St Mary le Strand, London WC2

Just had to do a touch more - a hint of detail on the white buildings left of church. tail lights and wheels on the vehicles (the nearest was a sports car), the steeple is more defined with sky showing through bits of architecture. I hope Valerie will accept the changes in good grace:-) (See her comment below in the last post below) ... and I hope I've not ruined it.
Oh(!) and congratulations Val on getting your set of 6 paintings in the Bath Prize Exhibition, and one on their promotional brocure. Great achievement and I'm very pleased for you.
Note: Valerie received a 'Highly Commended' certificate on one of her paintings.


J. S. Bach - Kantate BWV 36 - Schwingt freudig euch empor - 7 - Aria (J. S. Bach-Stiftung)
Beautifully sung by Nurai Rial

ST MARY Le STRAND, from the East (London)

Earlier version

This is a weeny painting (8" x 5" on panel) of  St Mary Le Strand which I did on a day in the capital a month ago, trying out a new mini Pochade box and I was determined to grab a bit of painting time that day. It was  a beautiful morning to start, with a food fair and loads of people enjoying along the South Bank. But 2hrs later, as is often the case in the UK, it clouded over as I prepared to paint, and a fine drizzle set in after a while so I had to stop (not having an umbrella to hand),  and I was running short of time but would like to have done a bit more. Now I quite like this loose unfinished look,  in contrast to the much larger 'Bath Guildhall' I just painted. I think that crane rig is hovering above the back of Somerset House, and the whiter patch left of the church is sunlight on the facades of the tall buildings along the Strand (where many of the buses are going). I have always been intending to do some finishing so maybe I should add a few more touches of paint to define this area.

View towards London, over Sandown Park RaceTrack

View over Sandown Park RaceTrack from Sandown View Hall. I was exhibiting my stained glass wares/portfiolio at the Christan Resources Exhibition (a sort of church trade show). The view was  a source of facination, as the light was constantly changing with bright sunlight and dark shadow on the landscape and planes flying in and out of Heathow Arport (on the left horizon), landing  approximately every 1min 15sec.  so I decided to try to paint it   - it was done in fits and starts, when visitor footfall was quiet, with the ebb and flow of people.

Blackfriars Bridge, London

View of St Pauls, Blackfriars Bridge and the City of London.
It was a disgusting rainy day, a fine drizzle and very cold, uniform dull light and so grey. Not inspiring.  Also trying to come to grips with a compex cityscape and the angle of zoom/perspective - far too close in here I feel.