Painting for Hopetoun House

Here is another oil painting heading to Hopetoun House for the Easter Exhibition. Again working from one of my photographs it catches a glimpse of Edinburgh Castle caught in the late evening sun.

Hopetoun House Easter Exhibition

Delighted to be part of a group exhibition at Hopetoun House near Edinburgh opening this Easter. It's in the room next to the cafe so easy to find.

If you are in the area please do try to visit. I'll be there most days if you want to say hello. I'll know nearer the time which days they are but definitely the opening day.

I'll post some paintings over the coming days so watch out for them. Here is the first one.

This one is called 'Early Light, Morningside' painting from a photo I took one morning in Edinburgh.
It's an oil painting on canvas board size 10 x 8 inches.

All the paintings will be for sale at the exhibition but if you like it, and really have to have it, by all means contact me for details.

Arty things in Edinburgh

Had a great day in Edinburgh accompanied by friend and fellow artist Ken Young.

Starting with a tour of  the Visual Arts Scotland (VAS) exhibition in the Royal Scottish Academy building, plus an exhibition of Scottish drawings. Well worth a visit before the end of the month.

Next we visited the Open Eye Gallery in Dundas Street for the preview of three artists.

Fife based artist, Archibald Dunbar McIntosh with his acrylic work.

Hugh Buchanan’s detailed watercolours.












Lara Scouler's pastels


Definitely worth a look if you are passing.

We then moved along Dundas Street to call into the Scottish Gallery showing the photography of David Eustace, followed by Colours Gallery with a mix of artists to view.

Finally, on the gallery tour we visited EDS Gallery, home of the Edinburgh Drawing School where artists such as Aine Devine, finalist on the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year, has work on show. She also teaches there. Again, a variety of artists were on the walls. We were made very welcome by the delightful Fiona, who even made me a cup of tea. Thanks for that.

We then scoured the antique stores for items suitable to include in still life paintings. I returned home with quite a few things which will find their way into my paintings. We are both planning a series of small paintings including various objects, curios if you will, so watch this space.
I'd love to hear your comments about what I putting on my blog.

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Until the next post...

DIGITAL ART Demo

Just returned home from giving a demo on digital art to a local art club, Dalgety Bay Art Club in Fife, Scotland.

This was an introduction to using an iPad and what is possible. After coffee break I spent 40 minutes using an app called iPastel to produce this painting of a winter scene from Yorkshire using a copy of a watercolour I painted some years ago.

Seemed to go down well.

NEW SMALL PAINTING

A wet street scene. 

It's a while since I posted a painting.

Last Wednesday, for my art class students, I started painting this scene from a photo I took in Edinburgh recently. The photograph was taken against the light but it wasn't actually raining at the time. It had been earlier.

I wanted to show how one could create reflections and the effect of a wet road. Although the painting wasn't finished on the evening all that really remained was to add some details and the darkest areas, trees, pedestrians etc.

Let me know what you think of the result. It measures about 10 x 7 inches, watercolour on Saunders Waterford 140lb (300gsm) Not paper.
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Peploe and Kirkcaldy Art Gallery

What a treat. 

Visited the Art Gallery in Kirkcaldy, Fife today to catch the watercolour exhibition again before it finishes tomorrow. It features well known Scottish artists such as Anne Redpath, Elizabeth Blackadder, George Gillies and my personal favourite, Arthur Melville.

Melville had two large works on show, one of a bullfighting scene in Spain and the other of the gondola boatyard in Venice.

Moving through the rest of the gallery I was able to view, in no particular order, a Lowry, Jack Vettriano, Hornel, J D Fergusson and Sickert.

One room, however, was dedicated to Samuel John Peploe and this was an absolute treat. The range of subjects included a self portrait, still lives and highland landscapes. 

If you get the chance, I would recommend going along to view it.

(Sorry there are no images as it may breach copyright but you can google the artists )

Watercolour Class, and a challenge

I teach a class for the local art club. On Wednesday evening I set a challenge for the students to sketch something every day until we resume in January. Could be pencil, pen or paint as long as it's a sketch of some sort. One of my favourite artists, Ken Howard RA, said drawing every day teaches you so much about observation and will transfer to your paintings.

The plan is to review what we have drawn when we resume. Whether or not they all do it I don't know but I must set an example. Not as easy as you think, trying to find something to sketch. I picked things up, put them down, didn't fancy that, or that, etc etc. Eventually I settled on a pepper mill and got to work. Today's was easier, I just looked out of the window and got drawing. Neither took very long. After all, the point isn't to make a work of art but just practice drawing.
So here are my first two sketches in a little A6 size sketchbook. I'll post more as I go along.

What do you think about daily sketching? Let me know.