Chelsea Art Society this week! Pastel Society and painting on the Mall

It's been a busy few weeks with my studio show and this glorious weather.  London has never looked so vibrant and colourful.  I have been on the Mall again to revel in the strong colours and light

I also pastelled the procession of the State Opening of Parliament and the Trooping of the Colour - you have to be very quick! I really enjoyed the pure colours and light of the household cavalry, aiming for the general impression, rather than the specific. 

I also remembered to bring a box to stand on!

I also been looking for new material and went to Highgate hill - I made a few studies and will be back for more - when I have mastered the parking. It's somewhere completely different and the views are breathtaking.

It's also been a busy time for shows! Chelsea Art Society this week www.chelseaartsociety.org.uk/ on the Town Hall, King's road, Chelsea and I have a Varanasi pastel in the Pastel Society on the Mall, http://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/

Sunrise paintings at Studio Show and Spririt of Summer, Olympia with Surface ICA coming up!

It's been a busy few weeks, organising my studio show at Wimbledon Art Studios 15-18th May (www.wimbledonartstudios.co.uk/open-studios/next-show/).  Work is at the framers and new cards and postcards are being processed. 

It will be an exciting show for me - the new work from Varanasi, with the hot, dazzling colours will be up together for the first time. I am particularly thrilled with the sunrise pieces. There will be 2 sequences of 3 different stages of sunrises, framed in groups which is a new departure for me.  I learned more from painting those sunrises than anything else.  It always amazes me that there are 2 free lightshows every day: I never fail to wonder at light and the rhythm of life.

This group of 3 is in pastel.  The group of nine oil sketches will be much bigger.  This is a rough idea of how it will look

I am also thrilled to be exhibiting with Surface ICA at the Spririt of Summer Exhibition in Olympia which is also on 15-17th May.  They will be showing my blossom work in St James' Park and London pastels.  For further details please see www.surfaceica.com

 

Adventures in colour in Varanasi 1

I arrived back in London over a fortnight ago and still digesting the dazzling and wonderful colours, movement and light that India has in copious amounts!

Varanasi from the Ganges

It is the most inspiring of places and I was lucky enought to be with the most inspiring group of painters. 

Varanasi was electric; I have described it as sticking your fingers into a plug socket! The energy is extraordinary; colour is bright and harmonies and clashes unexpected.

Crowds, Prayag Ghat, Varanasi

You can never expect anything to stay still for long and have to make decisions fast!

By the Rashmi Guest House

I will be putting up the work in a series of different blogs but here is a selection:

Flags and Crowds, Dasaswamedh Ghat

Bathing , Prayag,  Varanasi

Washing and railings, Prayag Ghat

Work post India. London Spring and Chelsea football

The painting trip to Varanasi has sharpened me up to the colours of London! I was lucky enough to arrive back just as spring was beginning.  Spring brings very subtle colours and I've been seeking out the electric, bright ones in the spectrum.

On Saturday I pastelled the Chelsea crowds at Stamford Bridge.  The light was fantastic and the blues on the Souvenir stand were magnificent

Chelsea Match Day, Crowds Arriving

The noise from the stands as Chelsea scored 6-nil win was deafening.  Nothing could prepare me for the crowds leaving the stadium into the brightly lit Fulham road.  It was rather quieter than I was expecting but the atmosphere was fantastic.

Crowds leaving the stadium, Stamford Bridge

The light in march has been good and there have been some great sunrises and sunsets.

First light, Old Church Street, Chelsea

Bolton Gardens, Earls Court, late afternoon

Even when the light is dull and fading, the flowers glow.

Narcissi, Kensington Palace, Late Afternoon

 Daffodils, Tite Street

This is the small board I have done for Wimbledon Art Studios open show in May www.wimbledonartstudios.co.uk

Back from India!

Work from Varanasi to follow - what an incredible place!

London at Christmas, Medici Winter Show

A long time has passed since my last blog - it's been perhaps the busiest I have known in my painting life - I have participated in five shows, from Medici in Cork street to my Wimbledon studio show.  It's been a great and inspiring autumn too - the light has been superb and I have been out and about loitering under lamp posts working away.

A selection of Regent street lights will be in the Medici Winter Show, Cork Street 10 December - 30 January  (www.medicigallery.co.uk/next_show.htm)

 I  am working on a series of Christmas lights at the moment in the run up to Christmas.  London is ablaze with dazzling colour and looks glorious.  One of the advantages is the constant light, which just doesn't happen during the day,.  A disadvantage is the cold! It is happily a lot milder than last year but thermals feature. I pastelled away at the opening of the Oxford Street lights - they are amazing this year - snowballs careering around the street.

On Friday I went to Trafalgar square - I enjoyed the contrast of the tree lights against the silhouette of the lion. It's always a surprise to find out how big those lions are

Future work will include Bond street, Sloane Square and ice skating and will be posted up shortly.

In October I went to Dubai and found the new architecture astounding in scale and ambition - so exciting!  The light was was very beautiful.  I was, however, much in my discomfort zone - it was something I had never seen before.  More images to follow.

Dubai

Dubai Old Fort

Dubai Creek, late afternoon light

 

 

Sheik Zayed Road, Dubai  at Night

Burjaman, Dubai

Late Summer Light and new exhibitions - Thames Festival, Pump House Gallery, Battersea Park 4-15 September

The summer has sped past quickly and it's rather a surprise to find myself well into September.  There has been some glorious weather and I've been out and about around the west end of London.  I love the noise and excitement of the place - from the bustle of crowds to large red buses.  The light was particularly dazzling in Oxford Street last week.

Oxford Street, late summer afternoon

 There was not a moment to waste! Lights change and traffic moves on!  It forced me to utterly concentrate - strangely enough I found it rather peaceful as everything else needs to be blocked out.

One of the things I most love about London is the early morning - when the day is just starting and people are on their way to work.  I find mornings so positive - life is starting anew.

Piccadilly, Early Morning towards the Ritz

Parliament Square, Early Morning

 

 

In contrast to Piccadilly and Oxford street I have also been along the South Bank.  I feel that this is the nearest equivalent to Paris we have got.   I love the laid back, holiday feel of the place as well as the sheer joy of the arts. 

Under Waterloo Bridge, afternoon

Under Hungerford Bridge, late afternoon light

This selection of  work will be going into Cityscapes show at Medici Gallery, Cork Street, 3-31st October http://www.medicigallery.co.uk/next_show.htm

I am also exhibiting my Pageant work at the Pump House Gallery, Battersea Park 4-15 september.   This is part of the Thames Festival. http://thamesfestival.org/events/info/artists-of-the-river-pageant.  There are works by 50 different painters and it is well worth a visit as it conjures up one of the most spectacular river events ever witnessed on the Thames.  There has been some good press coverage too: http://www.itv.com/news/london/2013-09-03/jubilee-river-pageant-art-goes-on-display/

The jewel of the exhibition is by Julian Barrow, a very great painter who will be horribly missed.