Copper Beech at Longleat

A  magnificent Copper Beech, by the car park near Heaven's Gate. Done in the last hour of fading light, I didn't quite catch the sense of light I wanted here, but somehow like the sense of 'attack' in this one. Oil on gesso panel 14" x 10".

Some Bach  to listen to ........  it helps my mental flow when working.

Jenny Asparro: Partitia no 2

Garden study with sundial, and yellow roses.

Study of a garden for a house commission

The lovely roses were just gone over with petals dropping but enjoyable to paint.

Design for a Roman style mural

Something completely different! I found this in a corner of the attic - one of two designs for an 8ft high building hoarding in North London in the area called 'Little Venice', near Regents Park Canal. This project was being planned for the hoarding of a large building site, just as the last recession hit in the early 1990's and the idea was suddenly scrapped.

 The second design, now lost, was quite different but more relevant to England; it was of a medieval type Gothic cloister, a row of wide pointed arches with pillar supports and a low wall between, (ie Salisbury Cathedral cloister, but less ornate), with views through the arches into a courtyard garden of green topiary shaped bushes and  glimpses of sculptures could be seen. I remember adding a Henry Moore style granite grey coloured statue, contrasting the medieval with something iconic of 20th century. A pity it is lost - anyway very different from the plein air work.

Cheddar Gorge with the UK Plein Air Society.

A day out painting at the Cheddar Gorge was scheduled for the UK Plein Air Society - we arrange to meet on the last Sunday of the Month, all plein air painters are welcome. Fellow painter Valerie Pirlot  and I travelled there together and  if you read her blog too you’ll  hear more of  the story of how we determinedly encouraged and cajoled  each other up the heights of the gorge  - it was very steep with heavy equipment, and the hottest day of the year.  After much climbing and  meeting decending walkers and being told it was another 15 mins to the very top, at 450ft above sea level, we went on ..... but suddenly got to a point (I guess about 350ft)where we sensibly realised any more walking in that heat and there’d be no energy to paint,  so we set up easels and got painting.

Above is my rendering of the view, over the town with the river Severn in the distance,  and a round reservoir spotted with tiny sails of people boating (they miraculously all disappeared at lunchtime - home for roast dinner - or BBQ -  then were suddenly back again in the afternoon). To our left we could see Glastonbury Tor about 9 miles away, no sound from the Festival though we listened  out for it.

Below, a photo of Valerie enjoying a well earned rest after her first painting, showing  the effect of the climb too ....

and one of me, still  hard at work, wishing I had a sun-umbrella too. 

On the way back down, with gravity on our side, we stopped for a shorter time to do another smaller painting. I settled to do an old dry stone wall falling down under a background of trees. it looked very 'Pyranese' and felt it in the heat.

                                                                         
We didn't manage to meet any of the other painters who may have turned up (Glynis Dray was one), so perhaps should be more proactive and exchange mobile numbers with those intending to come in the future.

Market Lavington, evening skies, with jet trails

Some recent evening skies from White Street Hill, at the edge of Salisbury Plain Escarpment - there's a great view North towards Devizes Bath and Chippenham. These paintings  have to be done at speed, the sky changing in minutes, in seconds even, and in five minutes can look totally different. So one arrives at an approximation of what one has seen over the brief time but really it is an attempt to try to catch the sensations of light.  It's interesting now these are laid out together, I can see certain effects working or not working so I might make minor changes to improve them.

No5.  This time used prussian blue in the lower landscape which  packs  a punch when it comes to rendering the  dark shadows.

No4 (below) One distant jet trail to the right of the sun.

 

No3 (below) 

No2 below) 

No1

 

STEEPLE ASHTON CHURCH, WILTSHIRE

All Saints Church, Steeple Ashton, over a new wheat field. (telephone lines now been added!). An impressive and ornate building for such a rural setting. I was aiming to catch something of the weather and light  this April 2011. We have had amazing weather, warmer and drier than any recorded previously since records began. "This good  weather  has lasted longer than any summer I can remember!" says my son. He can't be far wrong as far as UK sunshine goes.
You can see the unisual geological folds in the hills to the right above Westbury, and to the left these are the heights above Edington where King Alfred fought and beat the danes in 878 AD, in a final battle before making  peace.

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.

Roundway Hill, from Pear Tree Hill

Roundway Hill seen  from Cheveral Magna, or Pear Tree Hill, as locally called.  Oil on panel. 19" x 12"

 

SOLD

VIEW OVER THE LAVINGTONS, WILTSHIRE

View over the Lavingtons from Strawberry Hill. Capturing something of the unprescedented warm weather this April. A three week gap between starting and finishing this one. In the meantime all the foliage and rape seed had grown so had to update with a lot of colour. You  can see the two church towers of both villages

 Painting in progress. It was completed in two sessions.
Below the start of the painting two weeks earlier

ST SWITHUNS from HEDGEMEAD PARK -BATH

Painted this in two sessions, just as leafy buds were opening in April. I wanted to try catching something of the freshness of the Spring light. Painted over a couple of hours to start, from 2.00 till 4.00;  it is extraordinary how swiftly and radically the scene changes with  almost opposite light and shade effects on the buildings. The  final result indicates the day at about 3.30/4.0pm

My painting of Sherbourne Street, Bourton -on-the-water (Looking south towards the centre). Oil on Panel 10" x 14". 

Members of  the British Pochade Society, congregating on street corner of Rectory Lane, deciding where to set up for painting the town.  It was Easter Sunday so not many of us turned up but the sun shone and we set to work. Unfortunately I didn't  get any more suitable photos of people in action.

GARDEN WALL

Capturing  the splendour of sun in the garden. A riot of  blossoms,  new leaves, branches throwing shadows on the old garden wall. in April. 18.5" x 10" oil on panel

View down John St From Trim St., about 4.00pm. Someone parked a car on the RH  half way though, it's rear end  blocking part of the view which made life awkward! I decided not to to paint it in. (Oil on Panel 10" x 12")

Paint out in Oxford

For our third meeting the UK Plein Air Society met to start the day at a coffee shop in the High Street. Oxford. It was the day the clocks changed so getting there effectively an hour early was a challenge.
I chose to do this view of the High Street and afterwards thought I might have made a more interesting composition, this one being is so linear. Also all those bay windows did my head in for a while. The blossom tree was such an attraction.

The easel on site  in the High Street

 I had to leave early so didn't have chance to do another piece, but here is a shot of other industrious painters. Roy Connelly, Valérie Pirlot painting the same spire in Turl Steet.
Click to enlarge .....

and David Pilgrim ..............

Also one of Glynis Dray below, doing a fine watercolour in the High Street, obviously enjoying herself.

Early Spring Morning, Pigs Lane, Little Horton

For once the sun stayed out more or less all of the time although there was a strong haze in the air and still quite cold.  In front there was  herd of cattle, a lot of mixed colours; Black, red-brown to tan, and patches of white. The were very well behaved and hardly moved at all, but gradually got closer to the gate.  The pylons are typical of the area, marching all over the landscape to the north of Devizes; a nightmare for landscape photographers as they spoil the beautiful open views.  The farmer came by and asked if he could look. . I was anticipating paintng the huge straw bale below the pylon, but  suddenly a tractor came by and removed it, so I had to complete it by memory.
Technical note: I use driers in my painting medium and today the mix seemed a bit strong but they worked  very efficiently.

EXHIBITION - At the OLD MILL WORTON

Wiltshire Landscapes Plein Air Paintings in Oil By Andrew Taylor

5 Mar 2011  to  13 Mar 2011, 10:00 – 17:00

The gallery is open on:
Friday 4th March 12 noon - 5pm
Saturday 5th March 10am - 5pm
Sunday 6th March 10am - 5pm

Friday 11th March 12 noon - 5pm
Saturday 12th March 10am - 5pm (Andrew will be at the gallery 2.00 to 5.00)
Sunday 13th March 10am - 5pm
Oil Painting: 'Erlestoke Woods' by Andrew Taylor.

Evening view towards Penarth Headland over Cardiff Bay waters.

Another good day with the UK Pochade Society. After paintng in the town all day we went to see the water at Cardiff Bay and decided to have one last paint.  The beautiful golden pink under glow of the clouds quickly  faded as the sun sank away and as we started work - but pressing on painted this at hi-speed in about 15-20 mins, then any useful light faded and I then couldn't see the palette any more. I really do need to get a head lamp.

Cherhill, evening view towards Calne

.......driving back form Calne, the sky began to change from bland to very beautiful and the evening lights were coming on.  So somehow I found a convenient layby and managed a to paint sitting in the car, very uncomfortable, till the light faded too much for me to see the colours.
Oil on gessoed board.
8.5" x 7" approx.

Exhibition at St John's Art Devizes

The last day or two to view this exhibition. It should be taken down very soon, by Tuesday - the next Exhibition willl be at WORTON MILL for the next two weekends. Some of these paintings will be included alongside various and other new works. The theme being "WILTSHIRE LANDSCAPES in Oils".

Twilight over Devizes

Twilight rain over Devizes, view from Roundway.A quick painting, it got too dark and cold for comfort.
10"x 14"

Bristol Harbour

My second painting of the day.  A bit of Bristol Harbour with the spire of St Mary Redcliffe in the background. I only had left a few minutes to speedily complete the foreground water, then realised it was the most interesting bit, like clouds, forever changing - I should have tackled it earlier. Perhaps I'll get back there and do more there. Here is another water painting done a while ago, the River Avon in Woodford Valley, near Salisbury

    
Painters at work. Smile please!:-)
From the left; Valerie Pirpot, Glynis Dray and Anthony Bridge.

Bristol University Music Department

Started the day with the first meeting of the UK Pochard Group in Bristol.   After a coffee and introductions we all set off and worked around here for a bit.  I took longer at the task whilst others went to find new subject matter. Then  four of us met later and painted the harbour to finish the day. We were blessed with a glorious  and sunny, though pretty cold day, below freezing to start. My first experience painting with a group and it was a very positive one and enjoyable.

A view of the painting in progress

Liszt Totentanz 

 

View from the Malvern Hills

A great view from the Hillman's homestead, Gt. Malvern,  (Malvern Hills)

FROME, SOMERSET

Looking down North Parade, Frome, Somerset A cold and almost snowy morning (2nd Jan 2011),