Landscape Gallery

545 Fifth Ave (Oil on Canvas)  (24″ x 16″)   This image was taken from my collection of sketches and photographs of my New York trip of a few years ago. I found it whilst looking through old material, and wondered … Read More

Much as I admire the scenery, indeed am inspired by and in awe of it, I find it most difficult to paint. It’s not a landscape that I instinctively have sympathy with when it comes to colour and brushwork.

I repainted parts of this several times, in particular the large tree laden hill in the middle ground. Now that I’s complete I’m reasonably happy with it, in fact very happy with the water and foreground.

This view is just a short hop along from the painting titled ‘Braithwaite’. I imagine you could almost patch them together as you do with photographs.

I was particular;y pleased with the foreground painting on this one, and the brush marks and tones seemed to work well for me. But once again it’s the distance that I feel, lets me down. This time I feel that perhaps the treatment is a bit too thin; but that’s just my opinion. I am never satisfied with what I paint.

This is one that came from the Lincolnshire sketch book of a few years ago. I did a series of water colour sketches, with pen and ink, of the inner workings of an old flour mill. This was one of them, and I chose this as a first attempt at a print as it was probably the easiest composition,

I haven’t done any block printing for years and had been keen for some time to try it again. The catalyst was seeing a new style press for sale, which I duly bought, along it a new supply of inks and cutters and other items needed to make a start.

Boston (USA) street scene  (12′ x 16′  Unframed) (Oil on canvas)

It’s several years now since my trip to New York and Boston, and whist I did several New York oils, I only did one small acrylic of Boston, that being the Girder Bridge.

I returned to the album to see if there was anything that took my interest, and immediately wondered why I hadn’t previously selected this view to paint. I love the Colonial architecture of this part of the old town and the steep streets that rise and fall, adding great interest to the views as you look over the brow.

Bristol Docks (2). ( oil on canvas)  ( 15 inches x 10 inches Unframed) This is the third, and possibly the last painting resulting from my trip to Bristol, and this is the second of the marine images I have … Read More

Oil on Canvas  (Unframed) This painting was taken from some of the images I collected on last year’s trip down the River Danube. I loved the City of Budapest, and the Indoor Market ticked all the ‘painterly’ boxes for me. I … Read More

Acrylic on Board. (Unframed) (40.5cm x 26.2cm) Budleigh Salterton, in Devon, holds particular memories for me. When I moved to Exeter in 1974 Budleigh was the first place I visited. It was on a Sunday in January, the day was … Read More

When I saw this view from the end of Buttermere, I immediately visioned it as a potential painting. The view was scenic, well balanced and had good colour. I liked the water with its reflections, and overall I looked forward to painting it.

I’m disappointed. It started well enough and I am very happy with the sky and background hills, but the foliage gave me enormous trouble. I repainted it countless times and still didn’t get what I was after. Following on from that everything else was drab and unsatisfactory. I found myself duabng and dabbling rather than painting..

This is the most recent picture of Salisbury and by way of a change a view of the busy Market Square on a warm summer’s afternoon. It has a definite continental feel to it, with outside seating and umbrellas. I sat and sipped my cappuccino as I recorded the scene.

I tried very hard to paint this with subdued tones, I often see cafe scenes painted in gaudy and garish bright colours, and I wanted to avoid this. I think that’s worked. I was also quite pleased with the brush marks in some places. Overall I sense it’s worked though not entirely what I was aiming for, but is it ever?

I thought that I had done the last of the Cambridge series. I took a trip to Cambridge well over a year ago, possibly two years, I forget. As a result I did a few paintings of the city. Then I came upon this one, and decided to include it. I think it’s opposite King’s College, I’m not sure. Possibly someone will tell me.

When I painted this it felt like two separate pictures. I spent an age working the upper part of the picture, spending much time on the detail of brickwork and plastered walls. I left the busier lower part of the painting for later.

This is a view of Carwardines on the corner of Fisherton Street.

I have painted this before from the opposite angle, but I think this makes for a more interesting composition.  I liked the palette on this one, and the brushwork was also pleasing.

I feel it caught the atmosphere of a warm day wandering in the city.

Coast of West Scotland  Acrylic on Acrylic Board  (36 cm x 24 cm approx)  (Unframed) This was taken from images from a trip to Western Sotland several years ago. I cannot remember exactly where it is, maybe Seal Island, but … Read More

Cottages in Old Gorleston Painted by Frank Callaghan. (Acrylic on Acrylic Board) (Circa A3) (Unframed) This is another from the series of paintings worked from the Gorleston sketch book. When I saw this row of houses or cottages, in the … Read More