I began this painting with expressive charcoal marks, moving quickly and instinctively. I mixed the paints and got started, I had a rough idea of how I wanted to start the brush marks but then it moves beyond that and it takes on its own energy.
Category: Gallery
Freeform, loose brushmarks
This mini painting began with loose charcoal marks. I used wide paintbrushes to be as expressive and free as possible.
Freedom
Freedom was painted around the time of the Winter Solstice. I moved while I imagined flowing rivers and looking through woodland into the sun, inky dark sky and stars are seen. There is an ending and a beginning. There is lightness and darkness. I’m proud of its luminous light. I love the movement and energy I captured.
Adventure
Adventure was painted at the same time as Freedom, around the Winter Solstice.
Invigorate
I took forward ideas and brushmarks from my previous paintings and mixed a dark grey again. I began with a circle form. I worked out colour by colour while the acrylic paint is wet, layering, spontaneously merging and mixing on the canvas, moving the brush slowly and purposefully to connect the paint with the canvas.
Explosion
In the early stages of this painting my children said it looked like slither.io (a video game) and so it developed. The yellow came in from explosions in video games; and often with my work there is textiles feel and rainbow colours.
Red Roses
I created this painting in September when the rose bush was in full bloom. I tried a new technique, dribbling ink across the canvas to create a web of rose stems, which looks very ‘climbing’ rose. I really like the end result, it has a dark, gothic feel.
Pale Pink Roses
This was an exciting experiment in discordant colours, which are colour combinations that contrast, clash, or “fight” rather than harmonize. Yep, got that! I also wanted it to be a simple multi-directional composition. I used painted newsprint for the stems which is surprisingly difficult to control. I love the unexpected result.
Winter Pansies
Who doesn’t love purple and blue pansies? The rich colours and velvety texture; nature is wonderful. I love how this has come together. I did a lot of work studying the distinctive foliage ‘clusters’ and feel happy with the form and how the leaves have blended into the inky, textured background to give depth. The colours are so fresh and bright.
Autumn Leaves
This is a view of looking down at newly fallen hawthorn leaves on the ground, the incredible surface pattern with pops of red, orange and yellow. I went to town on a dark, moody Turner-esque inky background to give depth, and because the actual ground was the tarmac of a kids’ playground. Creativity strikes anytime!
Winter Pansy
I’d been exploring darker, moody, Autumn colours and I really needed a blast of rainbow colours. I have created three paintings inspired by the winter pansies planted in my gravel pot garden which have flowered throughout the change of seasons.
Cream Roses
I love this all-over-design on handcut board featuring cream roses; the composition is influenced by my past life as a textile design student. I enjoy reusing and recycling materials and incorporating everyday life into my paintings; I printed these rose stems with Amazon packaging. Great texture!
Winter Pansies
This is the second of three paintings inspired by the winter pansies planted in my gravel pot garden which are brightening up Autumn.
Lavender IV
Lavender IV is a composition study from Lavender I, an area of the painting I particularly liked and wanted to work into a small-size abstract painting on handcut board.
Lavender III
Lavender III describes a scene from the front of the Old School House, the railings and flowering lavender hedge create a strong line and perspective, drawing you into the scene. The colours are vibrant purple, lilac, green, lime and turquoise.
Lavender II
Lavender II is a experiment with abstract and scale. The marks describe the lines and movement of the lavender hedge which fronts the Old School House. Deep blue, purple and lilac flowing across blues, greens and pops of lime green. It is painted on a large, deep edge canvas.
Lavender I
Lavender I was inspired by the lavender hedge I planted along the old school railings fronting the house; the smell is divine and the bees adore it. I experimented with different backgrounds with this series. Lavender I is harmonious pinks and purples with unexpected pops of lime green.
Sunflowers II
Sunflowers II is another sizzling juxtaposition of cool and warm colours inspired by a favourite summer bloom. This piece was an experiment with a smaller composition.
Sunflowers I
Sunflowers I was a spontaneous wild ride into discordant colours influenced by the colours in a children’s story book my daughter loves called Handa’s Surprise by Eileen Browne. Colour doesn’t get much more hot and sizzling than this. I love it!
Strawberry Flowers
Strawberry Flowers was inspired by the fresh spring garden at Old School House Art; the excitement of seeing strawberry flowers popping out and anticipating the juicy red berries to come. The colour palette is a cool, fresh and zingy green, white and yellow with a little added sparkle.