both the call of writing and painting. Turns out the writing totally took over. I do think of painting subjects and make a note for when I'm ready again, but, right now, that's a fairly distant objective.  If you're at all interested in what I've been doing instead, and why all my paints are dried out, by the way, I've included my novels at the link below. 

My Current Novels

As I'm well into my fifth novel, "A Kind of Winnowing", there won't be much art news for a while, at  least until I'm designing the cover!

Until next time....

No Painting For Ages --- Launching New Novel.

 So, I have an excuse for not posting any art gossip lately. I've completed my latest novel, Summer Must End, and it should be available in  both paperback and eBook in ten days. It's been a long haul. Not the writing. I rarely have difficulty with that...it takes over my days and a lot of my nights. But the Indie side of things, the determination to self-publish properly -- that's where it gets tough. I have become a print formatting expert, although, in another six months (another book on the horizon), it will be just as complicated as it was at the start of this project. Word is very difficult -- at least, for me.

Anyway, here is the result. You can comment here or on my writing page. It would be so nice to hear from you.

"Summer Must End" 

A womanly suspense story set in country Canada. 

"Jack's Pub" and "Tally Ho! Fox Hunting!" Latest paintings.

Last post for January. 

Two new paintings and another almost finished. Mr Fox was 

sold within two days of listing him. That's always a good sign.

"Jack's Pub"
8 x 10 inches

A small piece of Colonial-style art. Naive, impressionist, and country-decorative.

"Tally Ho! Fox Hunting!"
20 x 24 inches

Mr Fox hasn't acknowledged that they banned hunting in the UK a couple of years ago. He knows the ban has so many loopholes that you can hardly tell the difference. That look in his eye says he has some ideas of his own. And he's doing it without a hound or a horse in sight.

See you in February.

Final Stage Seascape Work-in-Progress "Just Looking"

Here's the final painting,"Just Looking", because it's way too wild to paddle in the sea today. 

Let me know what you think. 

"Just Looking" 20 x 24 inches

Talk soon.  Oh, and apparently my comments link is still not working. I think I've finally given up on it.

Work-in-Progress Seascape Stage Three

Scroll down to see the painting with both blocked-in figures and detailed figures. In fact, I quite liked the sepia figures...might use something like this in a future painting - looks rather intriguing - but with this one I really wanted to show the family in detail.

Stage Three

Blocked in Figures

Figures with detail

Still more detail needed, primping and fussing, but almost there. Is it what you expected?

Last stage tomorrow.

Totally off topic, but I have a lot of followers, most have been with me for years, but I have this silly problem...I haven't had a comment in over 18 months. 

Upon investigation, and something to do with Google (after all, what isn't?), I discovered my settings were excluding everyone. I have since fixed, I believe, these settings. Comments are open to everyone, no exceptions. But the only way I'll know if they are working is if you respond. 

So please, if you have a moment, leave something in Comments for me. It's important for me to know that we are fully connected. I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

Until tomorrow, when the painting should be complete. 

Work-in-Progress Seascape Stage Two

Here's the second stage of my seascape painting. More detailed sky, surf, and the addition of grasses.

Stage One

Stage Two

Stage Three by tomorrow, I think.

Happy New Year! Presenting My latest Colonial-Style Portrait and a Seascape Work-in-Progress

I hope you're all recovered from the year-end celebrations. I had nothing to recover from, of course. Very quiet life these days.

In a fit of nostalgia, because it's so long since I painted a Colonial Gentlemen, I produced this one, "The Young Dandy". Fussy clothes and coiffure, somewhat superior attitude evident, but he is just how I imagined a comfortably-off young man would have been in the 19th Century. I know the lady portraits are more popular, but there's nothing quite like a historical male figure to soften a room, particularly if it's a modern interior.

Hope you like him.

"The Young Dandy" 20 x 24 inches

Below is another 20 x 24 inch painting I've just started - only a preliminary background at this stage.with lots of work to be done. I'll post more views as I proceed. I usually don't show work-in-progress, but decided I'd like to with this one. There will figures, but you'll have to wait to see who they are.

Will post again in a couple of days. Best wishes to all of you.

Some New Paintings To Round Out 2019

And what a year it's been. So very happy to see the back of it. My mood has been improving the closer we get to 2020. Not that 2020 will be particularly kind to me...but it will be fair. This is the year of a Very Big Birthday. I'll leave it to you to guess which one. As young as you feel, yes? Well, I felt around 90 for most of 2019. Today I'm back to being my forever-and-ever 38, which is a nice age - youthful enough to still enjoy everything. Wise enough not to try.

These paintings were just little asides. I wanted to paint a floral picture, but I wanted to do a vintage-style folk picture, and I really wanted to do a wild seascape. So I painted them more or less at the same time. I mentioned them to you in my last blog. Don't try this at home unless you're a very patient person.

"Early Bird"

"The Shepherdess"

"Can You See Me?"

I intend to lie low for the next 7 days. No visitors to speak of, just family. And the heat has let up, which is wonderful. Enjoy your holidays. See you in the New Year.