Latest News and Progress

12 March 2018

Salcombe Art Club Exhibition Preview: Merlins Crossing the Bar

Merlins Crossing the Bar is one of a crop of six new paintings destined for the Salcombe Art Club Summer Exhibition.

Right now, they are with the framer so they are not available to view just yet. However, if you want to purchase ahead of the Exhibition, and save 10% on the price (they range from £500 to £750), contact me to arrange a private viewing ahead of handing day on 24 March.

Merlins Crossing the Bar

This is yet another oil inspired by the wonderful Merlin sailors who love to race in our beautiful estuary with all its challenges.

The spinnakers are not just difficult to paint but, in reality, need very good sailors to fly these.

I remember that as a skill I once had in Fireballs, many many years ago.

Now my sailing days are over, I’m content to capture the joy and the challenge, through my painting.

From oil painting to fine art greetings card

Many of my originals are also available as a fine art greetings card. I call it affordable art!

For this particular composition, part of the image had to be cropped to create the required square shape for the card. If you compare this image with the featured image above, you’ll notice the Merlin with the pink spinnaker didn’t make it onto the card version.

It still works as an image though, and I’m sure it will be as popular as others cards featuring Merlins, especially during Merlin Rocket week: 8-13 July.

This is Merlins and shows these magnificent craft racing past Mill Bay.

And this is one of the new crop: Watching the Merlins Race.

5 March 2018

Salcombe Art Club Exhibition Preview: Longstone

Longstone is one of a crop of six new paintings destined for the Salcombe Art Club Summer Exhibition.

The view of the Cottage Hotel, from Bantham

This image is taken from Bantham, looking towards Hope Cove. High on the cliff, you can just about make out the Cottage Hotel, currently under major redevelopment and refurbishment.

This view, taken from the beach (and one of the hotel’s own photos) shows it in more detail.

The Cottage Hotel is one of my favourite destinations. Whether it’s for Sunday lunch – like yesterday – or for a romantic getaway where Anne and I can relax and enjoy the wonderful sunsets – we are regular visitors.

We love the old-fashioned family atmosphere where customer service is the top priority. And, of course, the dessert trolley.

More about Longstone

Back to my painting! Again, I am using oil paints.

In the middle distance, Longstone, this magnificent rock does look as if it’s braced against the roaring sea.

And, notice a streak of orange: the Hope Cove Rib at full tilt on a mission of mercy in those foul conditions.

Supporting Hope Cove Lifeboat

I am keen to support local charities and good causes generally. To this end, there is a fine art greetings card which supports the Hope Cove Lifeboat.

Watch out for these and buy them!

They are on sale at the Cottage Hotel, and also at events organsied by the charity.

26 February 2018

Salcombe Art Club Exhibition Preview: Sunset at Start Point II

Sunset at Start Point II is one of a crop of six new paintings destined for the Salcombe Art Club Summer Exhibition.

Start Point is off my beaten track?

It’s true this iconic sight is a good forty minutes away from my home in Salcombe. However, the image of Start Point lighthouse was captured while Anne and I were living in rented accommodation in Bickerton, a stone’s throw from Hallsands.

We would often walk along the cliff path at the end of a day, enjoying the beautiful sights between us and Beesands, en route to the Cricket Inn for some refreshment.

Acrylic: Sunset at Start Point

On one particular evening, the sail training vessel Leader was anchored and the evening light just saturating everything it touched. Leader has almost a ‘pirate’ presence especially when silhouetted against a sunset.

I took photos, as usual, and then later decided on a composition.

The result was Sunset at Start Point, shown on the right. Being square, it made for an easy fine art greetings card and has been one of my best-sellers.

What made me paint Sunset at Start Point II?

Sunset at Start Point sold very quickly at Salcombe Art Club Exhibition in 2012.

That, together with good sales of the card, indicated it is a popular scene. However, I didn’t just want to paint it again!

So, the tonal slant is very different between the two paintings. Also, the first was an acrylic while this new one is an oil painting.

Oil painting: Sunset at Start Point II

Affordable Art

This new image, Sunset at Start Point II, will also be made into a fine art greetings card – a square version of my rectangular image – as per the featured image at the top of this blog post.

Out of 142 completed paintings to date, 80+ have been sold, but more than 60 are available as fine art greetings cards.

In Salcombe, my card designs are stocked at Bonningtons (the newsagents) and Salcombe Information Centre (both a short walk from the Loft Studio).

Further afield, my cards are stocked by Malborough Post Office – they offer the entire range – The Gallery at Avon Mill, The Gallery Project at Noss Mayo, and in Bloomers, the florist in Kingsbridge.

Just think: for less than 1% of the sales price of an original painting, you can invest in a fine art greetings card. Send it to a friend or frame it for yourself.