Back to Cullercoats

The weather is good and after returning from the Lake District I caught up with my old friend, Jed, and we set out for an afternoon painting. Jed lives on the coast north of the Tyne and there are lots of fine locations to inspire the painter. Cullercoats is such a spot and is well known amongst artists as it once had a thriving artistic community with luminaries like Winslow Homer working there.

Whilst Jed got out the watercolours and pastels, I decided to work in oil as there are a number of ideas I'm trying to drum into myself, not least depicting credible recession in my pictures. The biggest problem I have is producing the correct mix of paints to apply without lots of post hoc adjustment. As usual the viewers will be the judge of how successful this attempt has been.

Cullercoats Bay - Oil on canvas board 12" x 10"

In the footsteps of Homer

The eminent American painter Winslow Homer spent a number of years in a small seaside village on the North East coast of England. There was a thriving artist colony there as well as a vibrant fishing community. The North Sea is notorious for the strength of its tides and the dangers of its coastline. The village of Cullercoats, with its small tight harbour has, sitting on top of the sea wall, a Watch House from where it is possible to see boats in difficulties and alert the life boat crew. This Watch House appears in a number of Homer's paintings and the place makes an ideal subject for the painter. The first picture is one of Homer's and the Watch House can be seen in the background.


Tempest - Winslow Homer

I recently spent the day at Cullercoats with an old friend and the watercolours, the picture below is my effort from the day.

Watch House - Watercolour on Rough paper 18" x 14"