All in a row and yet each single daffodil seeming to be ‘looking’ here, there and somewhere else – one almost hidden behind another.  The yellowness of the flowers is delightfully set against their rich orange trumpets.  For artists, these colours can be used almost straight from the tube of Cadmiums – yellow deep, mid, light, lemon, and then oranges and reds all with such powerful properties.  It is quite unusual in figurative painting if the aim is to represent natural life to use such pure vibrant colours.  They are gaiety itself.  

Oil on panel  2021  28 x 36cm   11 x 14in

Now and then I find it fascinating and very useful to join workshops, to do something new and work with someone who has a different way of working – but along similar lines.  These two roses were painted in just such a workshop.  Online and over 6 weeks I was introduced to a rather different way of painting – faster and more expressive.  I returned quite a few times to these workshops and am grateful and happy with their influence and greater knowledge I now have.  The artist is called Paul Foxton and he runs varied workshops online.  I think these two flowers are very delightful.  I added some of my own preferences and ways of working from the Atelier system.  The balance works well. 

Oil on panel   2021  23 x 28cm   9 x 11cm

A very simple study of two beautiful, almost white daffodils with gorgeous pinkish yellow trumpets.   They are such a gift when they appear after Winter.  In our garden they are preceded by waves of naturalised snowdrops, followed by the earliest crocuses just everywhere, things move on with blue anemone blanda until the main act of Spring is really with us and these wonderful daffodils appear.  In this painting, the background is thinly painted, against which the flowers appear almost sculptural.  Their shapes are wonderful to paint, and lovely to have hanging on one the wall, simply framed.

Oil on panel  2021   34 x 26cm   13 x 10in