Towards Falmouth Docks

Pastel on Clairfontaine Pastelmat, 9 x 13 inches

As I still had my Pastels spread out on my enormous palette (a long piece of wood) after painting Ruffin, I thought I would do this little study from a trip to St.Anthony's head in Cornwall last September.

Pastels are a bit fiddly on this scale with this sort of subject, with blunt little stubs to manouevre around, but I quite enjoyed the looseness of the water. Being a dull day, there was little light casting any interesting sparkles and shadows on the vista, so the close tones had to be carefully observed, a little more difficult with the dry medium.

Ruffin

 Pastel on Clairefontaine Pastelmat, 12 x 9 inches

I rarely do pet portraits these days, but this is Ruffin, and he is a surprise present. Ruffin is a Border Terrier and is very much a typical member of the breed, with a rugged, scruffy coat, boundless energy and packed with the sheer indomitable spirit of being alive on this planet.  This is what I desperately wanted to capture with this painting and I think I've just about got him.

Swans by the Bridge

Oil on Board, 12 x 17 inches SOLD

This is the final painting destined for the Marine House Gallery stand at the Hong Kong Affordable Art Fair.  

I never tire of painting Swans, and this family group were particularly appealing, the juveniles' plumage echoing the frosted vegetation beautifully.  The dark band of tone on the top right section is actually the embankment of the 'new' concrete bridge over the River Welland at Duddington in Rutland, with the ancient, handsome bridge in the mid distance.  Although ugly in itself, the new bridge cast a nice shadow over the water, with the low morning sun just peaking over the top of it, reflected here in the water, breaking up the area.  As you all know who read this highly entertaining Blog, I love painting the effect of pure sunlight, especially on water, so this was right up my street, or stream...

When you have a river that traverses across the picture plane, there is always the danger of the eye flying out of the picture, but the tree branches on the top left poke the gaze back and the ducks invite you through the bridge arches.  Another bit of the painting I loved depicting was the sunlit steam hovering over the water before the old bridge, achieved mostly with the paint wet, but with a little drybrush afterwards.

Late Autumn Reedmace

Oil on Board, 6 x 8 inches SOLD

I don't know why Blogger is publishing photographs with much more saturation than from my file, but if it appears that way on your screen, I can assure you the painting looks a lot less colourful than here! A far better, more accurate photo (from the same file) can be seen by clicking on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peter-Barker-ARSMA/269278856450128 

NB...I've changed my settings and turned off Google's 'auto-enhance' button, so the photo is now more accurate (thanks to Andy for the tip!)

I rather liked the jaunty angles of the Reedmace with their characteristic long brown seedheads - often wrongly called Bullrushes, which look totally different. The seedheads release their fluffy cream cotton wool-like seeds, rather like Dandelions. 

I quite enjoyed painting the woodland in the background, with a lot of the warm colours of Autumn, but quite a bit of blue and white in the mixes to make the wood recede. Sadly, in the photo here, those subtly blued tones don't appear, so I urge you to look on my FB page to see that I haven't got cataracts!

Willows in the Fog

Oil on Board, 6 x 8 inches

I find painting trees in fog the most difficult thing to achieve convincingly. It's the subtly close tones where the tree tops almost disappear into the mist that makes it so tricky - you really have to pay very close attention to get these right. I used my finger a lot to smudge where appropriate.

This is almost a monochrome landscape, with just three colours used, plus white, in varying combinations.  Although painting trees in fog is very tricky, I adore painting frosty ground, using my 1" household brush to get the texture required.  It's actually a little more challenging on this small scale, but still the big brush does the bulk of the work, just with more of a deft touch required Luckily, being a very young man......I'm able to wield it with aplomb...ahem. 

Warm Spring Sunset

Oil on Board, 6 x 8 inches

Here's today's effort.  The gallery wanted a sunset painting, so this should fit the bill. 

I find the tones of landscape sunsets quite tricky to get right.  As I've said before, we artists only have Titanium White as the brightest, lightest colour in our arsenal, not anywhere near as bright as the sun itself when looking straight into it.  So, you have to employ some tricks, by toning down the surrounding sky tones to give the sun sufficient punch in a painting. The tones of the landscape must be paid close attention to too - not too dark that they are appear almost black, but not too light to compete with the toned-down sky colours.  Just about made it!

Slim Pickings

Oil on Board, 6 x 8 inches SOLD

This is the second of the four little paintings for Devon.  It's a view in my village from last February, the group of farm buildings making a pleasing composition with the backdrop of trees and the gorgeous old Willow on the left.  Being predominantly a bluish monochrome landscape, the lovely rich red-brick barn provided the perfect foil of warmth to the picture.  I included the two horses for a bit of life, one munching on the little patch of grass and the other sunning himself against the barn in the thin sunlight. The flooded foreground finally gave some nice reflections for added interest.

Summer Water

 Oil on Board, 6 x 8 inches

 

Here's the first painting of 2014 off the press - a little one of four needed by my Devon Gallery.  A summer scene just down the road from me by the River Welland which meanders through the Rutland countryside.  Won't be that long now before the green shoots appear - probably the kiss of death!

Christmas Present!

Oil on Board, 8 x 10 inches

Here's a little painting I did for my darling Jane for Christmas.  It's her eldest daughter Milena with her son Remi having fun on the beach in Spain.  I had to do this one surreptitiously so Jane knew nothing about it, having been asked if I would do it many months ago.  Tears flowed on Christmas day as she opened it - no, not because she thought it was awful!

And here's one of her looking very coy climbing over a stile after walking off some festive nosh.

and here's one of yours truly using an unusual cushion after another festive feast...

Yesterday was my birthday, a big one between 50 and 70 (obviously there's some terrible error on my birth certificate), and we had a lovely meal at a pub, paid for by my dear brother (many years older...) and sister-in-law...nom nom!

Autumn near Lyndon

Oil on Board, 9 x 12 inches

Firstly, I should say a big thank you to you all for reading my Blog over the past year and I hope you're all enjoying your festive break. And if you've only just joined, where have you been?

The painting above I did as a demonstration piece a few weeks ago to the Oundle Art Society.  On the day, I had forgotten to bring my big 1" household brush, but a lady in the audience very kindly loaned me her pastry brush, which I made do with and enabled me to paint in the foliage.  Not having painted anything for over a week, I checked back in the studio today and refined the painting a little with my trusty 1" brush.

Here's the painting on the day, showing how far I got in the allotted two hours using the pastry brush:

New Gallery

My work can be seen in a new venue for me, at the Norton Way Gallery in Letchworth.  If you need that extra last minute classy present for your beloved, one of these recent paintings just might fit the bill if you live near the area. Details at: http://www.nortonwaygallery.com/Artists/PeterBarker/Index.htm 

My work can also be seen at: 
http://www.john-noott.com/artist/barker-arsma~peter/barker-arsma~peter.php
http://www.marinehouseatbeer.co.uk/catalog/artist.php?artistid=208&galleryid=17 
http://www.littlepicturesmousehole.co.uk/pete_barker.html 
http://www.peterbarkerpaintings.co.uk/shop/viewcategory.php?groupid=132
http://www.peterbarkerpaintings.co.uk/shop/viewcategory.php?groupid=8  
http://www.peterbarkerpaintings.co.uk/shop/viewcategory.php?groupid=4

ROI Paint Evening

 Kit, Oil on Board, 16 x 12 inches

Here's my effort from the ROI Paint Evening on Tuesday, where loads of artists were crammed together, painting from three models around the gallery.  There was a remarkable hush in the room right from the word go, punctuated by swishes of brushes being cleaned in the white spirit cans and the odd whispered tones from the spectators milling around, weaving between tripod and easel legs.  I found it a tricky experience, being too far from the model to see any detail in the face.  Hence, my version of Kit took on a rather 'plasticky' look about it, albeit a decent enough likeness, but I promised to post it, so here it is, warts and all. On reflection, I think I would have been better to have painted a full length portrait, showing an overall impression.

Kit himself found it a rather difficult exercise too, periodically dropping off, his eyes taking on a heavier look and his head changing angle! 

 Here's a snap I took at the mid-session break, with my friend David Pilgrim's painting to the left of mine and Haidee Jo Summers a couple of yards in front.

Here's another view to my right showing many more setups scattered about...

and another to my left during the break.

Self Portrait ll

 Oil on Board, 12 x 9 inches

Tomorrow I'm going to the ROI Paint Event evening in London, where I shall be mixing with fellow painters, to paint from three different models in front of an assembled audience.  So today I thought I would flex my painting muscles for a practise go, as I've barely painted anything for ages, let alone a PORTRAIT!  I had to paint from a somewhat unwilling and diffident model, with a rather fixed, serious gaze...

Using a mirror perched precariously on top of a paint tin on top of a shelf, resting against a pot of tall brushes, I set to, standing up, holding the brush at arms length to rough in the outline of this devilishly handsome brute.  Looking slightly upwards at my reflection avoided seeing my increasing bald patch, thus appearing to have a full head of luxurious locks.  I'm reasonably happy with the result, although I'd like to do a less serious pose of myself.  Doing anything else but a serious-looking pose of oneself is very difficult, because you have to concentrate on the painting, whilst doubling up as the model.  To switch from concentration to something else every few seconds is next to impossible.  I'd like to rig up two or three mirrors sometime in order to paint myself from a sideways-on profile, just to ring the changes.

Anyway, I look forward to tomorrow's gig, and will post my effort from the night very soon... 

ROI Private View

I spent today at the ROI Private View at the Mall Galleries in London. Despite none of my submissions being accepted this year, it's still a great show and well worth a visit if you're in London!

It's always a good day, catching up with friends and colleagues Haidee-Jo Summers, David Pilgrim, Graham Webber, David Curtis, Adebanji Alade, Keith Wilkinson and others, and talking shop, and having a good old gander at the superb work on display.  The show was officially opened by the new President of the ROI, Ian Cryer and the ever exuberantly verbose Dr David Starkey.

It was especially good to finally meet and chat with one of my all-time painting heroes, Pete 'The Street' Brown, who picked up yet another award. When Adebanji Alade asked Pete if he could take a photo of him in front of his paintings, I took advantage and got a snap too, above.

I shall endeavour to take a few more photos when it's a little less busy next Tuesday when I and many more artists, some ROI members and some not, will be painting from three models, live, from 6-9pm in the annual Art Event Evening. Tickets at £8 to watch the event, can be obtained from http://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/index.php?pid=374

Glorious Snow

Oil on Board, 10 x 14 inches

Well, my silence is broken!  No doubt you've all been wondering where on earth I've been since nearly a month ago.  I've not been taking a holiday - in fact, my feet have hardly touched the ground.  My new custom-built studio is up at the bottom of the garden, it's been painted and now all I've got to do is get a path put in to get to it across what was the lawn and is now bare earth and mud. 

I've also been looking very, very seriously at opening a new gallery in the area, selling fine art by some of the country's finest painters.  In my opinion, the area is crying out for a gallery that sells modern fine art, not abstract-leaning 'contemporary' art, and there is a gap in the market that I intend to fill, so watch this space...any thoughts would be much appreciated.

 

I've also done a couple of demonstration paintings in the last month, and this one above is one of them, given at Oadby Society of Artists last Monday.

 

This was largely an exercise in tonal relationships.  As I said to the lovely group in Oadby, this is a classic case of painting what you see, not what you know, ie., we know snow is white, but looking into the sun with a river meandering through, the snow is NOT the lightest part of the landscape.  I placed pure Titanium White for the reflection of the sunlight straight away, to give me the brightest part of the painting to work up to, everything else being a tone down from this intense light.  Most of the snow was in shadow, so the colours were various tones of lilac, and the sunlit parts have a little red and blue in the mix, so as not to compete with that intense light on the water.

 

Painting under artificial tungsten light, as well as my daylight bulb was a challenge, and the colours were a little off after the two hours demo, as can be seen in the photo below, which is as far as I got on the evening.  So, a couple of hours were needed back in the studio, refining the tones and colours.