The Corner

I've posted a photo of the painting in it's early days!

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Now this one has a story to it. A good friend of mine was and is in the process of changing homes and I thought as a house warming present I’d give her a painting. I wanted to paint something special. I googled her mum with help from a friend and managed to contact her and ask her to send me photos of her home in Norfolk. She sent me loads, but when I saw this one there was no doubt. I can safely say she recognised the place and I really do hope it brings that ‘home’ feeling to her new home. Could sit there now and have a cuppa!

Look at me!

I could touch the sand and smell the sea. This is Carlota aged 4. My first whole body! The beach is in Los Caños de Mecca, Zahora beach, in Cadiz. In the background you can see a little house on the cliff and a large plot of land behind it that all belongs to the military. Really liked painting this one and Carlota loves it.

Carlota diving in the pool.

I was inspired by a painting my boss has on her wall. Painter is family of a friend of mine. She does the most fantastic under water paintings, a sight better than mine! But I had to try it. So I did Carlota under the water in my mum’s swimming pool. She is 5 years old here. The canvas is a large square one about 80cmx80cm. Here she has just dived in. I liked the idea of reflecting the blue of the swimming pool on her skin; I have to say she didn’t. Never mind...

Here is a close up of the bubbles.

Deserted...

This was a laugh. I dreamt this one and got up doodled it on a paper then painted it on a massive Canvas also using cement to give texture to the sand. If you actually touch the shell you would find inside has a sand texture yet the shell it’s self it smooth. I really had fun doing this one!!! Measurements:

Here's a close up of the shell.

Doñana – The birds

Ahhh now this one is one of a long list I have planned to do for my husband. When our eldest was just two we went to Doñana for the first time. Unfortunately the lake was dry and there were hardly any birds. If I close my eyes I can transport myself there with that lovely warm breeze coming off the sand dunes on my face....

I’m hoping to do a second painting this time from the second time we went with both my youngest and eldest girls, this time the lake wasn’t dry yet there was too much water and again no birds!!

Rocks in the sea & Walk by the sea

We had works done in our house and our living room was in a mess but I still found a little space amongst the books to paint these two watercolours, together with my girls who also did some lovely paintings. I framed them and my mum has them in her living-room. (I’ll get a photo as soon as poss.) I think of them as a duet!

 

Gone mad

I was asked to do this one by an old friend of mine who goes way back. She wanted an abstract painting for her sitting room wall, can’t quite remember the measurements but nearly 1 ½ metres by 80 centimetres, something like that – to me HUGE. I did a trial on a small paper as you can see here and then I did the big one below (terrible photo I've asked for a better one). My first painting using cement and oils! I have to say she had a lot to say about the colours and frankly without her advice it wouldn’t have turned out quite so nice. Also very special!

Birds of a Feather

This I copied from a photo sent in one of those “lovely places” emails. I really liked all the birds huddling together on a branch; it feels warm and cosy to me. I drew it in the summer but didn’t get around to actually painting until Novemberish.

Country Lane

Here I've posted various photos so you can see the steps...








and I can just hear Luciano Pavarotti 
singing....

"Amapola, lindísima Amapola

Sera siempre mi alma
Tuya sola
Yo te quiero amada nina mia
Igual que ama la flor la luz al dia
Amapola, lindisima Amapola
No seas tan ingrata
amame
Amapola, Amapola
Como puedes tu vivir tan sola

Amapola, lindísima Amapola

No seas tan ingrata
amame
Amapola, Amapola

Como puedes tu vivir tan sola"

This was/is a very special painting. I really enjoyed doing and I hope it shows. It was a present for one of my Bestest friends. She is mad about poppies and here you may be able to appreciate them in the foreground mixed with other wild flowers. The village at the back is based on a village from Guadalajara. The lane does exist. At the far end of the path the two figures are her children, whom they recognized.  

Arbol del Amor

You wouldn’t believe how many times I re-painted that gate! Those straight black lines with a brush proved to be the hardest and most irritating part. The girl under the tree is my eldest daughter and the house and garden is where my mum lives.

Another wedding present.

Sorolla (copy)

This is special to me, I dedicated this to my father. It reminds me of all the times we spent in Sorolla’s house and how much he liked his paintings. I have to say one learn’s alot from copying the great artists. He is one of my favourite painters I love the way he captures the light and heat of the day.

Cat.

Unfortunately I don't have a picture of this one but promise to publish one after the Easter hols.

This is a painting of my cat when I was young, sadly no longer with us. I painted it for my great Auntie Bobbie, a dear lady. She lived in the most beautiful cottage on the outskirts of Reading, England. It had the most wonderful garden, English garden what I would do for a garden like that. I distinctly remember a fence with a Fuchsia that as a trellis covered the wood, it went way above my head then. I, with my sister, used to pop the buds before they had bloomed and then get bellowed at while running away. I remember her with great affection and miss her dearly.

The Tree

“It’s been standing there for years,

Passed on from generations,

The limbs have grown stronger,

The roots are even deeper,

Engraved in each circle,

Is a story to tell,

A memory to share.”

Poem 'Old Tree' by JJ.

What I love most about this painting are the boulders below the tree and the bushy leaves. This painting is one of my mum’s favourites however my husband won’t let it out of the house, curious!

Boat on a lake

Love the way Norman showed us how to do water and especially like the delicate tree in the corner.

Dutch windmill

Love windmills! Can feel the sails slowly going around, well at least imagine them. This was done in my painting classes in Saudi. I racked my brain for my teachers name when I received an email from a very dear friend of my mums, and mine, she reminded me. Norman.