Roy Connelly

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!

Ken Howard has been in the news this week.  He has been moved on twice recently while painting the streets of London. Details in The Telegraph.

Ken Howard painting in Richmond

I also paint in the streets of London. In my experience most people are very happy to see artists at work.  It seems to be private security, under the direction of CCTV controllers, that try to move you.

I usually try to stand my ground.  After a polite chat they will often relent and I can carry on with my work.

The South Bank however is a wonderful place to paint. I have found the management and security guards of The Southbank Centre have a friendly attitude to artists.  The buskers, artists, skate boarders and the Golden Carousel all add to the wonderful atmosphere and nothing beats a walk along the river on a sunny afternoon or evening.

Above: The Golden Carousel on the South Bank by Roy Connelly.
Oil on board, 10×20 inches. Private Collection.

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.

Pissarro (left) and Monet

Two from Turner

Bellotto (left) and Canaletto

I often draw in the National Gallery and last week I spent some time studying figures from several different painters. These are some of the sketches I made of incidental figures. All of these figures, although not the main focus of the paintings, have a vital role to play. They add life and scale to the scene. Since the eighteenth century they have been known as staffage.

Below are some examples from my own work.

Above left: Little Boltons (detail). Above right: Pall Mall (detail)

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.

Roy Connelly painting at Cookham. Picture: Rowan Griffiths

Its been a while since the snow melted but I thought I would post this photo of me painting at Cookham in Berkshire.  I was working on my final picture of the day when I was spotted by photographer Rowan Griffiths.

I have written a brief guide to keeping warm while painting in winter. You can read it here.

Light and Dark: The Autobiography of Ken Howard RA, is the latest book from Ken Howard.

It is due for publication by The Royal Academy of Arts on 21 February 2011, and you can pre-order a copy here: Light and Dark: The Autobiography of Ken Howard RA I can’t wait to get my copy.

This is what amazon.co.uk says:

KenHoward (b. 1932) is one of Britains best-loved painters.His cityscapes and coastal scenes reveal a deep connection with Venice, London and Cornwall; his studio interiors aremasterly evocations of space and light. In this candid autobiography he reflects on work, travel, love and loss. Recalling his early days at art school and the achievements and acclaimthat followed, national service in the RoyalMarines and the artistic commissions for the British Army that took himall over the world, Howard evokes the professional and the personal with verve and humour.

Strand on The Green, London. Oil on board, 16x20in.

I have two exhibitions opening this week – London Seen at Llewellyn Alexander Gallery and Venice in Peril at W H Patterson.

London Seen, is the work of 9 artists with a passion for our capital city.  This introduction is taken from the exhibition brochure:

“Artist have always loved to paint London – from Whistler to Hogarth, from Monet to Sickert – each one capturing the mood and atmosphere of our great and diverse capital city.”

“Familiar and unusual scenes of London by this group of 9 well-established artists. Dianne Branscombe, Roy Connelly, Lisa Graa Jensen, Mark Harrison, Terry McKivragan, Liam O’Farrell, Nancy Petley-Jones, Nadia Tsakova and Robert E Wells each reveal their own personal interpretation of the city they know and love to paint.  London by day and London by night, as the city wakes up and as it goes to bed, in the sunshine and in the rain, empty London streets, busy London squares are all seen through a painter’s eye.”

“Important city landmarks are documented in richly painted oils or highly detailed watercolours – the London Eye, the Gherkin, Trafalgar Square, the Great Thames bridges, Regents Park in the summer and the Embankment in the spring. London is revealed with the vitality and virtuosity that it deserves.”

London Seen. 10 January – 10 February 2011
Llewellyn Alexander Fine Paintings Ltd
124-126 The Cut
London, SE1 8LN
(opposite The Old Vic Theatre).
020 7620 1322

The 20th Annual Venice in Peril Exhibition opens this week at W.H Patterson in Albermarle Street.

San Giorgio Sparkle.  8 x 10 inches, oil on board

Over the years, this exhibition has contributed over £100,000 to the Venice in Peril Fund.  The show features “a wonderful selection of beautiful paintings from many new artists as well as exceptional pictures from the palettes of our talented regulars”.

During the exhibition there is an opportunity to win a fabulous 5 star holiday to Venice sponsored by Kirker Holidays.  The prize includes a stay at the Danieli Hotel and return journey to London on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.  How cool is that?

It’s been a long time since my last trip on the Orient Express so, if you win the holiday and want to take an artist with you, well – you know who to ask…

Find out more about Venice in Peril.

Wednesday 12 January – Friday 4 February 2011

W H Patterson
19, Albemarle Street, London. W1S 4BB.
Tel +44 (0)20 7248 3824  email: info@whpatterson.com

Above the Ridgeway, Oil on board, 12 x 16 inches

Black Jack Lane, Oil on canvas, 16 x 32 inches

Snow at Marlow, Oil on canvas, 20 x 36 inches

After a busy few days out painting the snow I have finally got round to photographing a few of my plein air paintings.  All of these pictures were completed on location in one session.  It’s been a great having such wonderful subject matter but the snow is now melting.  I cant wait for the next cold snap.