With most days so far this year having rain, rain and yet more rain, it is not easy to do much in the way of watercolours out in the middle of nowhere, so this was done from memory and a pencil sketch in a pocket notebook drawn between showers. I paint from the comfort of the car sometimes but it is surprising just how many paintable scenes have absolutely nowhere to stop and pull over out of the way.

However, I count my blessings that I do not live in a place which has water flooding through the house, which is happening to all too many people in various parts of the country at the moment. It must be devastating. One’s own frustrations are insignificant in comparison.

After storm Ciara which mercifully caused little damage to our particular neck of the woods, it is good to see a little sunshine to accompany the wind instead of rain and hail.

This was painted from a small, wobbly, very watery scribble in a 5×3″ sketchbook while pausing in a very muddy gateway of a meadow.

It’s been a while since my last post. This has been due to a number of little things which have taken a long time to resolve – nothing major, just irritating.

 

Today I am housebound waiting for a tradesman I KNOW isn’t going to turn up, so I decided to cheer myself up by painting this bouquet of supermarket tulips. A little colour makes a lot of difference!

And so the year draws to a close..

A very Happy New Year to bloggers everywhere and may you have a healthy and productive 2020. See you there !

Finally I have found December. Sometimes there are just so many things happening there just isn’t enough time to do everything one wants to – not helped by the fact that there have been problems with our internet access.

So before I am submerged in the hurly- burly of the next week or so, I would like to wish everyone Season’s Greetings wherever you may be.

 

See you in 2020.

A beautiful dazzling Autumn day which despite the cold would be a lovely moment to go and find something to sketch the stunning colours – except we are expecting workmen who turn out to be the type who see no reason to tell us at what time they might be here, despite their hype-filled texts and emails promising otherwise. Instead I take the opportunity to catch up on paperwork and posting on WordPress..

Despite today’s sun, there has been a lot of rain recently though luckily not as devastating as places in Yorkshire where it is waist- deep, which must be soul destroying.

Here, the River Windrush which meanders lazily through our corner of the Cotswolds, has escaped its usual course and flows into the meadows at the lower end of the town of Burford which sits on a steep hill above.

The foreground water here is usually a green field.

 

7×11 ins. Watercolour on Saunders Waterford 140lb/300gsm CP paper

This is quite  a new barn  which while it was being constructed looked a bit of an eyesore, but now it is finished with saplings planted in front of it and bathed in autumn light, I think it fits into the landscape well.

Autumn/Fall is here. You can tell by the way one minute you are shielding your eyes from the blindingly low sun, and sheltering from a thunderstorm the next.

Also the start of a new term, and this year there is a new class in a new location with new students for me to meet and get to know.

A time of new beginnings. A time to stock up with materials and perhaps a good time to try a few new ones as well as the tried and tested.

So much to do, so many paintings I want to start, so many new projects, and NOW the days decide to get shorter ?