Beach paintings, feather etchings and peanut butter cinnamon swirls

 

We've been busy this last week redesigning the exhibition in our gallery. The beach and sea paintings fit really well with the wood panelling. 

 My new business cards arrived as well....they're so cute....

I've recently added a few new etchings to my Etsy store: this larger etching above of a group of ladies wearing the traditional outfit for one of the islands in our area. I used dry point, aquatint and vernis mou on this etching. These are all techniques that give the piece the different textures.

And these 3 feather etchings were new additions to my store this week.

And lastly, on Saturdays, for the etching workshop and open studio, I make a cake. This week's was this scrummy peanut butter and cinnamon swirl....wow it was delicious! Not a crumb over......

flowers and bees

It's been a while since I've posted our news here since I've been more active on Facebook lately...but our news is that we have a new etching press. As spring has unfolded early this year flowers and bees have formed a new theme...

...and safari animals...all our new work have already been listed in our etsy shop already... 

light as a feather

The atelier is filled with the aroma of etching ink today...a couple of new prints were born...a spotted feather and a peacock feather...available in my Etsy store!

little books of art

How cute are these! Photo books featuring recent work, just arrived today.

It can be seen here online.

little winter birdies

This is where the creating is taking place at the moment...we've not been in the studio so much while the weather's so cold but that doesn't stop the art. I start the paintings with a dip ink pen and then add the watercolour. These three little birdies are common here in Western Europe: a blue tit, a magpie and a robin. The blue tit is particularly tiny! They're already listed in my Etsy shop... 

 ...along with this watercolour: Quiet time...

between adventures and meal times

A new etching has been born! The first of the year. A kitty taking a break between adventures and meal times...zzzzz When I came back from printing, our cat was looking just like this =^x^= Already listed in my etsy shop...

a dance in ink and watercolour

This last week I've been working on these ink drawing and watercolour paintings. I use a dip pen which has a wonderfully sketchy quality on the watercolour paper I use. I also like to use a water soluble ink which mixes nicely with the watercolour paint when I apply it. These three pieces are already listed in my Etsy shop.

prayer for peace: etchings printed on handmade paper from Nepal

These are a couple of very special etchings. They are both printed on beautiful handmade paper from Nepal which has a soft natural colour and structure. A friend of ours runs a charity in Nepal and makes yearly visits to Kathmandu. On her recent visit she brought me back a pack of fabulous paper. I featured the etchings themelves a while ago but I wanted to print these special editions because I think the etchings themselves fit well with the qualities of this paper. They are both here and here in my Etsy shop.

keeping my head above water: new paintings and exhibition

Sometimes it feel like this, just about keeping your head above water. A few years ago I was on holiday in Sri Lanka with friends and I had a disposable underwater cameras. Following on from other similar pieces that I'd made of people underwater this is one of my latest oil paintings (18 x 24cm) inpsired by one of those photos. I love painting light underwater and reflections. It will be on display at the 'Kunstuitleen' in Terneuzen (near us here in Zeeland, the Netherlands) from the 3rd November to 22nd December in an exhibition for small art....

...along with this painting (80 x 80cm), a reflection of summer days along the sandy beaches of Zeeland, and 4 other pieces.

being together, never alone: new etching

The summer is well and truly over and after all the art markets this summer we took a little break, but now we are back in action. The art centre is spick and span ready for the art classes that start this week and I've been back behind the etching press.  I began with dry point, working directly in the copper, then used an aquatint to create the shadow areas. It's already here in my etsy shop: being together, never alone...

cappuccino sailing: new paintings

We were recently asked to make a painting in commission of one that we'd already made in blue but in brown tints. Francesco made two for the clients to choose between. We had quite strict pallet of colours to adhere too but I love the result...and luckily they did too!

running through the dunes playing in the sea: new paintings

I'm gradually accepting that summer is drawing to close as nature continues her cycle on to autumn. Fortunately I can paint the summer all year round! The painting above is the oil painting made in commission (50 x 60 cm) based on the dunes here in Zeeland (Netherlands), and below is a scene I spotted last weekend, which was a real scorcher and wonderfully refreshing to just jump into the sea (oil on canvas 18 x 24 cm).

dreaming of the beach: new paintings

The last week or so I've been working on a dune painting in commission and it's now finished so I'm continuing the series of small oil paintings inspired by my favourite theme: the beach. Both are scenes I saw at the weekend here on the coast of Zeeland in the Netherlands. Above is 18 x 24 cm and below 13 x 18 cm. I began another today...so watch this space... prints of the paintings can be found here and the originals are on my website.

hand in hand: new painting

Yesterday we were in Veere on the market with our etching press giving demonstrations as well as wearing the local costume along with children who are also dressed up. I captured this photo during one of the markets and just had to turn it into a painting. The painting is 18 x 24 cm oil on canvas. 

taking the plunge

The end of a warm day and the sun is dipping towards the horizon and the bright light twinkles on the sea's surface. The beach is emtying and the stillness is interspersed with the sound of seagulls and the occassional shout of enjoyment from the sea....aaaahhhh summer days.... (oil on canvas 13 x 18cm)

The sea looks so enticing...gentle waves and crystal clear waters, but the sea off the Dutch coast (and my homeland England) is pretty chilly and it takes a while to get used to before plunging in. Still my favourite thing to do...apart from painting! (oil on canvas 18 x 24 cm)

watching the world go by: new paintings

In January I visited India in an area where many Tibetan and Himalayan people also lived and visited and this image reminded me of that trip. I know she looks like a monk, but she is actually a young Nepalese Buddhist nun paying her respects (oil on canvas 18 x 24 cm). I love the colour and energy of Tibetan Buddhism but I have had more contact with Buddhism from Thailand and when I saw this picture taken by a friend of mine who is a Thai monk, I couldn't wait to get the oil paints out. He was travelling in Thailand on the train and captured this scene (oil on canvas 13 x 18 cm): "watching the world go by."

oh I do like to be beside the seaside...who doesn't! new paintings

Californian dreaming on such a dreary grey summer's day. The summer season here in Holland has been, well, not so warm and sunny but when the moment has arrived I managed to capture these images to paint on canvas. I just love painting the summer light. Above and below are 24 x 18cm and further down 18 x 13 cm. Prints are available of these paintings in my etsy shop and the paintings can be found on my website along with more of my work.

sunny side of the dunes: new paintings

Last Sunday we visited a village on the coast in Zeeland, the Netherlands, called Zoutelande (in English it would translate literally to Saltland). It's a small touristy place nestled behind the dunes where we often cycle to throughout the year and I spotted these two scenes of people enjoying the sun. As you can see from the coats they are wearing it was sunny but cool because it was quite a windy day. I just couldn't help myself but capture the scenes on canvas (above 18 x 24 cm and below 13 x 18 cm oil on canvas). Prints of the paintings are now available in my etsy shop.

the chickens and the butterfly: new stuff

I had a burst of creativity yesterday afternoon and made 2 etchings, this one of a fabulously elegant butterfly, and the 3 characters below who I met recently in a local farm.

They made me laugh bobbing around on the branch, so I tried to capture their playfulness.

 All now listed in my etsy shop...

the key and a whole load of hot air: new etchings

This week I've added 2 new etchings to the collection. Hot air balloons dreamily drifting through the sky and a key; to a secret garden perhaps or to a love one's heart and soul? I like the way the hot air balloon etching looks like an old fashioned sepia photograph when the etching plate hasn't been completely cleaned of ink. They are both now avaibable in my etsy shop.