It started with the smell of the sea and ended with a happy twist in the tail

The week started with a burst of painting from me. That in itself isn't that unusual, I have bursts of painting sessions quite often. This one was prompted by the fact that I had to get the paperwork completed and returned this week for an exhibition that is taking place at the end of August, and when the questions require such things as "title","medium", "size" and "price" it helps somewhat if the painting actually exists in real life! I couldn't ever just presume a painting would be finished by then, it has to be actually complete, for me to fill the form out. Hence the flurry of paintings, as I particularly wanted to do a couple of the sea, since I've recently been on holiday, and I find it a delightful place to be, as do most people.

I had virtually finished a pretty watercolour of the area I went to in France, at St Palais - and was absolutely delighted with it, as it depicted all that I had hoped for - the view of a sundrenched sandy beach, the tide receeded a little to reveal hidden rock pools full of sealife to explore in their miniature worlds, sand, sea, a large beach curving around to the next headland, pine trees revealing the buildings tucked amongst them, and the feeling of a bright sunny day from the strong shadow to one side, hinting at the steps following the wall down to the beach, and a couple of children playing by the waters edge, paddling and debating whether to have a swim or an icecream. The picture so easily named itself "The summer holidays start here"! And because it had gone so well, it inspired me to start another one, but this one a looser picture, more a hint of the sea crashing in, wet sand, and the curve of a wave as it foamed against the sand, and a couple walking in the distance. But the whole purpose of the painting, indicated by the title itself, is that the sky and sea merge as one as the clouds come in as the wind picks up. So, again, another easy title to name the picture (and I love it when it flows like that, it means it feels right!). But the part I love the best of this painting is actually the wave in the foreground, and the foam itself, it more than anything else in that picture is the part I love the most, the way the water is flowing, the texture and the dedicate colours of water, sand, and foam so difficult to paint, and yet it works so well here, but I know that's because I was on a roll, and all inspired from the other painting I'd done!

So, that was my week, of painting, and it's been a good one, because of these happy holiday paintings.

And then I opened up my my emails.

And found one from Lucy Felthouse.....

.....which said..

Just a very quick message to you to let you know that the Seducing the Myth cover is out in the wild! I just posted a blog post about it, along with the table of contents. You’re fully credited within the manuscript, too. It should be out within a few weeks.

YAY!!!!

So, go and have a look for yourselves, and see what my painting looks like now that it's a book cover!

And I'm so delighted to see that it has been well received so far, with the comments Lucy's had for it, which is really exciting to hear!

So, all in all,  it's been a good marine week! (I mean, of the salty variety, not the sailor sort!!)

Northern lights and frozen fingers

I feel refreshed. And hopefully, refreshing! :)

The reason? The weather, in part, and the stunning sights of North Yorkshire, the other part!

Bloody hell, its been windy this past week in Yorkshire. Windy enough to blow ALL the cobwebs away, for the seabirds to be flying backwards and for a short walk along the beach to be considered a daring feat that takes you 20 minutes to walk in one direction and five minutes to walk back, with the wind pushing you! It's been what I call a lazy wind - too lazy to go around you, it goes straight through!!!! Even with many layers, thick padded jacket, scarf and gloves!!!! But.... it was sunny too, so that was a real bonus, and meant that I could get some excellent photos. Because photos don't show the cold, just the scene.

I've been to Yorkshire before, but not the North Yorkshire coast, so was enthralled with the thought of going. Because, I know sooooooo many artists who have been to a certain part of it.... and stood in a certain place.... and taken photos of what they can see.............. and produced some stunning paintings of it........... and I wanted to go too!!!! I wanted to see what they had seen. And fulfil myself as an artist, so that the next time someone showed me a painting they had done of that place, I could nod and say "Yes, I've been there too!". And I think as an artist, that's important. I don't take holidays that entail lying on a beach gaining a suntan and reading a good book, I count my "holidays" as working breaks, going to places that I can learn some more to help me expand as an artist. Whether its to see artistic sights, or going to a place of learning with lots of good art galleries. And Yorkshire was no exception..............

Achingly beautiful countryside, very pretty in the early spring light, spring lambs frolicking around their mothers, short dull green grass, dry stone walls, bright yellow daffodils nodding gently in the breeze (or wind!) watery sunlight on bare bark, the branches of winter trees silhouetted against the deep blue of a clear sky, chocolate box stone cottages with finely manicured gardens, the purple of aubretia a blaze of colour against the walls, achingly beautiful village streams shining in the bright sunshine, as they flow continuously next to the main street, the hills rolling on, the barren moors awesome in their majestic beauty, the purple clouds high above, the heather a dead dull brown at this time of year, the gorse a blaze of yellow against the far hills, the deep valleys in shadow, and in the distance the blue of the sea stretching out to the horizon, as you draw closer and follow the rise and fall of the land, from cliff to perfectly flat sandy beach, rocks and rockpools of fossilised stone, and the sea full of white caps from the wind, the white foam pouring endlessly onto the beach, as the wind catches the ripples it makes and textures it in frantic pattern, and the golden sand whips along the flat beach in ghostly patterns of swirl as it rips past on its way to the sea................

You can tell, I was very taken with it!!!

But, every scene was one I could have painted. Endlessly! So many subjects to paint, so much to take in. And that's why I took a camera. To record it all. To capture the sights, so that I can capture the image at some point in a painting..... So many paintings I could paint.........

Here are a few of the views, so you can see what I'm talking about....

And the scene that all the artists I know have stood and seen? Its here.... in Staithes...... I had to climb up high to find it, but its all there, the quaint red tiled and blue slate roofs of the fishermen's cottages, the boats, the beck as it flows to the sea, the soaring cliffs and the bright blue sea in the distance, incredibly picturesque, isn't it? And thank goodness the sun was shining on it..... even if I did have to wear my thermals to get to see it!!!!! :)