I painted this last winter.  I have posted it today because it features in an article I wrote on plein air painting in winter that has just been published in The Artist magazine.

Its quite big for a plein air painting, 20 x 36 inches on stretched linen, and it was painted in a single rather cold session.

Above: A very early stage in the painting.  I have very roughly blocked in the main areas of the composition.

Below: My Plein-air painter’s guide to winter article in The Artist magazine.

The painting above is for sale at £2,000. Contact me for more details.

 The Affordable Art Fair opens this week and I’ll have several new paintings for sale at Island Fine Arts on stand E6. The two shown here are from my recent trip the south of France.  I was there painting with Paul Rafferty and we worked in some of his favourite locations from St Tropez to Nice and Antibes.

Pines at Cap D’Antibes,France. 8×12 inches, oil on board. SOLD

Affordable Art Fair Battersea Park, London
Island Fine Arts – Stand E6
20 – 23 October 2011

Opening times
Thursday 20 October 11.00am – 5.30pm
Thursday Late View 5.30 – 9.30pm
Friday 21 October 11.00am – 6.00pm
Saturday 22 October 11.00am – 6.00pm
Sunday 23 October 11.00am – 6.00pm

I have few free tickets left - email if you would like one.

Free shuttle service from Sloane Square tube. Click here for directions.

The picture above is one of several paintings I have on show in Bury St Edmunds this week.

Josephine Harpur Exhibition
17th – 22nd September 2011
The Edmund Gallery, Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

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 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.

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.

I have  just designed a new cover for the romantic comedy Flights of Angels.

Flights of Angels is, as you have probably realised, by my wife, Victoria Connelly. It was originally published in Germany where it was a bestseller and it was later was adapted into a film for SAT1 television.

A scene from Himmlischer Besuch für Lisa.

Although written in English it has only been available in German until now. You can download the English version from Amazon – Flights of Angels

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