EVENING ON THE ALT ESTUARY – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

The boat theme continues with some moored yachts at low tide on a local river, the Alt, which discharges into the Mersey Estuary. Here, facing west, you get some great sunsets and this is one of them along, with the birdlife which feeds off the extensive sand and mud flats.

I have done this scene before, but thought I’d give it another go, making changes with the viewpoint, though I am not sure whether I’ve made much progress here.

Anyway, today is my first day at the pop up gallery in this session. We have been open for four days and there have been a few sales, which is encouraging considering the economic situation – though none of them were mine. However, I have had four enquiries for commissions in the last week, two of which are very strong and I am meeting one of them at the gallery today, to discuss details.

A sunny day is forecast, so I might see some people, though I’m taking my painting gear to pass the quiet times.

Other nautical paintings are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

DAY’S END AT THE END OF THE PIER – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

This was the subject of my second ever post. It is a view of part of our pier at Southport. As the beach faces in a westerly direction you can get some great sunsets like this one.

With our pop up gallery suddenly and unexpectedly being given a months extension and a planned solo show looming at my framers I am in need of more paintings of local interest. This view is an image I have had for a while and I thought that it might make a popular subject. I love mixing the colours on the paper for the reflections and then tempering them with dry-brush darks. The only issue I had were the supports under the pier which always seem to look awkward.

The painting above followed my image, but I wondered whether I could display the painting at both venues and so set about doing a second version.

This time I thought that I would introduce the sun as it dipped towards the horizon and introduced the resulting reflections off the wet sand.

You can but try – they made for some satisfying painting, without too much detail -I’m just hoping that I have enough frames left for both exhibitions.

Other seaside paintings are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

LAST LIGHT ON THE ALT – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

Back to the task of getting some paintings for the exhibition at Little Crosby. The Alt is a small tributary to the Mersey, opening out into its estuary, not far from Little Crosby. A number of boats moor up there. This one was done at sunset and is a subject I have painted before. I love the trail of buoys and markers down the watercourse and the reflections and patterns in the vast expanse of wet sand out to the Mersey and Irish sea. At present you can hear the sounds of migrating Canada geese as they feed way out in the distance  on the sands. Looking the other way in the morning you get the view below.

The block of flats on the right is an eyesore and I blended it out in the morning sunlight. The houses dont do much either, so I kept them as simple as possible. Hopefully they will appeal to someone, as this is a well visited spot of wildness in a built up area at the north end of Liverpool.

Other paintings of Liverpool and surrounding areas are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

THE END OF A WINTER’S DAY ON BIRKDALE BEACH – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

I am getting together for another exhibition of local landscapes which feature the land between the Mersey and Ribble Estuaries. Here is one I’ve just done of the local beach,  where to many of the locals’ dismay, the marram grass is taking over. As it grows it traps windblown sand creating little islands amid the residual tidal water. It is rather ironic that where they let the cars on the beach, much to the irritation of others, the plant cant get a foothold and the flat sands stretch out seemingly forever. I must say I like this variation of the beach.

Other landscapes are available on my website grahammcquadefineart.com

COMING HOME – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

I saw some pictures of seagulls and liked the strange shapes the wheeling birds created. I decided to put them in a sea sunset and felt it could be a  boat returning to harbour, throwing scraps of fish overboard as it chugged through the dying day.

Other paintings are on my website:grahammcquadefineart.com