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.

174.
A Sunny Day, Ystradfawr Nature Reserve
Oil on board
12 x 8.9 in / 30.5 x 22.5 cm
9th April 2026

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.

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

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.

171.
Arches, Light and Shadows
Oil on board
8.2 x 6.2 in / 20.8 x 15.8 cm
23rd March 2026

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.

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

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.

169.
Clothesline in the Spring Light
Oil on board
9.9 x 9.8 in / 25.2 x 25 cm
19th March 2026

Day 1

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.

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

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.  

167.
Tulips in the Gloomy Light
Oil on board
9.8 x 7.9 in / 24.8 x 19.7 cm
14th March 2026

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.

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

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.

164.
Prayer Plant in the Sunshine
Oil on board
9.8 x 9.8 in / 25 x 25 cm
1st March 2026

Photo of the finished painting next to the plant

Prayer Plant on a Dull Day

 Prayer Plant on a Dull Day is an oil painting featuring my dear plant, a Maranta Leuconeura Erythroneura — was given to us as a thank-you present from our neighbours.

Thanks to this painting I discovered its characteristic: during the day the leaves lie open and flat, quietly catching the light. At night they fold upwards, as if in prayer for evening vespers — which is how it earned its common name: the Prayer Plant.

I painted this from life on a dull day when very little light was coming through the window, so I focused as much as possible on colour and texture to suggest movement and depth.

163.
Prayer Plant on a Dull Day
Oil on board
10 x 10.7 in / 25.5 x 27.1 cm
27th February 2026

Photo taken at the end of the painting session

Sea Sunset

 Sea Sunset is an oil painting I painted from previous studies on paper.

It features the sea view I saw when travelling by ferry in the English channel.

 

161.
Sea Sunset
Oil on board
8.3 x 11.9 in / 21 x 30.2 cm
14th February 2026

I liked those sunset colours reflecting both in the sky and the water, it is something you can experience only by being there.

Hilltop Trees

 Hilltop Trees is an oil painting featuring a view dear to me that I can see from where I live.

After a failed attempt because of the weather conditions, I returned a couple of days left to be welcomed by a lovely sunshine and beautiful cloud formations.

I loved the colours and the light.

159.
Hilltop Trees
Oil on board
6.1 x 8.2 in / 15.5 x 20.7 cm
4th February 2026

Photo of the painting on the easel outdoors

Cluster of Rural Houses in the Nole Countryside, Italy

Cluster of Rural Houses in the Nole Countryside, Italy is another oil painting done in Italy by looking out from the kitchen balcony doors. I was intrigued by those countryside houses surrounded by fields and trees. It was a dull day.

156.
Cluster of Rural Houses in the Nole Countryside, Italy
Oil on board
5.98 x 9.76 in / 15.2 x 24.8
23rd January 2026

 It was painted with a limited palette of water mixable oil paint.

View of Nole's Bell Tower and Valli di Lanzo, Italy

View of Nole's bell tower and Valli di Lanzo, Italy is an oil painting created during my stay at my family's in Italy.

It is what you can see from the kitchen window on the first floor, a beautiful view of the mountain range and the rooftops of houses and bell tower of the little town.

The sunny day offered a clear and lit effect of colours, light and shade.

155.
View of Nole's Bell Tower and Valli di Lanzo, Italy
Oil on board
4.88 x 6.97 in / 12.4 x 17.7 cm
21st January 2026

For this painting I used water mixable oil colours in a limited palette.

Painting location at the window (sorry the mess)