UK Abstract Art website

For a while now I have wanted to have a new website to host all my abstract work - well I have been busy designing this new website and it has today gone live - it is contemporary, bright and clean and showcases all my abstract pieces www.ukabstractart.co.uk

Highcliffe Castle

Highcliffe Castle Exhibition

Yesterday went very well when I put up the paintings at Highcliffe, I was praying that it didn't rain when I took the paintings into the castle, however I was blessed with sunshine.. The hall in which the paintings are being exhibited is directly behind the palm to the right. It is a beautiful hall with very high ceilings and the windows let in floods of natural light which really enhances the colours in my paintings. The backdrop in the hall is bare brick giving it a nice earthy feel. The paintings are strung on wire and suspended on a wire system which works really well.

Exhibition Day

Well today is the day when I put up my paintings at Highcliffe. Just waiting to leave now, not far to go, just half an hour in the car - the car is all packed up - all that hard work over the last few months - all done! I finished at 10.30 last night!! All details of the exhibition will be available to view on my website in the next few days -
click here for more details. I have managed to paint a few more paintings over the last week that will be in the exhibition.....




Zest

I love the design and how this painting jumps out at you - beautiful colours of zesty orange and yellows - the photo doesnt do the painting justice in this image however, the lines are more crisp in reality.






Refreshing Skies



Also I decided to paint another sunset to complement 'Into the Sun', I have called it 'Refreshing Skies', a nice relaxing warming image.

Flower Power

Petal

My offering for today is an abstract floral which was inspired by the falling petals from the flowers in my garden. Before I venture into my studio in the morning I quite often walk around my garden for inspiration (if its not raining!). I like to look at which flowers are blooming, which ones have made their descent into the ground again and the patterns the petals make when they fall on the grass.... I wanted this painting to be delicate and feminine yet bold and abstract too.

I underpainted in acrylics using various reds and one of my favourite W&N colours at the moment, Opera Rose, its quite like any other colour, a beautiful vivid pink. I then painted in oils in blends of deep burgundy reds, crimson, scarlet red and pink. The finished piece is quite striking and has a energy of its own - it is a 36" x 16" canvas.

I have recently made a few videos for Youtube to show my work and my art process. Not only do I paint abstracts, seascapes, florals I paint pet portraits and ACEO's too. ACEO's (Artists Cards Editions and Originals) miniature art. I was recently commissioned to paint a Beagle dog called Stanley, I have made a vid of this:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rUVuzLaH7k

Full Steam Ahead

Into the Sun

I can't believe its Thursday again tomorrow.... time does fly at the moment, its probably because I am working like a trojan trying to get everything finalised for my exhibition.. its all exhibition exhibition exhibition at the mo.... Anyway, inbetween times I have managed to complete a further 2 paintings today, the first is called 'Into the Sun' and will be part of the exhibition and I have posted a pic of it here.

My inspiration for this pic is the warmth of the sun and the glow it has on its surroundings. I love this image as it is tranquil yet strong and powerful.
It is painted on a 30 x 30" canvas so quite stunning in the flesh.




Light

The second painting that I finished today is rather more abstract than 'Into the Sun'. I have called it 'Light' - I chose the name beforehand so I had an idea as to the effect I wanted to produce; light reflections forming dark and light areas of colour, I have chosen greens and blues again, similar colours to that of 'Aqua' - I really enjoyed painting this piece to music today, it was some chill out music with a hint of eastern rythym to it so the drums kind of helped the painting flow along. It really does make a difference to my mood when I play music whilst painting; I usually go by my intuition as to whether I need it or not.

Monday again!!

Its monday again.... time is just flying by at the moment. Only a week to go before I put my paintings up at Highcliffe Castle. Just finalising everything this week, checking I have all the paintings strung, leaflets sorted etc.

Today the weather is rather putting me off painting anything, I have fully intended on doing so, however it has rained relentlessy over the weekend and looks like its set to continue. So instead I am writing my blog and yesterday I spent the day (on and off) sorting out a video to promote my work on Youtube which you can see by clicking on the link:-

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qlOyKIyNpcg

Yet another learning curve. I think I must spend about 65% of my art career painting and 35% promoting myself - on and offline.

Well I think I will go and sit in my studio for a while and see if I can muster up some inspiration to paint.

Mystical Colours

Mystical
Finished this piece today. It's in the same style as 'Orion' and is by far smaller at a cute 10" x 10". I love doing these smaller pieces as they flow really easily onto the canvas - I call them 'colour bites' as they are so vivid and succinct. I am really into these colours at the moment; the vivid pinks, deep blues and mystical violets, hence the name.

Music or Not

Just thought I would talk about my art process a little more. I didn't make a blog entry yesterday so thought I would do so early today... before I start painting and maybe I will have a completed piece to show later - i underpainted another large 30x30" canvas yesterday (I always underpaint in acrylics and continue with oils). Yesterday I woke up very early with all these colours in my head, (in my minds eye) it was quite bizarre, the colours that i could mainly see were deep indigos and exquisite violet colours, so this inspired me to paint in these colours. The painting is very much in the early stages at the moment, however I am hoping today it will evolve today.

I wanted to talk about how music effects me when I am painting and to me it is crucial to work in a happy and comfortable environment as this enables me to express myself fully in my artwork.

Whether I play music largely depends on what kind of mood I am in as sometimes I need to paint in complete silence. However with music I have found it has without doubt helped some of my paintings evolve. I have painted some of my best abstracts to Madonna!! Another favourite for a very relaxed approach is Jack Johnson. Lately I have been using more calming chill out music, the likes of Buddha Bar and Café del Mar which take me off to creative places in my mind.

Later............

Orion
Well i have finished the piece that I was working on, I have called it Orion. I firstly underpainted with acrylic with phthalo blue, black, cerulean blue, violet, magenta and winsor & newton opera rose, a beautiful vivid pink which really complements the colours in the painting. I have tried to recreate the colours that I saw on waking yesterday morning in this piece, (vivid violets, blues and deep indigos). I use Liquin Original as a medium for washes and to give the painting a transluscent effect; when mixed with the oil colours it gives the oil fluidity and I am able to blend the colours to achieve the results I want. When I am working on such a large canvas I turn the canvas around to see it from a different perspective which gives me a different feel for the work and I am constantly moving the brush around the canvas, I am not always aware that I am doing this, however as a result of this it helps with the continuous flow of the painting.

The finished image I am really pleased with, the photograph as usual doesn't do the painting justice as there is a lot of depth to the painting and you really do feel like you are in another world. (note, must get a better camera!!) :o)) - oh nearly forgot to mention, I painted this one to Buddha Bar VII.

The Abstract Artist - beginning of the week

Aqua
My abstract work is flowing at the moment. I wake up very early some mornings and inspiration comes to me, I get images in my head and sometimes have to get up and write down the information. Its normally colours that I see or shapes and how the colours relate to each other. I work very closely with my feelings and my spiritual guides and today I felt inspired to work with aqua, blues & greens....And this is the result, I am very pleased with the colours and the painting just flowed. Its an oil, I love the vibrancy of the colours, the picture doesn't do it justice, it really is one of those paintings you could just literally fall into and drift off somewhere relaxing! I have called it 'Aqua'. Its a massive 30" x 30" oil on chunky canvas.

A perfect day for painting as the sky is slightly cloudy so no glaring sun. My studio is south facing so sometimes the sun shines in too much making it difficult to paint. However today was a good day. I'd decided that this week was going to be a week crammed full of painting. I have commissions to do and paintings for my forthcoming exhibition at Highcliffe Castle, so I am very very busy. It's all good....

Completed Pieces

Breeze
Today, a sunny morning so not the greatest time to paint in my studio, although its not too bright very early on, so i was up extremely early and in my studio at 8.30am. I meditate every morning, especially when I am painting that day as I find it helps me to focus really well. Focus is the key word to getting work done, as an artist, especially an abstract artist you need to be feeling just in the right mood to paint from your feelings about your chosen subject. I go through a little ritual of making myself a coffee, getting my brushes ready, mixing my paint, choosing my music, if it feels right. I sometimes have music playing as it helps to get the energy going, however, today I decided to paint in silence - my studio is in my garden so when I say quiet, that's rather dependent on next doors cat meowing at my studio door or the neighbourhood birds having their morning conversations. I love it really, i am very lucky in that I am surrounded by nature. That is very important to me that I have this environment in which to work, of course I get inspiration from nature and my garden is a great source for some of my paintings.



I completed a piece that I'd underpainted yesterday, my inspiration came from the wind in the air and how it made the the flowers in the garden sway and dance, particularly the petunias in the pots and baskets.. I have tried to capture a feeling of movement within the painting, a subtle breeze on various summer colours. I have called it 'Breeze', simple yet descriptive enough to capture a mood. It's a 36 x 16" oil on canvas. The naming of a painting is very important to me, as in a way, my paintings are my 'children', I put so much of myself into my work as I am completely passionate about art, that to name my paintings is a major part of the art process for me.


Touch of Green
This is the second piece that I started yesterday. I am really pleased with it. I wanted a piece that was fresh, clean and crisp, vibrant and stunning and I wanted to work with greens. Its a 24 x 24" oil on canvas and will be exhibited at Highcliffe for my solo exhibition. I have called it 'A Touch of Green'.