Along the Shore Triptych

Along the Shore Triptych

I used this painting today because in many ways the story of this art and the story I used has some parallels. There is, in the village where I live, a community building for those in the later years of their lives. In the basement of the building was a cellar that was not being used. It was agreed that this room would be made into a meeting room and games room. Fundraising took place to raise the needed cash to convert the room. Some local business associations contributed an amount.


The room was plastered and decorated. The purchased some carpet bowls, darts and a table tennis table. Some furniture in the form of comfortable seating was gathered and the place was looking good. The residents were pleased, and they had a real sense of pride in the place, each had in some way made it possible.

The one thing that was missing was windows and a view. It was not going to be possible to put windows into the room because of where it was in the building.

What was the solution? I painted six large canvas producing two paintings. They were hung on the walls where windows might have been had it been possible. I am aware it is not the same as a real view, but they did brighten the rooms, and more importantly the residents liked them.

How does this relate to the story? I had a terrible time convincing them that I did not wish paid for painting them. I saw in the end though that there was a matter of pride and feeling involved. So they made a contribution to the canvas and I was able to give the rest. All in the end were pleased.

Each painting consisted of three large canvas painted using acrylic.



This blog is linked to my other blog where I use this painting:- The Greedy Artist

Hi Daddy

Hi Daddy

I thought this little sketch and the story behind fitted well with my little teaser today on the other blog. This is a sketch of Kirsty who live in Australia. We were talking about a painting and art one day. She also told me about how great a relationship she had with her father and how she missed him. He did not live in Australia and for the life of me I cannot remember where.


For a laugh, we decided to do a mock up of the Bob Dylan video with a sketch of her holding a message for her father. It was just a very quick sketch and we added the hat and the message sheet. She thought it would be fun and that he was sure he would love it. I transferred the file to her, I still have the original.

I have never spoken to her again so I never ever found out the outcome of the sketch. I just hope he liked it. I was reminded of this incident when Katherine spoke of giving sketches to of her students to them before they left school.

Please do not feel the need to comment on this it was a fun meeting and just a fun sketch. I know she enjoyed it and hence my reason for using it.

If you by any chance happen to see it Kirsty would love to hear the end of the story when you showed it to your dad.



This blog is linked to my other blog where the sketch was used:- Dear Dad

Coastal Path on a Rainswept Day

Coastal Path on a Rain Swept Day

I wish to thank you all for all the very kind remarks about my Coastal Rain painting yesterday. I know that they were spoken with sincerity and this moved me.


I said yesterday that I would post the second of these paintings today so here as promised is it. This is another section of the coastal path I am fortunate to live close to. This path goes all the way from the famous Forth Bridge round the coast of Fife to the equally famous place of St. Andrews the home of golf.

My son moved into a house which looks out over the River Forth and this part of the coastal path is very close to his home. So when he bought this house it seemed that it was appropriate that this is where this painting should hang. It is still there today.

Again it was painted using acrylic and painted along with the one I posted yesterday using the same palette. They are not of the exact same part of the path so the vegetation was different. These two paintings brought me much pleasure in their production. The downside was when I was finished; I noticed I had splattered paint all over the place. It took me almost as long to clean up this mess as to paint the pictures.

This blog is linked with my other blog where the artwork was used:- A Tale for Kay

Rain Along the Coastal Path.

Rain Along The Coastal Path.

I chose this painting on my other blog because at first reading it was a very sad story and I suppose for most of us a rainy day on a walk is a sad day also. The thing about this painting though and the story of the other blog is that things are not always as they at first seem.


This painting tries to capture the atmosphere of that day. I was so glad to be running along the coastal path because the light and the atmosphere had a sense of magic. I held that in my mind and produced two large paintings and two small ones.

One of the large ones was purchased almost instantly by a person who lives on the coast the other was claimed by my son for his new house.

The two small ones well sadly nobody seems to want to purchase at present and they hang in the local inn. They have been on my website for some time and still they are not sold.

Today I am showing you the small unsold ones on the other Blog and here the first of the large ones who knows maybe I will use the other large one another time.

All paintings were painted in acrylic and painted in one of my frenetic moods two one day and two the next while I remembered the mood and the atmosphere. I remember at the time listening to Mendelssohn’s, “Fingals Cave “ having visited there often it seemed so right for the mood.



I am beginning to feel that maybe the weekend is not a good time to be posting on the blog. I am aware that fewer people read blogs over the weekend understandably. Any comments you have on that I would be grateful.



This blog is linked to my other where you can read the story of:- A Case of Priorities



The two small paintings used or my other blog are best viewed at my website:- Seascape Paintings

Autumnal Hedgerow

Autumnal Hedgerow.

This is the second version of my hedgerow. This time I tried to aim for even more of the autumnal colours, not sure I managed it. This painting has not sold and needs moving from where I have it hanging. I am not easily insulted and seldom if ever take umbrage but this painting brought me some pain. I liked it and so I splashed out and made an expensive heavy gold style antique frame. When I hung it I got an email from somebody who works in the inn where it is hanging offering me a lot less than the price I had asked and in fact less than it had cost for the frame. My first reaction was to let her have it but she did not really know me and had only worked in the place a very short time. I said no and since then have felt really bad. I am reluctant to go over and change it but I must do so.


I would be interested in your thoughts about these two together as a compare and contrast. See once a teacher always a teacher, compare and contrast indeed.

Again painted in acrylic using knives.

I have been reading all the blogs I follow this morning and have had to come back to my own and make comment about how wonderful I am feeling after the experience. So many of you lifting my inner being with your words and your art. The other day Kim gave away a painting today Kay says she is going to do the same and then Katherine says she is setting herself a similar challenge. This is marvellous, maybe we should all decide to give one painting a year  and we can record it. It need not be anything large or expensive, my little Autumn Watercolour was small.  I love the joy people get when they get even just a little painting.



This blog is linked to my other where this is used:- The Way of the Wolves