Roy Connelly

The Plein Air Brotherhood were joined at the opening of their first exhibition by Ken Howard OBE RA.

In the photo above are, left to right: Adebanji Alade, Karl Terry, John Dobbs (in doorway), David Pilgrim, Roy Connelly, Ken Howard OBE RA, Antony Bridge.

There is a nice write up of the exhibition on the website of artist Liam O’Farrell.

The Old Cock Inn, Harpenden. 8x 10 inches, oil on board.

The Inaugural Exhibition of the Plein Air Brotherhood opens this week at the A&K Wilson Gallery in Harpenden.

The picture above is one of several of Harpenden painted recently when PAB artists, Adebanji Alade, Roy Connelly and John Dobbs visited ahead of the exhibition.

Everyone is welcome to attend the preview night, where they will be able to meet the artists. You can download an invitation here: Plein Air Brotherhood Invitation

The Inaugural Exhibition of The Plein Air Brotherhood
1st – 30th September 2011
A & K Wilson Gallery Ltd,
11 Station Approach, Harpenden,
Herts. AL5 4SP
Tel/Fax: 01582 760824
E-mail: drew@akwilsongallery.co.uk

You can learn more at the Plein Air Brotherhood website.

Saturday Morning in Hammersmith.
8×10 inches, oil on board.

The warm summer mornings seem to draw everyone down to the river. This view towards Hammersmith Bridge and The Rutland Arms was painted from Furnival Gardens. One of the challenges of painting on location is capturing moving figures. Fortunately, fine days on the embankments of the River Thames provide the artist with a countless stream of figures to paint.

Rye Harbour, oil on board, 8×10 inches.

Rye Harbour – Summer Afternoon, oil on board, 6 x 10 inches

painters at work

A five minute sketch in oil on board. 6×8 inches

At the weekend Karl Terry invited a group of friends to join him for a day’s painting. He arranged access to a private stretch of the river at Rye in East Sussex then, in the evening, showed off his skills at the barbeque.

The 5 minute sketch above was the result of a challenge.  We all went over the time limit – this one took me about 10 minutes.

Thanks Karl

Low Tide at Bosham. 10 x 26 inches, oil on board.
click to view full size

Another painting from my show at Island Fine Arts. until 2 Jul 2011

Harry Brioche, Roy Connelly and Sally Trueman

Island Fine Arts Ltd
53 High St, Bembridge, Isle of Wight P035 5SE
Tel: 01983 875 133

Spring Blossom
8 x 10 inches, 20 x 25cm, oil on board £480

This is one the the paintings I am currently showing at Island Fine Arts until 2 July 2011.

Island Fine Arts Ltd
53 High St, Bembridge, Isle of Wight P035 5SE
Tel: 01983 875 133

Spring in Oxford, oil on linen, 20 x 24 inches (50 x 60cm)

Above: the painting nearing completion.  As usual, this picture was painted entirely on location.  There was a gap of two weeks between beginning the painting and going back to finish it. You will notice that when I started (photo below) the trees were bright pink with blossom. When I returned for the second session they had turned green, fortunately I had got far enough with the trees to have got away with it!

One advantage of working outside throughout the year is being aware of the changing seasons.  It definitely feels as if spring is here at last.

I thought I would share a few of the photos I have taken while out painting over the last few days.

Clockwise from top left: The Chess Valley, Richmond Bridge, A friendly heron at Richmond, a tiny bee that settle on my painting kit.

I worked pretty fast on this 24 x 30 inch canvas to try and catch the light before it changed.  The whole scene became gradually more blue as the sun moved around and I stopped work just before lunch.  After a bite to eat with friends at a nearby cafe I returned to my easel just before the rapidly rising tide reached it.  I will go back to the location tomorrow to finish it off – light permitting.

Update:
I returned the following morning hoping to finish it off but the light was totally different.  I worked a little on the foreshore then left it to finish another day.  I am now waiting for a day when the tide is lowest at 11am and with a clear sky but before the leaves come out on the trees.  Hopefully that is not too much to ask for.  Below you can see the picture as it is at the moment.