Off on Holiday again

We are fortunate in that we have some friends who own a house on the shores of Lake Geneva and they offer us the opportunity to stay there. It is a stunning spot and I can usually sneak a few paints into the luggage. The two pictures are from our latest trip. Apologies for poor photographs and lack of cropping.

Oil sketches on gesso board 7" x 5"

Single Sorrento

I took out one of yesterday's lemons and put it in the still life box. This is the result.

Single Sorrento Lemon - Oil on gesso board 7" x 5"

Sorrento Lemons

Since my lost post Sheila and I had a little break in the sun, escaping the local low temperatures. Since getting home, thoughts keep returning to warmer climes and spotting a tray of plump Sorrento lemons in the supermarket I couldn't resist capturing them for the still life table.

Sorrento Lemons - Oil on gesso board 7" x 5"

Tulips

I decided on a change of subject matter today, there were flowers in the house and nothing at the moment is safe from a trip to my cramped working space for the purposes of being painted.

Interesting though I found the exercise, I'm a little bit disappointed by the final result and all down to some poor choices that I made early on. My biggest mistake was one of compositional arrangement, the gap in the middle of the picture being the main culprit. On reflection I'd have been better including more blooms and foliage to fill more of the space as well as establishing more interconnections between the elements.

Never mind lots to think about and build upon.

Tulips - Oil on gesso board 7" x 5"

Figs are Fun

As I said the other day I was heading out to replenish fruit and veg for painting purposes. Imagine my surprise when I spotted these figs on the shelf. Too good to ignore.

Three Figs - Oil on gesso board 7" x 5"

Pair of Lemons

Back from London refreshed and in front of the easel again, so another small still life to keep my hand in. Much as I dislike shopping I think I'm going out today in search of new still life material, the fruit and vegetable baskets are seriously depleted. I'm also discovering an urge to look for interesting earthenware - what is happening to me?

Two Lemons - Oil on gesso board 7" x 5"

Garlic before Dinner

The last couple of weeks have been busy, roofers, painters, electrician and carpet layer. This has all meant no time for the paints. So it was with some relief that I was able to sit down for an hour or two before dinner. The fruit bowl was somewhat depleted after recent efforts at the easel so I picked a head of garlic from the cupboard prior to using it in the preparation of dinner.

Garlic and Bowl - Oil on gesso board 7" x 5"

An Apple a Day

Continuing with the current obsession, I once again raided the fruit bowl. This time it was a couple of Braeburn apples. Hopefully there is some evidence of progression in this series, I'm finding it a little easier to work on the gesso boards and gaining a slightly better control over the paint. It's maybe time to move on to another type of subject matter, possibly landscape, but carry on using the small boards. I'm finding it a real stimulus to painting regularly, working on these supports. The size seems to make a difference to taking that first step and dipping the brush into the paint.

Braeburn Apples - Oil on gesso board 7" x 5"

Start As You Mean To Go On

Happy New Year to all my readers. I have managed spend a little time in front of the easel. I decided to mess around with composition and introduce something that required a little thought, so I moved the arrangement over a little and placed it on a tea towel. I'll let you judge whether these were interesting and/or ideas that worked.

Fruit, dish and tea towel - Oil on gesso board 7" x 5"