Painting outdoors with The National Trust.

I took a painting group of 9 out for two days last week as part of a National Trust working holiday.We were meant to have our first day on Tuesday, but it chucked it down. Thankfully, Wed. came up trumps with a lovely sunny day, but with a strong Westerly wind. So, we headed for the shelter of Lee Bay, tucked away on the North Coast, just a few miles away. It was beautiful, crisp clear light and a small tide, made for a great day's outdoor "plein-air painting".

The following day, Thursday,  we camped out on Marine Drive above the two mile stretch of Woolacombe Beach., which treated us to glorious views across the bay towards Woolacombe, Mortehoe and Morte Point.

These guys threw themselves into the painting challenges in front of them, with enthusiasm and good humour really surprising themselves with their finished oil painting studies. We had a great laugh, and the painter's all enjoyed the creative break after a working week on the coast with the National Trust.

If you fancy taking part in a holiday of this kind give Jonathan at The National Trust here in Woolacombe an email. We are going to run this working week / painting course holiday again next September, do you think that this is the kind of holiday that you would like?

Sea Mist

Despite the sea mist creeping in and out , I had a cracking day with Jack and Susan, they had booked a two day painting course. It turned out to be a good study in tonal values with the mist helping to emphasize atmospheric perspective.

The Well House

How do you fancy painting this fantastic scene?

My wife just treated me to a fantastic weekend at "The Well House". Fine dining and a super relaxing environment down on the South Cornish coast. A lovely old country house hotel that I can't recommend enough.

Richard and his staff were so friendly and accommodating, we instantly felt relaxed and at ease.

The seven course meal on the first night was to die for! Easily the best meal my wife and I have ever had!!
The views of the surrounding Cornish landscape , were absolutely beautiful. The cosy harbour villages of Looe, Polperro and Fowey are all close by. All full of gorgeous scenery waiting to be painted.

Check out The Well House here.

Do you fancy a painting break in the Cornish countryside , with the stunning coast on your doorstep?

Richard and I are planning a few oil painting workshops in his fantastic hotel for 2010.

Autumn

"Autumn Puts" a very changeable day, and a real feel for the change in season. Cooler, sun not so warm, and the colours changing. I painted this during the afternoon hours of friday's painting course that I taught.

Click here to bid.
A very pleased Ray Perry, with his morning painting, from his first painting workshop session. A treat for his 40th birthday. Ray was a star student , he picked up the techniques quickly and applied himself with enthusiasm all day. Coastal painting lessons.
The day finished up with another lovely sunset over Lundy.

New Swell

It's always a joy to see a new swell arrive. I was out teaching a painting workshop when these little lines started rolling in on Woolacombe Beach.

This painting is up for auction.

August Squalls

August squalls available to purchase from PPSURFART.

What a day, today was! Wind, squally rain, sun, everything got thrown at our painting group .

We started out up on Marine Drive, then bolted down to Combesgate as the tide dropped back and the wind picked up.

Mark, Felix and Emma painted their socks off.

as always ,painting outdoors all day was challenging , exhilarating and rewarding.

Low Tide

"Low Tide Woolacombe" this was a 14 x 10 inch oil on canvas I painted whilst teaching one of my outdoor oil painting lesson/workshop days last week. Strong summer light and a great wet beach as the tide dropped back.

For more details and booking info please visit " Coastal Painting Holidays".

This painting is for sale in " the JC Gallery" Braunton ,Devon.

Hot and Sunny

After yesterday's misty low cloud, it was a joy to wake to today's sisters 'Hot and Sunny".

Caroline was booked in on a painting lesson day and we set up on Marine Drive for a very pleasant day of outdoor plein air painting.

At the end of the day Caroline was so pleased with her paintings she promised herself an easel and a goal of painting the countryside of her Derbyshire home.

I love the palette photo, the range of colours look fantastic together.

Down on the Beach

Well the weather did it's best to stop us on the second day of our painting workshop.

Harry and the ladies braved the damp and we had a fun , productive afternoon on the beach. Here's Angela smiling from start to finish.

Harry & The Ladies

A baking hot summer's day today, with Angela, Maureen, Toni and her son Harry.

Great fun, good company and lots of colourful oil paintings.

Alison's Painting Day

Alison is a design lecturer, and enjoyed a blustery day with the painting school today.

She wanted to learn to paint outdoor with oils, so we went down to the beach to capture the rapidly changing light .

It certainly changed often, providing a great challenge to us.

Alison completed her first canvas before lunch with a good eye for colour and composition.

Her second canvas after lunch , was approached from a more closeup portrait view of the rocks in front of her.

Using a bigger brush , than she used on her first canvas, really seemed to work for Alison, and she proceeded to lay on thick oil colour in strong bold shapes. All the while experimenting with different brushstrokes and applications.

Ending up with a really good strong painting.

Click for more information on my paintcourses .

David's Painting Day

Yesterday, I spent a really enjoyable day, painting out on Marine Drive, with David.

His children had booked him on one of my Coastal Painting Holidays, as a treat for his birthday.

We had blue skies, hot sunshine and loads of laughs. David was great company and before we knew it the six hour day was coming to an end.

He produced two good oil paintings that he was happy with and the day lifted his creative spirit and prompted him to continue painting when he returned home.

One of the really satisfying aspects of the day was watching David immerse himself into his painting , enjoying himself and getting more and more confident as the day progressed.

Made even more gratifying as David has early stages of Parkinson's disease , and was coping well with the shaky hands and stiffness in his joints that accompany this.

Despite his condition, David was a tonic to be around his mood was positive , his conversation upbeat, and he really threw himself into doing his upmost best.

David's outlook was to not give in to his condition , but to raise himself up to the challenges that it brought to him.

I was really inspired by him and it gave me a real sense of pleasure to be able to share a day's painting with him.

Well done David! You are  an example to us all, not to give up but to pack as much into our lives as is possible.

Happy painting!