Grinkle Park visit.

Here is a simple pen and ink sketch of Grinkle Park Hotel. Cannot recommend it enough, close to Staithes and Saltburn-by-the-Sea. Will add colour wash soon.

Sketch of people and dog not to scale but good for future reference. Busy beach at Saltburn-by-the-Sea, lots of surfing enthusiasts and dog walkers. Enjoyed a bracing walk along the pier. Managed some sketching as well as a valley woodland walk with FSD beside the small Skelton Beck which is a magical stream connected to the sea to allow sea trout and salmon to enter and spawn.

Oldest horse race - Kipling Cotes Derby.

 

19th March 2025, a beautiful day, no wind and bright, warming sun. Earlier, it was a little hazy so I waited until the afternoon when I popped over to the finishing post of the Kipling Cotes Derby ( first run in  1519) near Loaningdale. The road with verges either side was quiet. Tall trees stood sleeping, still and winter bare. As I was setting up a woman arrived and started to work near the finishing post. I was advised that a finishing rail was to be erected near me which required the car to be parked on the adjacent verge. I set up with the intention of using only the primary colours of blue red and yellow. To these I added titanium white and began to sketch out the picture. I did resort to using a premixed black at one point. The bright sun added colour to the trees, with shadows to my left. The hedges are still bare of leaves as we are slightly elevated here. In the nearby low Wolds, hedges are greening up. I worked this large canvas with my long handled ‘Rosemary’ hogs. I met some people as I worked away including a local farmer, who as a former steward,  had decades long associations with the race. A young family passing me in a large van stopped and reversed back to me, winding down the window we chatted for a short time and I asked the children if they could see the red kite. I decided I had done enough.

I managed to visit the next day, my first actual attendance at the event. I met the local farmer (92) again and we shook hands. He introduced me to  his younger brother (88). Friends from Beverley, a couple who had moved from Warter and accompanied by the wife’s sister stopped for a reminiscence. Another man from Coniston came over and we had a lovely talk about the Lake District and Colin Campbell’s Bluebird

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Pillar Mountain from Green Gable, English Lake District FLASH SALE

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What a magical mountain Pillar is. It remains difficult to climb especially from Borrowdale due to the time required to get there and back before dark. Typically, from Seatoller the Buttermere 'bus is taken and one alights at the bottom of Honister at Gatesgarth Farm.
The next part of the walk would be over Scarth Gap passing  Black Sail youth hostel and then up onto Looking Stead before the final climb to the top. It is a long trek. This view is from Green Gable. I did a detailed sketch and worked up the picture from the sketch using acrylic paint. I love the sinister mass of Pillar and the feature of Pillar Rock being a little remote. From Green Gable we can see Scotland in the distance over the Solway Firth, not always visible due to cloud and mist, so this visit was even more special. The wind on top of Green Gable is very strong, and in the past I have had to lie down to avoid being blown over. An experience many of you would have had here. It is time I let someone else enjoy this picture and therefore it is now up for sale.

 

Totem at St. Peter’s Church, Hutton.

 I popped round to Hutton to paint the old sycamore tree, now a stump, or as some people would say a totem. The focus is very much on the tree with the suggestion, in the background, of the old vicarage. The vicarage is hidden by trees and bushes. In a way I see nature both dead and yet alive, the totem will soon be gone the vicarage obscured. I love the fact that an ELM tree, has been planted nearby. The elm is a disease resistant variety and I very much look forward to seeing it in leaf. Below are more paintings of the church and another of the vicarage. I have had to work quickly before the  views were obscured as trees get their leaves. Winter and early spring are wonderful times for painting and sketching, on sunny days the  dullish woodland and hedges glow with subtle colour and views usually hidden become visible.

All work is 14x10 inch, oil on canvas. Clicking each image will redirect you to my online store.

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Near Warter, from Bailey Lane.

March 15th 2025.
After another trip over to paint at Hutton I decided to walk George and we traveled across to Warter. I turned off the main road before reaching Warter onto the lane leading to Dalton Gates. I knew this would be good dog walking as well as taking me past the now famous tres that David Hockney painted ( Bigger trees at Warter). George had a wonderful walk along the quiet lane, hawthorn hedges at either side now being allowed to grow 3m tall, though still narrow at the base. Pheasants occasionally emerged from the hedges, crossing sleeping verges onto the road. They casually continued passing through the opposite hedge into fields of prepared soil. I realised I had time for another painting so I drove round to Bailey Lane which drops into Warter. Seeing this view I stopped and quickly set up near  Hunger Hill. As I painted the evening sun dropped and lit up the verges and road. The right hand side hedge acquired a shadow line from the opposite hedge. A field took on plough patterns as a cloud formation added sky interest. 

14x10 inch original oil on canvas board.

Available from my online store.

Plein air Painting - opportunity to purchase a first edition book.

A sumptuous art book explaining how I work, full of illustrations. This limited first edition is already in the process of revision with a new edition. This book will be a significant addition to any artists library.

Please click this link for a more detailed review.

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The North side of St.Peter’s Church, Hutton.

 I looked for a footpath behind the church and found a narrow, single file path heading north towards Orchard Lane. Emerging from the church grounds it appears in fact, to be two footpaths. One heads west. However it is really one footpath,  both the west and north paths converge at the entrance to the churchyard. I was told the footpath from Orchard Lane is called Howl footpath, later, I realised it simply led to Howl Lane. The view here is from near the exit of the churchyard to the Howl footpath. The area is overgrown with dense patches of brambles, trees are densely planted and there are signs of maintenance being undertaken. This is one of a series of paintings done quickly before foliage robs me of the views. 

Oil on canvas board 14x10 inch.

Available here.

ELM rising at St. Peter’s Church, Hutton.

 I popped over to Hutton to check some details on a painting I had done recently. I needed to check some details. I stood under the beech tree looking through a filigree old fine branches which were budding up. Soon this view would be hidden by the leaves so it was important to get this progressed. A beautiful moment came when three people appeared to plant a tree. Eventually the tree would grow to be a replacement for the venerable sycamore standing as a ghost totem. The tree had been kindly donated by one of the people who were now engaged in planting it behind the totem. I have quickly added a suggestion of the three people and the shrouded young tree. The major significance of the planting, is that the tree is an ELM. All elms over recent decades vanished here in the UK due to Dutch Elm disease, this elm has been bred to be disease resistant. At the moment it is a little hippy with thin but healthy looking branches, perhaps reaching eight feet tall. I do hope I will see it grow. 

Oil on canvas board 14x10 inch.

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St.Peter’s Church old Vicarage.

 This is a study, one of a group focussing on the Church and surrounding area.

It is 14x10 inch, oil on canvas and is available from my online store

Near Huggate - Yorkshire Wolds.

First visit 

A large canvas for a change, first of the year, 80 x 60cm

AVAILABLE HERE

First outing with the French easel, met some lovely people on a beautiful day. Here is Keasey Cottage, known locally as Ragworts. This is a large canvas and a late start means it was not completed in the one visit The view above shows it after session one. Below is the same painting - I took it to the same spot and did a little more work on it. I was wary not to make it too detailed, rewarding close inspection. Met a cyclist from Market Weighton who chatted about art and food. The painting below indicates the presence of beagles who passed through. The snowdrops in the verge outside the cottage are augmented by crocus flowering inside the drive. A group of mature cyclists stopped en-route for the tearoom at Tibthorpe and we shared some lovely comments about golf, cricket and rugby and how a married man should perhaps, reconsider the time it takes away from being at home.

Another sketch, an iPad animation made just past the cottage

Beverley Minster - looking towards the organ

 A particular favourite painting. This is a watercolour painting and needed several visits to complete.

Click image to be taken to my online store where an A3 print is available.

Beverley - lost views showing the Minster

Here are a couple of prints showing Beverley Minster across fields which now have housing on them.

By clicking each image you will be taken to my online store.

 

Hutton Church, a plein air study.

I visited the excellent exhibition at the Methodist Hall at Hutton Cranswick and after talking to Sh. Decided to pop down Hutton Road to see the church. I walked George around the church continuing to explore the area outside. Spotted the disused Mill across fields thinking it may be a good subject for a painting. Had a brief chat with a lady opposite the Old Vicarage as I had determined her drive would offer a good place to paint from. I remembered Mike and Carol Bowman from Cranswick and Mike Eastwood from Hutton, from my days as a research engineer. I  asked if she knew of  Mike Eastwood. Though not Mike, she remembered Geoff Eastward, as it happened I also knew him, I have still got his book on local walks. I am getting distracted. I found a place to paint the church and made a start. The painting will be a little unusual as I intend the focus to be a bare stemmed bush growing in front of the church. The painting below shows my initial work. I have moved the conifers on the left closer to the church.

 I will return and bite the bullet regarding adding the small tree. It will cover most of the right hand side of the church. Another obvious omission at the moment is the lack of gravestones. These too will be added. The entrance to the churchyard is through Aa well maintained gate. Just inside the gate, a huge dead stump of what looked like a sycamore stands like a sentinel  totem. Indeed the lady, I had talked to earlier mentioned that the tree had a gravestone inside it! Apparently, the tree grew around it, but the grave could still be touched by putting a hand by exploring a hole in the trunk.

So, here it is, I revisited briefly to add the trees and gravestones. It will be a useful study to keep and refer to when painting another larger, more panoramic painting.

Now available, click image to go to my online store.

Free VIRTUAL GALLERY - Twixt Malton and Wolds

 

Click image to enter and explore.

FREE VIRTUAL GALLERY - Beverley Minster studies, plus a shhhh….secret garden.

 Click image to enter the gallery. A mixture of felt tip pen  and acrylic paint experiments and iPad sketches.

FREE VIRTUAL EXHIBITION - some of my PRINTS

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Sketchbook of pen and ink washes

 Great present for anyone who loves the open vistas of the countryside

Available HERE

Road to Farberry - click image to see how it was done

 A very blustery day meant no painting outside. However, it did not preclude an iPad sketch. I parked up on the road from Loaningdale to Farberry Farm which is hidden by the distant woodland. Even inside the car I was reminded of the strong wind as the car rocked occasionally. After completing this I walked George along the road, later visiting the P+G for an impromptu rendezvous where leek and potato soup was enjoyed.

How I did this iPad sketch, hit image to see it grow.

 

Westwood doodle hit image to see it made on an iPad

Trees near alligator pond.

This turned out to be very interesting. It was another cold grey day with precipitation threatening. I set off with no intention of doing a painting, but after walking George on a quiet lane near South Dalton, where I admired the snowdrops in wintered verges, seeing evidence of ‘our little man in the velvet jacket’ I stopped, parking off the road near  ‘ alligator pond’.  Getting out of the car, I saw this view and remembered Albert Handell, and his wonderful studies of trees. I am down to my last canvas, an incomplete painting of a water works near Cottingham. So I thought why not use it, painting over it. The trees demanded a portrait orientation which presented a challenge as the pochade box was designed for landscapes. Then I remembered my magic clips. The are designed to attach to the steel sheet inside the pochade box lid, (the easel). They would help to hold the canvas. More details will appear in my book on the High Wolds. I started by noticing the feint horizon, deciding where to actually place it so that I could include the height of the trees. The left hand tree was further away and I have pulled it in’ to enhance the business of the painting. Overhead a large branch of a horse chestnut could just be included. Then, as I was working I noticed feint marks on the painting which told me it was raining very slightly. I closed the pochade box lid, moving to stand under the car tailgate. Then I added more detail. 

14x10 inch oil on canvas.

Available from my online store. 

Lund junction ash near Bracken sign

 I have sketched this ash tree before, though not painted it. Today was cold and the sky grey. This area of the Wolds is very much made of gentle rolling land. It is a world away from the high Wolds near Huggate and Thixendale. I can just see a friends house and make out the pine trees near his garage. I will not have time to call today but hope to see him soon. How sad it will be to see the ash trees disappear, many are being felled as they pose a risk to people passing on nearby roads. They are all suffering from ash die back disease. Entirely painted at the site, wet on wet, alla prima.

14x10 inch oil on canvas panel.

Available from my online store

Beverley Minster sketch video

Click picture to see how it was made.

Loaningdale with solitary ash.

2nd February 2025

 A return trip to the Loaningdale trees. Today however I wanted to capture this lone ash tree. I am looking west towards Farberry Farm which is hidden by the distant plantation. I like this area just above Warter, it is quiet, a world away from nearby business. The road disappears and turns sharp left opposite Farberry Farm leading down to the now famous ‘Bigger Trees at Warter’, painted by my friend David Hockney.

All done alla prima oil paint wet on wet on 14x10 inch canvas board.

Available here

Doodle dog…

 

Loaningdale near Warter junction.

Tomorrow the forecast is rain. Today, joy of joy, waking to a frosty morning, cars with whitened roofs indicating the weather was clear and bright. The sun soon melted the frost and after walking George I set oof to Loaningdale. This is a familiar view, it shows the ‘Loaningdale trees’ but from a different angle to my usual paintings. Here I am looking due west, the sun high to my left. I did this quickly, all completed at the site, alla prima.  

14x10 inch, oil on canvas

Available here

Ragworts on Huggate Road

Just past Minningdale on the Huggate Road is a lovely old ash tree. It is a sunny, bright day which proved deceptive. I had been painting quickly due to the biting wind, trying to finish it. However, I just had to stop as my fingers became very painful with the cold. I struggled to get this far and would normally have continued to add more fine detail. Though looking at it now I realise it will do. Ragworts stands on the horizon. It lacks some detail like a suggestion of windows and I am tempted to add these at home. My preferred way is to revisit on a warmer day to add them. I may just leave it as it is, a January day. As I painted cars passed heading for Huggate and Warter. Farming vehicles, 4x4s occasionally passed, in a hurry and I wondered if the distant sound of shooting required their attention. Did not see any kite, or roadside pheasants but did watch an almost impossibly small bird, probably a wren, furtively scuttle through the hedge bottoms opposite. Avian flu control areas are not far away and must be a worry to the local shoots with their breeding stock, hope it is evolved soon. 12x10 inch oil on canvas.

Available from my online store