The Saltaire Studio

Feb 27, 2019

Work in Progress - As if the day...

My time for painting is very limited so when I do get a couple of days completely free I like to scale up and let loose on a large pieces of Arches paper.

I'm not really sure where the inspiration for this painting came from other than the dark autumnal colours; it isn't a scene that I recognise. Sometimes a painting just comes about because of the colours that I want to use and I was really wanting to create a large scale imposing clouds scene.

Feb 20, 2019

Work in Progress - The mist descends across the valley

Driving from Newcastle on Christmas Eve the sun had been glorious all the way home but as we hit Yorkshire the sun started to go down and with it the temperatures. The rapidly dropping temperature created steaming trails of mist along the valleys, in tree tops and on roof tops. As we descended down a hill towards home the image stuck in my mind of muted greens and blues.

Feb 13, 2019

Work in progress - Dark Fells

I originally approached this painting with a God's own type image in mind - think more brilliant summery greens.... Well... that didn't quite go to plan but I am really pleased with the results and the colours are a change for me and I love them.

Feb 12, 2019

Making cold wax medium

Since I started using the cold wax medium with oils I have always bought it off the shelf, ready made. I was aware you could make your own but the idea of heating up solvents wasn't really on my bucket list. However spending 2018 teaching the use of cold wax medium I thought it was about time to experiment and really get to know the medium a little more.

Jan 09, 2019

All that glitters...

Gold is the colour of desire according to St Clair’s The Secret Lives of Colour. Unlike my usual greetings cards this painting was deliberately created to end up being cards. I started out in October intending to create Christmas cards for friends and family. Life had a different idea though and time passed by and I missed that opportunity.

Jan 05, 2019

Art in the Pen, Skipton

This was my second time at Art in the Pen in Skipton so I knew what I had in store in terms of set-up etc. This year I was further up the aisle and until I arrived wouldn't know what the lighting would be like in that area.

Art in the Pen is held in an auction market so isn't designed to be a gallery. Some areas of the big shed are particularly dark, whilst others are smellier!