Sunshine over the Hill, Coronation Park, Ystradgynlais

 “Sunshine over the Hill, Coronation Park, Ystradgynlais” was painted on location in a new area I discovered some time ago above Coronation Park in Ystradgynlais.

Unfortunately, at this time of year it is not easy to walk up there, as much of the route is covered in marshy grass and mud. In the end, however, I found a lovely dry, sunlit patch of green grass from which I had a wonderful view.

149.
Sunshine over the Hill, Coronation Park, Ystradgynlais
Oil on wooden panel
9.4 × 7 in / 24 × 18 cm
25th November 2025

I began the painting using brushes, but then switched to a palette knife, which I used for the remainder of the work.

I really loved the rare sunny afternoon up on the hill. The colours of nature were vivid and varied, and the temperature was very mild.

Winter Land

When it isn’t pouring with rain, it’s the perfect moment to head outdoors and capture the landscape where I live.

This piece is a study painted in Ystradfawr Nature Reserve. By standing on higher ground, I was able to take in a wider view — from the walking path below to the clouds drifting across the sky.

148.

Winter land
10 × 7 in / 25.5 × 17.8 cm
Oil on wooden panel
24th November 2025

As the sun began to set, the sky started to display soft pink hues.

Photo taken on location

I loved being out there, witnessing the magic of nature.

Returning to the Garden

This time, I have done something completely new for me: a commission based on a painting I made over the summer.

It features the garden pot on the steps that lead from the patio to the lawn in our garden, encapsulating the joy and happiness that our first few months of gardening have brought us.

Working from a previous plein air piece of mine as a reference, and noticing how different the approach was, was truly a new adventure for me. It is, in fact, a reinterpretation of something I have already experienced, but with a fresh, updated twist, allowing me the freedom to alter and adjust it according to my current perspective.

I really enjoyed the process and learnt so much from it.

147.
Returning to the Garden
29.7 x 21 cm / 11.7 x 8.3 in
Oil on wooden panel
12th November 2025

Below, you can see the painting process divided into three stages: drawing, blocking in, and refined painting.

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Autumn on the Moors

Autumn on the Moors is a small plein-air painting capturing the wild character of the higher ground, where wind, sun, clouds, and marsh grass create the atmosphere of untouched beauty.

It was painted on a glorious autumnal day in the Ystradgynlais area, in an alla prima style.

I was drawn to the spot because I wanted to enjoy the good weather after many days of rain.

145.
Autumn on the Moors
6.1 × 7.7 in / 15.5 × 19.5 cm
Oil on wooden panel
8th November 2025

Here you can get a glimpse of the environment I was working in.

It is a landscape painting with a focus on the clouds above the land.

The two people in the photo really were there — quite an unusual sight up there.