Another painting from my recent trip into town. This one is of the covered walkway over the shops with the setting sun throwing its rays down the pavement. I tried to paint the trees and buildings in one go and may have been overambitious. I had to subsequently take out colour to signify windows . I feel that there are some successful parts to this and I may have a go at repeating it.
Other townscapes and paintings of Lord Street are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com
Lord Street is the main street in Southport. Once a thriving shopping venue with covered walkways, today it is blighted with shop closures and lack of footfall.
In the winter, the low sun casts deep shadows and lights up reflective surfaces and makes for a great painting. The other afternoon I thought conditions were right for these perfect images. However, when I got down to the town centre, the sun was still too high to get the impact I was after – I need to wait a little later in the year – but still the contra jour effect of the setting sun gave an arresting image – particularly the lady dodging the traffic.
Other images of Lord Street and a range of townscapes are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com
Needing a couple of paintings for another exhibition I decided to do one of the locale. This is part of the main Street here in Southport with its covered walkway and Victorian facades, although some of the buildings down this end have a distinctive art deco feel. The tower belongs to the long defunct railway station that ran a line back down towards Liverpool. I frequently cycle up the path of the old line when out looking for topics to paint. The old station is now yet another hotel. I love the view looking into the light, which you only get in the winter months, here. At other times the sun is too high and sets over the buildings on the right.
Other paintings of Southport are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com
This is a version of Lord Street 1 I did a few years back. I was pleased with the painting, but it didn’t sell for a while and in the meantime I did some more and then I sold six different views in the street over a couple of years. This time someone wanted a retirement gift with the retiree and his wife in Lord Street, Southport (where I live) so we decided on this first scene. The trouble was when I went back to check it out a coffee chain had opened up in the area and I felt obliged to reflect reality, so I took some more photos and included a table, a few chairs, some signage and someone puffing on a cigarette. I like the smoker, they add a bit more interest to the scene.
The client has just seen the photo and seems to like it- just hope he likes it in the flesh.
Other paintings of Southport Lord Street and other townscapes are on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com
