2017 Calendar!

Hello folks - I completely forgot to tell all you PB Blog readers about my Calendar! It's big, at A3 size, with fourteen A4 sized images - a front cover, one image for each month, and a back cover - just five images shown here as examples. I still have plenty left, so if any of you want one, you can buy via Paypal here: http://www.peterbarkerfineart.co.uk/shop/viewcategory.php?groupid=40 or call me at the gallery on 01572 868460 between 11-4.30, or if you live near enough, just come in to the gallery to avoid postage, for just £13.50.

Serenity by the Nene

Oil on Board, 6 x 8 inches

By one of my favourite stretches of river again, the River Nene, where it loops via a weir around for about a mile and back to the main river.  It's a gorgeous part of the countryside, with the occasional new Willow sprouting up each year, taking the place of one of its fallen brothers and sisters.

These close-toned subjects are a nice change to paint, with muted shades of greys and dull greens and ochres. 

Murky Light

Oil on Board, 7.5 x 10 inches

Sometimes, the softness of murky light, with the sun not quite breaking through the cloud, is great to paint. No flashy, blazing light, but a calmness of tones abound. I loved the pale blue tone of the distant Willows, immediately giving depth to the painting. Pitching this colour correctly is so important - if it's too dark, everything else is thrown out of kilter, so as ever, the tone is absolutely paramount. 

Wild Wood Sundown

Oil on Board, 6 x 8 inches

Wild Wood is the name of this wood, part of Bedford Purlieus, a huge native wood near my studio. Beech trees are my particular favourite to paint, because the trunks have a smooth, greenish hue to them, and the forest floor is decked with a deep carpet of crunchy, rust-coloured leaves, which is a joy to paint with thick impasto dabs of paint, almost giving the painting a 3D quality.

The light was nearly gone with spotlights of yellow-orange through the distant blue trees.  This is such a glorious time of year to paint - still Autumnal colours abound, with mists and beautiful distant blue-greys, oh yes!