Angel

Thought one or two of you might like to see this new one. I think the character in the picture might be doing what we are all doing this time of the year... looking for a little warmth, perhaps?

"Angel", watercolour

If you would like to buy a painting, please visit www.aartvark.eu or email me at ray@paintinfrance.eu

New Paintings

My first update for a while folks. But I have been busy painting and teaching and teaching and painting. Here are some new pictures, a mix of styles and subjects, but then, what's new?

If you would like to buy a painting, please visit www.aartvark.eu or email me at ray@paintinfrance.eu

"Lullaby", watercolour
Inspired by the song of the same name sung by one of my favourite bands, "The Cure"

"Water", watercolour SOLD
One of a set of four - Earth, Fire, Water and Air

"Silver Sea", watercolour
A romantic image of peace and tranquility. Indigo is such a wonderful colour.

"Journey's End", watercolour
A wintery tail

"White Rabbit", watercolour SOLD
One of two commissions for a lover of Alice in Wonderland

"Caterpillar", watercolour SOLD
Second commission, as above.

Your comments or questions are welcome.
If you would like information on our classes or painting holidays, please visit us at www.paintinfrance.eu or www.aartvark.eu or email me at: ray@paintinfrance.eu

"Hatchling"

"Hatchling" Oil on board SOLD

Well, it's been well over a month since I posted last. I've been busy teaching and painting, doing the things I enjoy the most, working on new paintings and trying to develop my ideas beyond the sketchy, thought stages. "Hatchling" is a new painting based on a previous watercolour and I'm really quite pleased with it.
My good friend Paul Brown has recently introduced me to a new support/board called Gessobord, available from the states and I'm really looking forward to trying it. It has quite a smooth, completely non absorbent surface that he reckons is perfect for my style of work, so I'm just about to give it a try. I'll keep you informed.
Our art classes here in Hanc are still busy. If your in the area and would like to see what you can do, please get in touch. I'll try and make sure the next posting doesn't take so long to produce.

Your comments or questions are welcome.
If you would like information on our classes or painting holidays, please visit us at www.paintinfrance.eu or www.aartvark.eu or email me at: ray@paintinfrance.eu

"WATCHED"

"Watched" Oil on board

Watched is now complete and I'm reasonably pleased with it. There will always be some elements of any painting that I feel I could have done better, but that's the incentive to do the next one,.. and the next, etc.
It has been a busy week here at "Les Jardins des Arts" where I live, paint and teach, with my wife Lynne, in the Charente, South West France. (Busy and hot, current night-time temperatures in the 20s). As well as our normal classes, our very good friend Paul Brown has held another one of his masterclasses in oils and once again it was a great success. The photos I have included, say it all.

"After a hard day's work"

Your comments or questions are welcome.
If you would like information on our classes or painting holidays, please visit us at www.paintinfrance.eu or www.aartvark.eu or email me at: ray@paintinfrance.eu

"Watched" A Work in Progress...

A new painting. This one, in oils, is to be called, "Watched" and is a work in progress.

New Paintings

Some new paintings. Both watercolour, the perfect medium, I find, for this kind of image. I like working with glazes, swathes of transparent colour as well as utilising light and dark in dramatic ways. For me it's about drama, mood, atmosphere and story telling.
In future blogs I'm going to discuss what we do here at Les Jardins des Arts. I spend a lot of my time teaching watercolour, oil and acrylic painting as well as producing my own work. If you'd like any advice on your own work or ask questions about how I have produced a certain thing, please feel free to contact me.

"Eve", watercolour SOLD

"Watching and Waiting", watercolour SOLD

The First Post

Welcome, thanks for dropping by. I will be adding more photos and information over the next week. Please pop back if you'd like to see more of my work and get some idea of what I do here in rural France. I have just installed the gallery to the right but unfortunately not had time to link the thumbs to larger images. Watch this space. Hope you like what you see!

"Vertigo", watercolour and gouache SOLD