Patchwork fields on the Welsh hill is the view I always admire from my garden. The spot I painted it from is my car park, where I have the clearest view of it.
Painted alla prima en plein air.
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| 196. Patchwork fields on the Welsh hill 6.1 x 7.9 in / 15.5 x 20 cm oil on board 28th July 2026 |
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| This is a quick photo I took at the end of the painting session |
Shaded sheep features some sheep resting beneath an oak tree in Ystradfawr Nature Reserve.
Painted en plein air in one session.
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| 195. Shaded sheep 8 x 10 in / 20.4 x 25.4 cm oil on board 24th July 2026 |
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| Photo of Shaded sheep taken at the end of the painting session |
Despite the heat and the drought, this summer has brought a triumph of flowers in the garden, and I just can’t get enough of them.
What I particularly love here is the texture of the bricks we used for this flower bed. They’re so irregular and beautifully variegated, and when the sunlight falls on them, they’re a joy to look at.
Of course, the flowers are the main attraction, especially the hydrangeas. After starting out such a pure white, they gradually become dusted with delicate shades of pink – a transformation that’s hard to describe in words. In this painting, though, they hadn’t yet begun that change.
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| 194. Hydrangeas and Nasturtiums 12 × 9 in / 30.5 × 22.5 cm Oil on board 21st July 2026 |
Claire Austin rose is inspired by the the great blooming season we are having this year. It is painted from direct observation in the garden and I gave the final touch in the studio.
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| 193. Claire Austin rose 10.2 × 8.9 in / 26 × 22.7 cm oil on board 16th July 2026 |
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| Photo of the painting at the end of the plein air session. |
Penny lane roses was the attempt to capture the sunlight on these beautiful roses in the garden.
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| 192. Penny Lane roses 8.9 x 10.8 in / 22.5 x 27.5 cm oil on board 14th July 2026 |
Under the green canopy is an oil study done in Ystradfawr Nature Reserve.
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| 191. Under the green canopy 6.1 x 8 in / 15.6 x 20.2 cm oil on board 7th July 2026 |
Pink hydrangeas is painted alla prima in the late afternoon.
I tried to capture those beautiful rounded flowers when the sun touched them before setting down.
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| 190. Pink hydrangeas 9.9 x 7 in / 25.2 x 17.8 cm oil on board 6th July 2026 |
Daisies in the garden is happy and sunny and I loved the contrast of colours and textures.
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| the painting on the easel in situ |
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| 189. Daisies in the garden 10.2 x 8.9 in / 26 x 22.7 cm oil on board 27th June 2026 |
