Working to a theme

"Lullaby"
Watercolour on Fabriano 5
From the song by The Cure

Embraced

Hi all. I've been having a lot of fun recently working on all sorts of things but I've still managed to find time to submit work to a fantastic site called The Artists Challenge run by Vikki North. The theme is given and artists from around the world submit work based on that theme to the site. This months theme is "Embrace" The original picture I did for it was a watercolour but then decided I could do a lot more with the theme and the painting using oils. For the oil painting I used a piece of Fabriano Pittura, a paper designed for oil or acrylic but best effects are achieved if a few coats of gesso are applied to it prior to painting. I used an olive green, acrylic ground as the painting's base. I've put both paintings in below. Hope you like them. While painting the oil I was inspired to write a few lines to go with it. Just a little poem. So many ways to embrace, here is my interpretation.

Lost Embrace

The meaning of love as elusive as clouds
Forming thoughts and emotions that know no bounds
So much invested in that soft embrace
All hope is delivered, the end of the chase

A dream is possibly all that it is
Fulfillment of longing a prayer or a wish
The meaning of love we may never know
Till like hard rain it falls to the green earth below

Love’s more important when it’s not there
Until it has gone we haven’t a care
So what are you left with what’s there to hold?
A cloud of a dream and a feeling so cold

The Paintings

"Embrace"
Watercolour on 'Fabriano 5' Not surface


"Lost Embrace"
Oil on 'Fabriano Pittura' paper with gesso coating

The previous Artists Challenge was "Midsummer Night's Dream", well worth a drop by.
Here is one of the paintings I submitted.

"Puck"
Watercolour on Fabriano 5 Not surface

As a possible point of interest I use Fabriano Papers, usually Fabriano 5 for the watercolours and always Winsor & Newton Artist's quality oils and watercolours.
For more pictures and information on my art classes and painting holidays visit www.aartvark.eu & www.paintinfrance.eu.

To get involved with the art challenges, either to view the galleries or enter your own work, visit www.theartistchallenge.com

Busy, busy!

Well, it's been some time since my last blog, but my excuse is, I've been a bit busy! Apart from running my art classes I've just taken down what was my first one man show in around 30 years. It was a great success, lots of people and I sold a few as well,... always a bonus. See photo below.

Apart from that I've been painting and painting, also trying to get involved in some children's book illustration, something I've always wanted to do.
I've put in four new images, the first of which is called "Embrace" I've kept the colour pallet very simple, hopefully adding to the misty quality of the picture. It was painted for Vikki North's Art Challenge web site. Go and check it out, tons of art work, places to leave comments, pictures to buy. The theme was Embrace, hence the name of the painting.

"Embrace"

The next three are from another one of Vikki's art challenges. (The link is below) This theme was "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

"The Fairy Queen"

"Puck the Spell-breaker"

"Titania, Spellbound"

If you would like to buy a painting, please visit www.aartvark.eu lots more to see.

Try and visit "The Artist Challenge" for lots more art and a bit of fun; themed galleries, art for sale. A private art club for artists, art patrons and foolhardy souls.

I have been spending some time trying to develop the more illustrative elements of my work. I always think of my paintings as stories in paint. Sometimes the message can be a little less subtle than that and then they become a moment captured, a smaller part of a longer narrative.
I've always admired the comic book illustrators of DC comics and Marvel, etc. together with people like Heath Robinson, Arthur Rackham and Edmund Dulac, they have remained some of my greatest influences.
Below are a few examples of what I've been working on. When I've scanned the rest, I'll post them as well.

Trouble

Meeting

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

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