This type of building is really typical of a northern farm. A hundred years ago they must all have used the same blueprint. They seem to hug the landscape,  probably to keep out of the wind and rain.

Acrylic on deep edge canvas. 30 x 40 inches. Unframed.

Winter landscapes are more subdued than other seasons but that lets textures and the occasional bright colours sing out the in the final painting.  Dried grasses and distant trees give a velvety richness. The horizon provides a band of brightness that is the only [...]]]>

Acrylic on deep edge canvas. 30 x 40 inches. Unframed.

Winter landscapes are more subdued than other seasons but that lets textures and the occasional bright colours sing out the in the final painting.  Dried grasses and distant trees give a velvety richness. The horizon provides a band of brightness that is the only sign that somewhere the winter sun is shining.

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The quicker the sketch, the better sometimes. I wanted to catch the bright reflections and constant movement of the sea and the people

The North Beach at Whitby 2011. A watercolour from one of my very posh moleskine sketchbooks. Mind you, I ran out of water and ended up using lemonade to wet the paints. Shouldn’t call it a ‘watercolour’ really…

Here’s a photo of a portrait of @MrPaddyMcGrath. I’m about half way through – and this is the second version of the portrait. I lost my way with the first version, tried too hard to get a likeness at the expense of the freshness and life [...]]]>

Here’s a photo of a portrait of @MrPaddyMcGrath. I’m about half way through – and this is the second version of the portrait. I lost my way with the first version, tried too hard to get a likeness at the expense of the freshness and life of the painting. So this is a cleaner, fresher version. The trick, of course, is to know when to stop painting…

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I like the bit where the concrete powder falls off the surface of the painting. It’s industrial and dramatic! This next clip features a seemingly abandoned city…