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 |
Showing posts with label from life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label from life. Show all posts
Pink hydrangeas
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 |
Summer clothesline & View to the kitchen
On this day I carried on my exploration of colours and values with two tiny studies.
The first one is Summer clothesline, featuring my the clothesline seen from my garden. I do love painting colour shapes that closely do not mean much but seen from a certain distance they create the image I was trying to portray.
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| 185. Summer clothesline 7 x 5 in / 17.7 x 12.6 cm oil on canvas board 22nd June 2026 |
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| 186. View to the kitchen 7 x 5 in / 17.7 x 12.6 cm oil on board 22nd June 2026 |
Garden Studies - part 2
A second day of oil studies in the garden with further different colour palettes.
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| 179. Garden study 3 Oil on paper 30th May 2026 |
The first study of the day is featuring my climbing roses in the garden. Some unusual colours to mix the paint for this study.
The second study is about the same flower pots of yesterday but with a different colour palette and with the strong light snd shadow.
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| 180. Garden study 4 Oil on paper 30th May 2026 |
A Sunny Day, Ystradfawr Nature Reserve
A Sunny Day, Ystradfawr Nature Reserve is an oil painting featuring a walking path in Ystradfawr Nature Reserve that I have already painted last year from life in the summer.
I was really intrigued by the different colours and vegetation this season: lighter, brighter greens, little yellow flowers, and the sky peeking through the still quite bare trees.
Painted plein air.
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| 174. A Sunny Day, Ystradfawr Nature Reserve Oil on board 12 x 8.9 in / 30.5 x 22.5 cm 9th April 2026 |
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| A Sunny Day, Ystradfawr Nature Reserve painting on the easel outdoors |
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.
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| 173. Floral on the Windowsill Oil on board 7 x 5 in / 17.7 x 12 cm 30th March 2026 |
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| Photo pf the painting next to the real vase of flowers |
Arches, Light and Shadows
Arches, Light and Shadows is an oil painting featuring the "Y Bont Aur” or “The Golden Bridge”, these monumental arches are what remains of the Ynyscedwyn Ironworks in Ystradgynlais.
I’ve always admired them when driving past, so I finally made the trip to see them a few days ago — just before the sun decided to disappear.
It was the cast shadows that really inspired me, creating a striking contrast against the fresh spring grass and echoing the rhythm of those majestic columns.
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| 171. Arches, Light and Shadows Oil on board 8.2 x 6.2 in / 20.8 x 15.8 cm 23rd March 2026 |
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| Photo of the finished painting on the easel in front of the real arches |
Bare Tree in the Spring Afternoon Light
Bare Tree in the Spring Afternoon Light is an oil painting done alla prima and from life in Ystradfawr Nature Reserve.
I was drawn to the water stream first and then I saw the tree and it looked to me as a good composition.
I aimed to be as minimal and simplified as possible.
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| 170. Bare Tree in the Spring Afternoon Light Oil on board 8.2 x 6.1 in / 20.7 x 15.5 cm 20th March 2026 |
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| Photo taken at the end of the painting session |
Clothesline in the Spring Light
Clothesline in the Spring Light is an oil painting featuring my clothesline in the garden.
As the weather was good I decided to give it a go as aiming to simplify the scene and depicting the waving clothes.
Painted from life in two different sessions, thanks to two consecutive sunny days.
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| 169. Clothesline in the Spring Light Oil on board 9.9 x 9.8 in / 25.2 x 25 cm 19th March 2026 |
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| Day 1 |
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| Day 2 |
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.
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| 168. Tulips in Lampshade Light Oil on board 8.3 x 6.1 in / 21 x 15.5 cm 16th March 2026 |
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| Photo taken at the end of the painting session |
Tulips in the Gloomy Light
Tulips in the Gloomy Light is painted from life during a dull day. It is the interior of my living room and the subject are actually the tulips in the vase as they bring colour to the scene.
I tried to simplify and say enough. Painted alla prima and from life.
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| 167. Tulips in the Gloomy Light Oil on board 9.8 x 7.9 in / 24.8 x 19.7 cm 14th March 2026 |
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| Photo of the finished painting on the easel |
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.
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| 166. Daffodils in the Garden Pot Oil on board 9.8 x 7.8 in / 25 x 19.8 cm 9th March 2026 |
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| 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.
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| 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 |
Prayer Plant in the Sunshine
Prayer Plant in the Sunshine is an oil painting featuring the Maranta Leuconeura Erythroneura plant lit by the sunshine coming from the window behind.
Painted from life.
I loved the glow all around the plant and the table surface.
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| 164. Prayer Plant in the Sunshine Oil on board 9.8 x 9.8 in / 25 x 25 cm 1st March 2026 |
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| Photo of the finished painting next to the plant |
The Country Lane
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 |
SUMMER GARDEN
Summer Garden represents the peak of our first year of gardening, when the plants and flowers we planted earlier in the year reveal their full summer beauty.
In this alla prima oil painting, I wanted to capture what I think is the nicest part of the garden (for now), thanks to the slightly curved stone steps that lead from the patio to the lawn.
The corner they form with the short back wall is the perfect spot for this terracotta-coloured pot. Its delicate, slightly pinkish flowers are pretty little bursts of colour that bring joy to the viewer.
The cast shadows and the brightly sunlit parts of the wall added that extra touch of interest and gave me the inspiration to capture the scene as quickly as possible.
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| 146. Summer Garden 29.7 x 21 cm / 11.7 x 8.3 in Oil on wooden panel 31st August 2025 |
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| A monochrome photo of the painting |
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| Photo taken at the end of the painting session. |
The triad
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 |
I was inspired by the different kind of material and their relation with the light.
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| The finished painting on the easel |
Woodland footpath
Woodland Footpath is an oil painting completed within a limited timeframe of two hours — and in full sunlight.
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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
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
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. |
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