LIVERPOOL SLICE 2 – ACRYLIC PAINTING

Having got the exhibition up and running on Wednesday I tidied up my studio and got myself back together and decided on what to do next. This painting, below, had been hanging around and I felt it needed changing. I posted it in November and had misgivings about the left hand side.

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I am certainly happier with it now and may exhibit it later.

As for the exhibition: I took 30 paintings for the show with 3 for reserves. I was able to breathe a sigh of relief after getting everything sorted out.

Then, yesterday, as I was quietly working on the painting above, I got a call to say one lady had just purchased 9 paintings. It made a bit of a hole in the exhibition as they are allowed to take them away with them. So I have been scrambling around finding more paintings and frames. I went around to my framer, but he’s got to order more wood. Anyway I was able to replace 6 paintings , so the hole isnt quite so large now. It’s a problem, but a good one to have.

Below are some snaps after I set it up, and before the shopping spree.

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THE TRAFFIC PAUSES ON THE STRAND AGAIN – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

The repeat season continues with this offering. I posted a sketch of this before Christmas and now a more considered attempt. At least I got the buildings upright this time and achieved the smokiness you see in this contra-jour view. This is the waterfront at Liverpool and The Liver Building casts a shadow over the procedings.

Other scenes of Liverpool are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

LIVERPOOL SLICE – ACRYLIC PAINTING

I used my liquid acrylics to start this off and am quite pleased with some of it. Other parts are a bit more pedestrian than I would have liked – and I dont mean the figures crossing the road.

I did a similar thing last year, which I posted,  even using a few of the same motifs, as you can see below, and got similarly bogged down with an illustrative approach. The liquid acrylics helped liven up proceedings in the latest  painting and, I feel,  opened up some options. Every time I see the painting, I add or  change bits of it, so maybe it isnt finished yet.

I need to try developing the approach on another image and see if I can avoid some of the pitfalls that beset me.

Other paintings of Liverpool, Formby and Southport are available for sale on my website: grahammcquaefineart.com

THE END OF HOPE STREET – ACRYLIC PAINTING

I wanted to do a townscape with a little more edge. This is based on Hope Street in Liverpool with a lot of paring away and more reliance on colour. I did the same scene in 2014 in a more conventional way when I started to do a set of Liverpool nightscenes. I exhibited a few but didnt get much response, though this one sold.

I feel the new version still lacks presence and I need to let go looser when building up the backdrop – so back to the drawing board, or in this case, canvas.

Other Liverpool scenes are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

LITTLE CROSBY ROAD – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

I warned you – another view of Little Crosby in readiness for my exhibition in the old manor hall there next month. This view is further back than the painting in the previous blog and is, as you can see,  in a long format. At first I was going to leave out the modern house on the right, but the sun playing on the windows and the shadow cast on the wall was a delight. What I did leave out was the never ending line of traffic, although I toyed with putting a car in the distance, but finally decided against it.

Other views of Little Crosby and Liverpool are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

TREES AND CHIMNEY POTS IN LITTLE CROSBY – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

As I said in my last blog I completed one project – now on to the next … . This is a painting for a group show in November. I need eight paintings for it and I already have a couple. The event takes place in the old Manor Hall  of  Little Crosby. This is a small village set at the northern end of Liverpool. So last Monday morning being bright and sunny I got up early and headed down to the area near the exhibition. I had to take photos  of Little Crosby as this small lane gets choked with traffic on the school run – not a place to be painting plein air – I could barely cross the road. This will be one of two paintings of the village. I have painted the scene before and the morning light warming  the faces of the  stone built cottages – some as old as the 17th century – gives great passages of light and shade. More will follow.

Other paintings of Liverpool and Little Crosby are on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

MORNING IN MENTON – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

Returning home from the French Riviera, I was trying to find some source material to continue my series of local paintings but they seemed to be hiding from me. Instead of turning the place upside down I found an image I liked from my trip and proceeded to paint to calm my nerves. Menton, and many of the towns on the riviera,  have shady passageways which suddenly spill out onto sunny courtyards and squares and you get this great interplay of light and shade. This was one such scene as I descended into the old town on Saturday.

Other townscapes are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com