Hydrangeas and Nasturtiums

 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.

194.
Hydrangeas and Nasturtiums
12 × 9 in / 30.5 × 22.5 cm
Oil on board
21st July 2026

Floral on the Windowsill

 Floral on the Windowsill is an oil painting featuring a bunch of softly faded flowers on the kitchen windowsill.

I liked the effect on light on different surfaces. Painted alla prima from life.

173.
Floral on the Windowsill
Oil on board
7 x 5 in / 17.7 x 12 cm
30th March 2026

Photo pf the painting next to the real vase of flowers

Tulips in Lampshade Light

 Tulips in Lampshade Light is an oil painting featuring a bunch of tulips in a glass vase next to a blue lamp with the light on.

I loved the idea of using electric light to create nice colour and light effects. Painted alla prima and from life.

168.
Tulips in Lampshade Light
Oil on board
8.3 x 6.1 in / 21 x 15.5 cm
16th March 2026

Photo taken at the end of the painting session

Daffodils in the Garden Pot

 Daffodils in the Garden Pot is an oil painting done from life and alla prima.

My focus was capturing the Spring flowers in a simplified way.

166.
Daffodils in the Garden Pot
Oil on board
9.8 x 7.8 in / 25 x 19.8 cm
9th March 2026

Photo of the painting on the easel and its subject

Spring Is Coming

 Spring Is Coming is an oil painting capturing the freedom of some daffodils out in the garden.

I really wanted to capture their bright glow against the shaded cement and bric fence and the foliage.

Painted alla prima and from life.

165.
Spring is Coming
Oil on board
8 x 7.8 in / 20.2 x 19.9
4th March 2026

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Photo taken at the end of the painting session when the light had already moved

Hydrangea and goblin

Hydrangea and Goblin is a still life I chose to paint because of the flower itself.

This hydrangea ended up in a vase only because it had been damaged by bad weather in the garden. It’s actually the first flower of this kind we've had — and I’ve always wanted to paint hydrangeas, so this felt like the perfect opportunity.

97.
Hydrangea and goblin
16.6 x 24.5 cm / 6.5 x 9.6 in
oil on panel
7th August 2025

I carefully arranged the composition by placing the two subjects on my living room windowsill.

I particularly liked how the light reflected on the various surfaces, as well as the outdoor background.

Photo taken at an early stage of the painting.
In background: The Lioness by Graeme Sims.

Sunflowers

Now that our sunflowers are in bloom, I really wanted to capture their beauty with a close-up of two of them.

92.
Sunflowers
oil on panel
10 x 8 in / 25.4 x 20.3 cm
26th July 2025

It was a bit of a challenge painting them from a low angle, looking up, with the bright sunlight hitting both my panel and palette. To cope with this difficulty, I painted the entire time while holding an open umbrella in my left hand. It was also a windy day, so painting wasn’t exactly easy — but I loved it and enjoyed being fully in the moment.

Here is a photo taken on location during the painting session.

Photo taken in situ during the painting session.

Hosta in turquoise

This is a painting inspired by the beautiful turquoise colour of the ceramic pot.

It was painted in the alla prima style, and I needed two umbrellas to keep the sun off the panel and palette.

87.
Hosta in turquoise
10 x 8 in / 25.4 x 20.3 cm
oil on board
9rd July 2025

Photo taken during the painting session

A simple and minimal plant, which I find very beautiful and elegant.