Eating and Wearing

Grunt of the Day : Eating and Wearing : A giraffe today trying to change my approach and try something different each day....I like the idea of this giraffe wearing a hat of flowers and eating them...much like my 'still lifes'

Another Stonechat

Tweet of the Day : Another Stonechat : There was something about the first Stonechat that didn't work for me so I'm having another go....I think it was the background...iy was it's natural habitat but, to me , It didn't work well.....so there is attempt two....for you...

House Sparrows

Tweet of the Day : House Sparrows : We have a nest of these little fellows in our roof...they have been coming here for years..our family in London haven't seen one for a long while. Noisy and gregarious, these cheerful exploiters of man's rubbish and wastefulness, have managed to colonise most of the world. The ultimate avian opportunist perhaps. Monitoring suggests a severe decline in the UK house sparrow population, recently estimated as dropping by 71 per cent between 1977 and 2008 Some signs of recovery recently…..

Don't forget The Hampshire Open Studios last weekend… my studio is open today and for he rest of the weekend including  Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Black-Headed Gull

Tweet of the Day : Black-Headed Gull : . Black-headed gulls are sociable, quarrelsome, noisy birds, usually seen in small groups or flocks, often gathering into larger parties where there is plenty of food, or when they are roosting….watch out for your ice creams .....on the beach.

Don't forget The Hampshire Open Studios last weekend… my studio is open today and for he rest of the weekend including  Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Shouting at the Storm

Tweet of the Day : Shouting at the Storm....The Great Black Backed Gull : Try saying that after a few lemonades....when you see one of these close up you'll be amazed at the size....they seem quite small when flying around...but close up ....enormous .....This one is shouting at the storm coming it doesn't seem to like it……a very large, thick-set black-backed gull, with a powerful beak. Adults are blacker than the smaller lesser black-backed gull. It has a heavy flight and can look quite hunched when perched. It will fight off other gulls and chase them to snatch food.

 Don't forget The Hampshire Open Studios last weekend… my studio is open today and for he rest of the weekend including  Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Coot

Tweet of the Day: a Coot: Quite common in our local pond....great fun to see the chicks in the Springtime All-black and larger than its cousin, the moorhen, it has a distinctive white beak and 'shield' above the beak which earns it the title 'bald'. Its feet have distinctive lobed flaps of skin on the toes, which act instead of webs when swimming. It patters noisily over the water before taking off and can be very aggressive towards others.

We open again for our second weekend  today,  this painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event continuing over the weekend  and every day through Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Magpie

Tweet of the Day : The Magpie :With its noisy chattering, black-and-white plumage and long tail, there is nothing else quite like the magpie in the UK. When seen close-up its black plumage takes on an altogether more colourful hue with a purplish-blue iridescent sheen to the wing feathers, and a green gloss to the tail. Magpies seem to be jacks of all trades - scavengers, predators and pest-destroyers, their challenging, almost arrogant attitude has won them few friends. Non-breeding birds will gather together in flocks….yes...boo!

Although closed today,  this painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event continuing next weekend of Friday 26^th August and every day through Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Brambling

Tweet of the Day : The Brambling : Similar in size and shape to the chaffinch, the male has a black head in summer, and an orange breast with white belly. In flight it shows a long white rump. Gregarious in winter, it may form flocks of many thousands and often joins with chaffinches. Numbers can vary between winters depending on food supplies.​

Although closed today,  this painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event continuing next weekend of Friday 26^th August and every day through Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Reed Bunting

Tweet of the Day : Reed Bunting :Sparrow-sized but slim and with a long, deeply notched tail, the male has a black head, white collar and a drooping moustache. Females and winter males have a streaked head. In flight the tail looks black with broad, white edges.
Although closed today,  this painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event continuing next weekend of Friday 26^th August and every day through Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Autumn Dog Walk

It seems too early to be talking about Autumn..but to os cold this morning which made me think about it…so it's coming….and this is only a painting of it…..so come and see my exhibition…

This painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event starting at the weekend of 20^th August and the following weekend including the Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Mandarin Duck

Tweet of the Day : Gently Forward : The Mandarin Duck: Had to stretch the paint box a bit to do this one, so much colour.. and with a reflection too..... but well worth the effort I think...The mandarin duck, or just mandarin, is a perching duck species found in East Asia. It is medium-sized. As the other member of the genus Aix, it is closely related to the North American wood duck. We are open today….come and visit us…

This painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event starting at the weekend of 20^th August and the following weekend including the Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Dipper

T​weet of the Day : The Dipper : A short-tailed, plump bird with a low, whirring flight. When perched on a rock it habitually bobs up and down and frequently cocks its tail. Its white throat and breast contrasts with its dark body plumage. It is remarkable in its method of walking into and under water in search of food usually up stream. Todays the day….all starting now…This painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event starting today and the following weekend including the Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

I think I can hear the queues forming……or is that the rain…..??

Another Dartford Warbler

Tweet of the Day : Another Dartford Warbler : It's always interesting to do another version of a painting you have uploaded. I always look at them and think "you know that would great if I'd thought of viewing it from a different angle"....and so it goes. I like the over all shape of this one, and the colour.

This painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event starting at the weekend of 20^th August and the following weekend including the Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you tomorrow !

Marsh Tit

Tweet of the Day: The Marsh Tit : This is a small, mainly brown bird, with a shiny black cap, dark 'bib' and pale belly. In the UK its identification is made tricky by the very similar appearance of our race of willow tit. They're so hard to identify that ornithologists didn't realise there were two species until 1897!….so there!

This painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event starting at the weekend of 20^th August and the following weekend including the Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Moon Red

Colour of the Day : Moon Red : I was experimenting with tones of colour and as I had too much red on the pallet I tried a red sky…I liked the look f it and decided to leave it thus…This painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event starting at the weekend of 20^th August and the following weekend including the Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Wren

Tweet of the Day: The Wren : Voted fourth in Britain's national bird contest, just pipping the red kite. Wrens are stocky, restless birds that are easily recognised by their rich brown plumage and short cocked tail which they flick repeatedly.This painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event starting at the weekend of 20^th August and the following weekend including the Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Wren

Tweet of the Day: Humorous Wren...do birds have a sense of humour? I'm sure they do...this one must be just having fun...I think he could have landed quite normally standing with both feet on the lower reed....but ...oh no...if there was a chance to show off he was going to take it...maybe to impress a female wren...I used a bigger format of 8 x 8 inches to paint the extra reeds and give him a more stage like setting to display his skills…I think it works...

This painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event starting at the weekend of 20^th August and the following weekend including the Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Blackbird

Tweet of the Day: The Blackbird : Number three in the British National Bird vote being usurped by Harry Potter fans at the last moment...The common blackbird is a species of true thrush. It is also called Eurasian blackbird, or simply blackbird where this does not lead to confusion with a similar-looking local species.This painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event starting at the weekend of 20^th August and the following weekend including the Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Bradford Warbler

Tweet of the Day : Dartford Warbler:is a typical warbler from the warmer parts of western Europe and northwestern Africa. Its breeding range lies west of a line from southern England to the heel of Italy….that all I know of this delightful creature ….it may be enough… This painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event starting at the weekend of 20^th August and the following weekend including the Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Yellowhammer

Tweet of the Day : Yellowhammer ; The yellowhammer is a passerine bird in the bunting family that is native to Eurasia and has been introduced to New Zealand.... it says in my bird book...passerine?.... something to do with their toes and the gripping of their perch....you learn something new every day.This painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event starting at the weekend of 20^th August and the following weekend including the Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Wren

Tweet of the Day: Another Wren: No excuse I just wanted to paint another wren as they are such delightful birds. their upright tails are ideal for the square format of a 6 x 6 inch painting.This painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event starting at the weekend of 20^th August and the following weekend including the Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

The Last Leaf

Landscape of the last leaf…it is the end of the year and Autumn is upon us…the leaves are dropping and covering the ground of our forests…here we have found the last one still clinging to it's branch trying to keep Winter at bay…he's on a looser there! This and a lot more paintings are to be found in my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios starting 20th August 2016

…hope to see you there.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Tweet of the Day: Great Spotted Woodpecker : A rare visitor to our bird feeder but in the colder weather he'll be there pecking away at the odd nut.....The great spotted woodpecker is a bird species of the woodpecker family. It is distributed throughout Europe and northern Asia, and usually resident year-round except in the colder parts of its range…..hence his winter visits...

Barn Owl

Tweet of the Day : Another Barn Owl ; I wanted to have another go at painting another Barn Owl just for the fun of it as I didn't like the background of the first effort..this time an owl at dusk... The sun is going down and the owl are getting ready to go a hunting....I also like their faces….This painting will be part of my Hampshire Open Studios show ..starting on 20th August 2016.

Three Mates

Fruit of the Day : Three mates : The lonely apple of yesterday has been joined by two green mates...' oh good' says red ' I didn't like it in the dark' 'you'll be safe with us 'says green 'come a little more into the dark....' 'aren't you afraid of the dark' asked red 'oh no' says green ' have to heard of the term 'mugging'? no says red what does it mean….come a little more in the dark and we'll tell you......

Moody Apple

I Look Down On Him….

Fruit of the Day : I look down on him….: This is quote from a very old sketch from a TV comedy show...too complicated to go into now....still playing with the dark against light and light against dark for this one.

Flowers and Apple

Fruit of the Day : Flowers and Apple : Trying to arrange light against dark and dark against light…good to have a strong side light it does help a lot..

Sunlit Satsuma

Fruit of the Day : Sunlit Satsuma : Having a change of fruit is saving me a run on my "apple" red paint …  know it's better to mix ones colours rather than straight out of the tube..but with this orange I got a little lazy as the paint is exactly the colour of the orange I had......so....also it's good to get back to just one fruit at a time and paint a really big painting of one single fruit ....

Sleepover

Fruit of the Day : Sleepover : I must work on my laying out the fruit a bit more....this oops as if it has been thrown together with out a thought of composing. My wife Jill did put them down casually but I spent some time rearranging them to look good…but it doesn't seem to work...it was better first time round.

On Guard

Fruit of the Day : On Guard : Two grapes guarding the apple in our shed...I decided to paint here as the light was so good and low leaving great long shadows...I was not very inventive about the composition...so it looked like two guards and the apple....there was a great empty space on the top right so I painted in the wire that was hanging there and the bottle to help with the problem ....I hope it worked.