Last day of the holidays.

Well it had to come...the last day. It started off sunny, whilst we sat in having the house valued. When the estate agents had finally gone I went on the river for a paddle. Sara dropped me off at Milby, but as I couldn't get into the river because of fishermen in  the place where I drop in, I went onto the canal and paddled up to Boroughbridge, picking up the river there instead. By this time it was getting cooler and the sky was looking ominous. I trolled a lure all the way back to Aldwark, 7.5 miles if you include the canal. I only caught one pike and a perch. saw lots of kingfishers and a comorant, and a hawk of some description flying high over the river.
It was very peaceful on the river, but was cold by the time I got back to Aldwark bridge.

 Sat forlornly looking out into the back garden yesterday, waiting for the rain to stop. It didn't stop, so I went out in it anyway to pick sloes.

 The river Ure was like a millpond all the way back.

 It didn't rain, though the sky looked very threatening.

British summers..you can't beat them.

More Cabin Fever.

Yesterday was another typically lovely british summer day, so we were stuck in the house. We had thought to go to Treasuer's House in York (never done that) and to see the Etty exhibition at the Art Gallery, but high winds and rain persuaded us that it would be better if we put it off to today. So that is probably what we are going to do.
Yesterday wasn't a complete wash-out though. I did manage to do a couple of paintings. One was a reworking on top of an old abstract, and the other one was a painting of the Shambles in York. I have been meaning to paint the shambles for a couple of years, and yesterday it  seemed like I had run out of excuses not to do it. I used a postcard as a reference, which is a first for me. Having looked at it again this morning, it needs more work, so I will add to it later today if I get the chance.

 Abstract. Figures in a west yorkshire landscape?

 Very early stages; blocking in. Should I draw more?

 Trying to get the lighting. Don't like the figures at this stage.

 Starting to come together a bit.

 This is how I left it last night. I need to work into the left edge, suggesting some reflected light, tone down the pitched roof in the background, and warm up the timber on the right hand side.

Cabin fever.

What a lousy day. It has rained solidly all day, giving me a nasty case of cabin fever. I decided to use the time to paint on an old canvas. The canvas was one that I found from my 6th form days as I was clearing out the garage earlier in the holiday. It was prossibly the first canvas that I ever painted on, and was a crap landscape in oils... not any more. It is now a river scene from a photo taken earlier this year when we visited Matt and Gilly in Devon. On this particular day Matt took me and all the kids to Topsham. It was a murky day, and the tide was out, but it has now spawned two paintings.
This is it in stages, see what you think..

 Rough sketching out/blocking in.

 Starting to add some tones to the water.

 Still fairly rough.

Done.

The funny thing is I currently feel no desire to paint inside. I would much rather go and paint en plein air. That wasn't possible today, but at least this was done in one session, so it has a similar alla prima approach.

Back on the river.

I have been back on the river for a couple of sessions over the last two days. I saw the otter again, which is fantastic, and as usual took my kayak rod and a few lures. Caught six pike up to just over 10lbs. I also lost a fish which I think was bigger, given the way that it straightened my hook.
The second of the two days I tried a different put-in. I joined the river at Newton and paddled up to Linton Lock, and down to Beningbrough. The river was still slightly peat coloured and the weir was pushing through.

 This was a decent fish to catch in a kayak. It was one of two caught on the first session.

 Approaching Linton Lock.

 The old mill. Tea break. The river was coloured and pushing through.

 Flat calm at Beningbrough, and time for another cuppa.

 10lb pike at Linton Lock.

 10lb pike...didn't want to stop fighting.

A smaller fish...but fun.

Painting the house.

 Given that I am rubbish at painting buildings I thought that I would have a crack at the house from the garden.

Stephen and Sara's live in an amazing apartment in Styche Hall. It is set in large grounds, surrounded by beautiful  rolling countryside.

 Early stages..

 ...a bit more detail..

...done.

Newts.

The day we left we had a look around in the cellar, which was occupied by frogs and (great crested?) newts.

Stephen and Sara's.

We have just got back from a few days away at Stephen and Sara's place in Shropshire. We had a fantastic time with great friends, fab food, and a mixture or shooting, painting, running and all-day bbqs. We love staying with Stephen and Sara, who live in a much simpler way than most people. There are 2 appartments on the market in their house at the moment so we had a look around. We are now thinking about having a complete change of direction; selling up here and moving there. there are obstacles to overcome, such as getting jobs, overcoming objecions from our boys who don't want to move, but...
You can always dream.

 The weather on the journey wasn't great.

 I always want to paint the moors..

 BBQ in the woods (in the grounds)

The view on the house and out-buildings that I meant to paint, and didn't.

 One view that I did (start to ) paint was the path at the end of the woods.

Unfortunately (fortunately?) it started to rain, so I didn't get very far. I will work back into this one at home.

picking up my paints again.

I have been struggling to find the inspiration to paint recently, but i thought that I had better do some, so I went to tollerton and, and the struggling showed... 

 I started by blocking in the main shapes and values...got that bit wrong..

 ...started to refine it... a little better..

 ..more refining...

 ....and the struggling shows...

I've got one Dad!

....well more than one actually. Seth gave me a fishing lesson last night as he caught 8 perch and 3 pike. I only managed 2 pike and a perch. Seth also connected with, but lost, a big pike that looked like it ran into high double figures.
Oh well, next time.

Heavy skies

Just got back from a couple of hours on the river. I caught two very small pike, right at the end, and not from where I expected to. The weather hasn't been great all day, but it was nice to get out. The sky was very dramatic, with a beautiful light. There is something very evocative when the land is a lighter tone than the sky.