Time slips by

So think this view towards Portland above Sutton Poyntz is about done, like the rest I will leave it alone and just look at t now and then to see if it needs more. Most of the on site visit's for this painting were done during the long forgotten heat of June. It got a vibes of the Mediterranean and so thought I would let my style adapt to portray this. I am experimenting a little at the moment by creating more texture with diagonal and vertical line.Then using different brush strokes on the trees to give a more full from.

Above is another painting in the same style, an impression from Askers hill near Bridport, I wanted to keep the same colour palette as the view towards Portland. I do tend to have little mini series of works using similar colours and locations . I like most locals and visitors am always blown away by the views just off the A35 above Bridport looking towards the costal road. I wanted this painting to be more of a " birds eye" view or nowadays a "drones" point of view. I often reference google maps as you get great satellite views this helps me to try and imagine the landscape looking from above. It's not a finished piece of work yet and nor sure what direction it's gong yet.

My trusty travel conpaniones have mde this summer a season of pushing my comfort zone's regarding my creative work. I am planing an exhibition in the aurtum / winter at my gallery and will be opening the gallery on certian dates running into the year end.

working towards an exhibition

Looking towards Bere Regis

Work on the view above Bincombe & Suttom Pontyz is progressing (pictures below) although the style and colour palette is changing. I am allowing the shift to evolve that way trying to keep my work fresh and capture the energy of the first brush strokes. It can be a little frightening when there is a shift as it's all new territory and the next move lack's familiarity. No point holding back though I just have to go with the flow trust the process and hold my nerve.

The painting below showing the darker tomes and structure, I like to build my paintings up, almost like a sculpture or a skeleton. I then add the "flesh to the bones" hiding most of the original marks but allowing the initial energy to show through on the final piece.

I am working on a second painting at the same time using the same colour palette but looking from another view nearer to Dorset golf course. This canvas is approx 162 cm by 121 cm which is a size I am more familiar with. The tryptic's measure approx 270 cm by 100 cm these force me to simplify the detail and concentrate the forms and composition.Over the years I have found that my work happens in mini series capturing a view, place, colour palette and size of canvas. Each series moves my work on and allows me to keep inspired and motivated. At the moment it's large open landscapes but i am already becoming dawn to woodland scenes and more intermit views

Keep on keeping on

So it's been a strange few weeks as the weather has broken and it's hard to find a chance to paint in the high sun. Painting outside in full summer sun allows me to improve the observations of tones, shadows and nuisances . This one below is about done I added the gate and broke the line of the hedgerow just to help with the composition.As before I will hide it away to stop me fiddling and wait awhile to revisit and see if I need to go back in and tighten up the image.

This is the start of my next work looking towards Bere Regis from the ridge above Briantspuddle village. I look at this view everyday when walking my dog and often pondered painting it but wanted to try a little bit of a different angle to capture the form of the opposite ridge. I am carrying on using the red ground colour and building the depth on top and sticking to flat colours.

I have also started a new tryptic from the top of the ridge above Bincombe & Sutton Pontyz looking across to Portland and Weymouth bay. I revisit this spot regularly and cycle up to it from Weymouth sea front so get a look at all the forms and contours of the Bincombe bumps. I have done many paintings of Portland, theres just something about that view the bay and the island. Below is a previous painting a little further up the ridge from where I am working at the moment just off Chalky Lane