The Country Lane is an oil painting depicting a lane I discovered a few days ago behind Callwen Church, in the Upper Tawe Valley.
I was drawn to its rural atmosphere and the gentle, meandering course of the little road winding through this peaceful countryside.
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| 143. The Country Lane 10 x 8 in / 25.5 x 20.5 cm Oil on panel 19th October 2025 |
I like it when the colours reflect those found in real life.
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| Photo at the end of the painting session on location |
The triad is a still life featuring three objects I love: a blue vase, an onyx jar, and a small shining bottle.
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| 101 The triad 8 x 8.7 in / 20.3 x 22 cm Oil on panel 14th August 2025 |
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| The finished painting on the easel |
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| 100. Woodland footpath 7.9 x 9.8 in / 20 x 25 cm oil on panel 12th August 2025 |
It features a hidden footpath descending to Penrhos that I discovered by chance.
I like the meandering line winding around the gentle slope where a lonely tree stood.
The scene is in Ystradfawr Nature Reserve, Ystradgynlais.
Edge of the Woods is a painting particularly dear to me, as it captures an idyllic vision of the Welsh countryside, with trees lining a gently descending slope.
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| 99. Edge of the woods 6.5 x 9.4 in / 16.4 x 24 cm oil on panel 11th August 2025 |
I painted it while it was raining, and I loved the peace and tranquillity of the place. It’s located in Ystradfawr Nature Reserve and depicts the countryside between the woodland and Penrhos.
It was completed in a single painting session.
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.
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| 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.
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| Photo taken at an early stage of the painting. In background: The Lioness by Graeme Sims. |
Walking path is an oil painting created on an overcast day, when the light was flat and diffused.
I was exploring open land in Ystradfawr Nature Reserve, and this is the scene I chose to paint.
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| 96. Walking path 5.9 x 10.9 in / 15 x 27.7 cm oil on panel 6th August 2025 |
This walking path crosses a beautiful stretch of farmland, and many people enjoy strolling there. The two figures I added in the painting are actually a couple who live on the same road as I do.
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| Picture taken at the end of the painting session. |
I liked the idea of using an elongated panel for this landscape — it felt like a fitting format to reflect the path's gentle flow through the scenery.
When there is a striking interplay between light and shadow, I cannot help but be drawn to it.
This is exactly what I felt when I saw the sun’s rays casting shadows on the white wall and across the patio floor.
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| 95. Summer afternoon bird bath 10.5 x 11 in / 26.6 x 27.9 cm oil on panel 5th August 2025 |
This is an alla prima painting, which means it was completed in a single session — something I am currently striving for.
To capture the subject with freshness and immediacy, I aim to finish each piece in just one sitting. This approach helps me avoid becoming overly concerned with details.
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| Photo taken at the end of the painting session |
This oil painting is on a hardboard panel that I cut myself, as part of an effort to repurpose materials already available in my studio. That’s why the edges aren’t perfectly straight.
Home is an interior oil painting I created from direct observation while standing in my living room and looking towards the kitchen.
I was drawn to the contrast between light and dark created by the wall and door dividing the two spaces, with the French windows at the back revealing the garden outside—the source of the light and colour.
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| 94. Home oil on panel 10 x 8 in / 25.4 x 20.3 cm 1st August 2025 |
It took two painting sessions to complete this piece, but it was worth it.
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| Photo taken at an early painting stage. |
I enjoy combining nature with interior scenes, as it brings a sense of liveliness, naturalness, and happiness to the work.
Now that our sunflowers are in bloom, I really wanted to capture their beauty with a close-up of two of them.
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| 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.
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| Photo taken in situ during the painting session. |
The Blue Lamp Corner is an oil painting created using a limited palette. It depicts a corner of my living room where we keep documents, diaries, and various bits and bobs.
The main attraction, for me, was the old blue lamp, which I particularly love for its shape and colour.
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| 91. The blue lamp corner oil on panel 10 x 8 in / 25.4 x 20.3 cm 24th July 2025 |
Below, you can see a monochrome photo of the painting. I like to take these at various stages of the process—this one was taken at the final stage and shows the tonal values in the image.
I have a particular fascination with monochrome paintings and photographs; I believe they add a personal character to the subject and a greater sense of directness.
Here, you can also see the painting photographed both at an early stage of the process and once it was completed.
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| Early painting stage |
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| Finished painting |
This painting was completed in a working session.
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.
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| 87. Hosta in turquoise 10 x 8 in / 25.4 x 20.3 cm oil on board 9rd July 2025 |
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| Photo taken during the painting session |
A simple and minimal plant, which I find very beautiful and elegant.
