I have heard of conflicting reports of this years apple trees being either barren or loaded with fruit. Happy to say ours and Father-in Law’s are in full laden glory. Here is a branch of Robert’s tree. A red red variety.
14″x14″ oil on canvas
The first blooms are out and looking fresh. The natural world is oblivious to viral concerns.
This heat persuades us to do little physically but painting a still life is just as exhausting, if only mentally. But so good to get back to painting flowers.
“Hydrangea” 10″x10″ oil on board
This may or may not be #6 in the series.
It is different in that it is urban, so whether it fits the series , time will tell, when more views are painted. It is certainly a view from a train, so it probably will be included in the same group.
#5 in the series of views from a train on the Glasgow/Ayr line
“Garnock in Spate” 8″x8″ oil on board
Back on oils. Back to scrapes, dollops and brush marks.
I much prefer this than acrylic painting, which has it’s advantages, but doesn’t beat the soft, wet feel of oils. My work is disparate and is something I have to get a hold of soon. The paintings will be seen to be improved with consistency. Discarding some styles and subjects will be a positive move in the long run.
I have a series of paintings in mind for this set. View from a train running from Irvine to Glasgow and back again.
A portrait I reworked recently. It was shown last year in the Harbour Arts Centre in Irvine but it really was in an unfinished state.
It now has more depth and 3 dimensional qualities. It’s lost the cartoonishness it had.
I also removed the reading lamp behind to create a more peaceful air.
1m x1m Acrylic on canvas
This is portrait #4 of this family, and the youngest. A great wee face. Getting her picture taken was good fun until she got teased by her big brother then she got a bit overwhelmed. I cant remember if this image is from a pic before or after the tears. All the same, I think you can detect a stoic, resilient gaze into the viewers eyes!
Part of a series of paintings I am starting, showing familiar/not so familiar landscapes in Irvine.
It’s related to lockdown in as far as my daily walks have increased during it. The dogs pads are paying the price, though, of that extra mile or so that we are not used to for the past ten weeks. I now have to seek out more grassy paths and avoid the tarmac as much as I can!
I am painting in acrylic and sticking to a 10″x10″ square format.
The final piece will be seen as a collection I hope. We’ll see how it goes.
Acrylic on board 10″x10″
I am beginning to get something from my urban wanderings. The task is to find the views that I might pass frequently and see with fresh eyes the beauty revealed. In amongst the overly familiar, a scene presents suddenly as exotic or foreign. I have never easily dismissed the usual as usual but trying hard now to see the small corners and pockets of colour as special places.
I had a real go at still life/flower painting last year. Some duffers and some fairly decents.
I got to a point where I kinda thought I knew what I wanted to achieve. A point with a secure foothold to explore from. A point from where I thought “That’s not too bad, I can move on from that!”
I hope to do the same thing with landscapes this year. I have already a good few duffers behind me to learn from. So it’s onwards and upwards for the outdoors!
This is my first painting of the year and maybe a first foot on the path to something I can call progress!
David Reid 