Inspired by Nature
This category really speaks for itself, and features paintings of all sizes & formats, in watercolour & acrylic. I am surrounded by tropical fauna & flora where I live, and they provide my chief inspiration. As a biologist by training, I am always interested in how plants and animals are constructed & from which I can then digress in an abstract way. Some subjects are my favourites, such as pineapples, pelicans, egrets, turtles, palm trees, flowers & hummingbirds etc, and I paint them in different ways over & over.
CARIBBEAN BLUES & GREENS WITH EGRETS Watercolour 12x16" 30x40cm
A splash of Caribbean colour to an otherwise dull desk: it's just a framing suggestion to give you an idea of its relative size when hung
CARIBBEAN GREENS & EGRETS Watercolour 12x16". 30x40cm
LIZARD vs CAT A Caribbean setting in from of a lovely blue door: this is a staring match between the lizards that about on my Caribbean island of Antigua, and a pet cat called Camminix. A spade is indeed a spade but this one completed the composition in the contemporary approach using drips under the influence of gravity. Watercolour 12x16" 30x40cm
IN THE PINK WITH SAMMY in this contemporary artwork, Sammy is an adorable Jack Russell Dog sitting on a pink bench in a tropical setting, surrounded by exotic flowers & vegetation. Tipping the paper allows gravity to cause the watercolour paint to drip & run, contributing largely to the composition of the painting. Watercolour 12x16". 30x40cm
PINEAPPLE POLL This contemporary painting is inspired by the eponymous Gilbert & Sullivan comic ballet with the lizard taking the main role in this instance. The pineapple, as well as being a symbol of welcome & a national symbol of my Caribbean island home, is a classic example of the Fibonacci Series, which has always fascinated me as a former trained biologist. Watercolour 12x16". 30x40cm
ANTHURIUMS & HUMMINGBIRD Anthuriums are beautiful, wax-like plants red, pinks and white splendour. They like to grow in the moist atmosphere of a tropical rain forest. The bright colours are of bracts, not flowers, to attract pollinating insects to their small, central clusters of minute yellow or pink flowers. Jewel-like tiny hummingbirds also drink the nectar from them. The contemporary use of drips again holds the composition together. Watercolour 22x30". 56x76cm
A TROPICAL ANCHORAGE The Caribbean islands are prone to hurricanes in season, and some have excellent natural harbours in which boats can shelter. One such haven is English Harbour, in the Caribbean island of Antigua, & which inspired this painting in which the ocean-going vessels are just visible through the towering palm trees. Coconut palms are a favourite & versatile subject abounding in the nature that surrounds me. Watercolour 22x30". 30x40cm
PALM TREES WITH EGRETS AT SUNRISE As a watercolour purist, I do not use any white pigment: the paper itself acts as this colour; thus the white egrets are negative spaces formed by the tropical vegetation that surrounds them. Three different species of this common tropical land bird can be found on this Caribbean island, and, being gregarious, they tend to nest in flocks in tres. They are often found in groups in the brackish water of lagoons near the sea or perching on the backs of sheep, goats & cattle to forage for insects, such as ticks. Watercolour 22x30". 30X40cm
A framing & hanging suggestion
A really fun idea for hanging these two tropical paintings together, framed to match the decor
A framing & hanging suggestion
LONE EGRET & COCONUT PALMS 1 The beautiful soft & soothing greens of tropical nature with a splash of warm, turquoise Caribbean Sea & golden sand, evoke the tranquility of island life. The egret is a natural part of this lush & exotic flora & fauna. Watercolour, original contemporary art 22x30". 30x40cm
LONE EGRET & COCONUT PALMS 2 Tropical fauna & flora comprise the nature that surrounds me and inspires me
FANCLUB! A veritable fanfare of Fan Palms & Ladies' fans in a semi-abstract style in acrylic on canvas; inspired by Caribbean nature & ladies' fashion! 25x30" 63x91cm
BANANAQUIT BIRDS & SEAGRAPES Sea Grapes are prolific in the Caribbean, with their dinner-plate-like leaves & bunches of grapes that ripen and change colour just like the regular kind. They also taste the same but are salty & not nearly as juicy, with one large stone instead of pips. But the Bananaquit birds love the red & purple ones ( as do many other tropical birds). I love this long format, painted on very heavy watercolour paper, & which provides plenty of scope for long drips forming as it is carefully tipped & gravity takes over. A very contemporary approach to a classic subject: nature is the ultimate inspiration Watercolour 11x30". 78x28cm
BANANAQUIT BIRDS & BOUGAINVILLEA These delightful little yellow, tropical birds queue up each morning in the big, bright pink bougainvillea bush for the sugar my husband puts out for their breakfast. The long format allows great scope for the pink & green drips that make up the composition in which this contemporary approach uses gravity to guide the drips. Watercolour 11x30". 28x78cm
These two long-format paintings look great hung side by side; the bright yellow used in each painting is picked up by the frames and then the furniture in perfect harmony
BLUE PALMS - semi-abstract watercolour in soft tropical colours. 22x30" 56x76cm on heavy paper with 2 deckle edges
BIRDS OF A FEATHER... A flock of egrets cavort by the Caribbean Sea in a truly tropical setting of brilliant blues & greens that reflect the sunny brilliance of island life & its exotic fauna & fora. Acrylic on canvas 38x36" 97x92cm
How to enhance a desk space! A framing & hanging suggestion
PALMED OFF BY THE LAGOON based on a view from Darkwood Beach,on the Caribbean island of Antigua, facing west with the island of Montserrat on the horizon. Watercolour 22x30". 56x76"
PALMANISM - Coconut palms on a beach by the sea. Acrylic on cradled wood - varnished & sides sealed with black matt - ready to hang 11x14" 28x35cm
A SAFE ANCHORAGE PEEPING THROUGH PALMS based on English Harbour, Antigua: a famous safe & protected Hurricane Hole where boats can shelter. Acrylic on canvas 29.5x40" 74x102cm
Framing suggestion for SAFE ANCHORAGE
LUSCIOUS TROPICAL FLORA ENJOYED BY JEWEL-LIKE HUMMINGBIRDS Acrylic on canvas 30x30". 76x76cm
SMALL FORMAT ANGELS' TRUMPETS WITH HUMMINGBIRD Watercolour 9x12 " 23x30cm Optional mounted double matt 11x14". 28x35cm standard frame size
SMALL FORMAT VARIEGATED HELICONIA WITH HUMMINGBIRD watercolour 9x12" 23x30cm option double mounted to 11x14" 28x35cm standard frame size
BLUE PALMS WITH EGRETS: A CARIBBEAN FANTASY Inspired by nature as usual: the tropical birds & plants (especially coconut palm trees) & of course the Caribbean Sea which is never far away as I live on an island Watercolour 22x30". 56x76cm
NEARLY HOME: THE LAST STRETCH WITH LAND IN SIGHT A lone sailboat rounds the point as it makes for its palm-fringed anchorage of this tropical paradise island. Blue Caribbean seas & skies and leaning coconut palms combine in harmony to comprise this unique contemporary artwork. Watercolour 30x22". 78x28cm
RIPE SALTY SEAGRAPES enjoyed by Bananaquit birds. Watercolour on heavy paper 22x30". 56x76cm
SUGAR RUSH! Hundreds of these tiny, colourful tropical birds called Bananaquits descend on a sugar bowl ! We see them every day as my husband puts sugar out for them & it's our own, private bird table. Unusually, the males & females are nearly indistinguishable. Bird watching in the Caribbean! The technique used was originally inspired by Picasso's cubism but has since taken on a life of its own, simply using lines & shapes to create a contemporary composition harmonising subject & colour. Acrylic on canvas 24x24". 61x61cm
How "Sugar Rush" might looked framed - unframed it's 24x24". 61x61cm Acrylic on canvas in a contemporary style inspired by nature & Picasso's cubism
GOLDEN CHALICE & CRESTED HUMMINGBIRD A perfect combination of soft Caribbean greens & cream & lemon completed by a hovering little Crested Hummingbird that I see every day, darting around in its search for nectar. Watercolour 12x16" 30x40cm
MANGO SEASON! Ripe, delicious juicy fruit loved by Bananaquit birds. Watercolour on heavy paper 22x30". 56x76cm
HEAVENLY HIBISCUS beloved by Hummingbirds. Watercolour on heavy paper 22x30" 56x76cm
"WHERE THE BEE SUCKS, THERE SUCK I ..." Hummingbirds adore Hibiscus with its colourful attractive flowers. Watercolour 12x16" 30x40" Option with double mount 16x20" 41x51cm standard frame size
LINING UP FOR BREAKFAST! This is what the Bananaquit birds do every morning, sitting in the Bougainvillea bush, waiting for their daily sugar dose. Watercolour on heavy paper 22x30". 56x76cm
IN THE PINK! Semi-abstract Pink Bromeliad with Hummingbird in acrylic on cradled wood - ready to hang with sided sealed black matt 16x18" 40x46cm
ORANGE ANGELS! Semi-abstract Angels' Trumpets (Datura) in acrylic on cradled wood. Varnished with sides sealed with black matt - ready to hang 16x20" 41x51cm
READ MY PALMS! Semi-abstract rendition of coconut palms at dawn using a muted palette, Watercolour 22x30" 56x76cm Heavy paper with 2 deckle edges
CRAZY PINEAPPLES! Watercolour on heavy paper 22x30" 56x76cm
Framing suggestion for "CRAZY PINEAPPLES"
GONE BANANAS With hungry Bananaquit Bird Watercolour on heavy paper 22x30" 56x76"
PINEAPPLE PAIR with Bananaquit Bird. Watercolour on heavy paper 22x30" 56x76cm
SMALL FORMAT ORANGE HELICONIA WITH HUMMINGBIRD watercolour 9x12" 23x30cm Optional double mount 11x14" 28x35cm Standard frame size
PALE BLUE MISTY PALMS by the sea. Watercolour on heavy paper 22x30" 56x76cm
ILL-MET BY MOONLIGHT, FAIR TITANIA! Blue palms & lagoon. Watercolour on heavy paper 22x30" 56x76cm
TROPICAL TREES - Mahogany, Norfolk Island Pine, Neam in muted shades of green, turquoise & grey. Watercolour on heavy paper 22x23" 56x76cm
POTTING SHED Bromeliads & Cordyline in pots with Hummingbirds. Acrylic on canvas 29.5x40". 74x102cm
Framing suggestion for POTTING SHED over a traditional four post bed
PINING FOR A PINEAPPLE - pineapples are a national symbol of Antigua with a delicious sweet sub-species called Black Pineapple ( I still don't know why!). Of course the ubiquitous Bananaquit Birds love the ripened fruit. Watercolour 12x16" 30x40cm optional double mount 16x20". 41x51cm Standard Frame size
THE RED DOOR inspired by a tropical garden with Jack Russell Terrier
UNCOMMON BIRD OF PARADISE with Hummingbird. Usually the colours of these popular tropical blooms are bright orange with pink & purple flashes of colour. This sub-species' colours are unusually muted & the flowers tend to be bigger than the vibrant ones. Watercolour 12x16" 30x40cm Optional double mount 16x20" 41x51cm Standard frame size
THE LAID-BACK LIZARD! a beautiful contrast between the bright red Heliconia & the lime green lizard. Watercolour 12x16" 30x40" optionally double-mounted to 16x20" 41x51cm standard frame size
ANTHURIUMS GALORE! Delicate shades of pink with a bright red one to create contrast. These are not petals but bracts! The flowers are tiny, clustered together on the protrusions exactly where the Hummingbird is feeding, in fact. Acrylic on canvas 30x48". 74x120cm
SUGAR RUSH! Bananaquit Birds scrambling for Sugar. Acrylic on canvas 24x24" 61x61cm
THE BLUE DOOR inspired by a friend's house & luscious tropical garden with a little Jack Russell Terrier dog, & wonderful black & white tiles. Watercolour 12x16" 30x40cm Optional double mount 16x20". 41x51cm Standard frame size
GINGER LILIES WITH HUMMINGBIRD - semi-abstract watercolour, very delicate hues 12x16" 30x40cm Optional double mount 16x20". 41x51cm Standard Frame size
STRICTLY FOR THE BIRDS Watercolour inspired by the nature that surrounds me viz. Hibiscus & Hummingbirds, using all the vibrancy of a tropical island in the Caribbean! Antigua, to be precise, where exotic flora & fauna abound. The next image is an example of how it would looked framed & hung 22x23". 56x76cm
AN ARTICHOKE BOUQUET! Not at all tropical but I loved the shapes & colours so couldn't resist painting them - with a couple of bees! Can you spot them? Watercolour 12x16" 30x40cm Optional double mount 16x20" 41x51cm Standard Frame Size
SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL! Only 10x10". 25x25cm, this varnished acrylic painting on wood is vibrant with colour, featuring a Hummingbird & brilliant tropical flora. Varnished & with the sides sealed black matt, it's ready to hang.
THE COLOURS OF THE CARIBBEAN! Add a touch of colour to your decor with a Hummingbird & Yellow Heliconia & contrasting blues & orange & red. Treat yourself to this small acrylic painting on wood - only 10x10" 25x25cm but with a big effect! Varnished with sealed sides black matt, it's ready to hang
BROMELIAD MON AMOUR - I am fascinated by the whole Bromeliad family, the way the plants grow, following the Fibonacci sequence, & they are among my favourite subjects. Acrylic on canvas 18x18" 46x46cm ready to hang
GOING BANANAS! Also featured in a framed version under the BIG & BOLD section, this canvas painted in acrylic uses a semi-abstract approach vaguely reminiscent of Picasso to form an interesting & fascinating composition - keep looking! And of course I had to include some Bananaquit birds...30x40" 74x105cm
VENEZUELAN BROMELIAD inspired by my regular visits to Venezuela in the 80s - many of my paintings are inspired by nature. My pinks are a little more vibrant & of course I had to include a Hummingbird to glance the composition. Painted in acrylic on canvas, it is 30x45" 74x105cm. It makes a spectacular pair with the previous painting, Gone Bananas, & the pair are featured hanging together at the end of the BIG & BOLD section - well-worth re-visiting
A WEALTH OF CONTRASTS Featuring Anthuriums in watercolour is an altogether more delicate approach 12x16" 30x40cm Optional double mount 16x20" 41x51cm Standard frame size
UPSTANDING HELICONIA I love the underlying theme in these Heliconia - all the same basic shape but variations of this in stylised semi-abstract versions epitomising the vibrant tropical colours they embody. Acrylic on canvas 30x40" 74x105cm
HANGING HELICONIA Again, the wonderful variations on the same theme of hanging Heliconia: a basic shape which can take so many forms & in different colours - with Hummingbird of course...Acrylic on canvas 30x40" 74x105cm
STRICTLY FOR THE BIRDS - how it might look when framed & hung
Commissioned by a fisherman living away from his home in the Caribbean, this triptych depicts a Sword Fish in the middle flanked by tropical flora & fauna
THE ELEGANCE OF THE EGRET This is painted in acrylic on smooth board & I just played with various settings to see how it would look framed & hung. This gives you some idea...it's very contemporary so I chose a modern interior. The next image shows the unframed, close-up version.
THE ELEGANCE OF THE EGRET Inspired by these beautifully graceful birds & borrowing a colour combination I loved used by my son in a graphic design: in acrylic on smooth board, it's definitely semi-abstract & contemporary - & unusual too, dare I say - not my usual style but I am really pleased with it. It reflects my tropical surrounding to perfection... 14.5x30.5". 37x77cm
A DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME Acrylic on Canvas - a framing suggestions. See also under BIG & BOLD
A DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME Just another framing possibility - see also under BIG & BOLD as it's 91x147cm. 36x58"
I am surrounded by nature on my tropical home island, so the colours of the Caribbean & the flora & fauna are my main inspiration. Exotic flowers, feeding humming birds, greedy bananaquit birds, pineapples, limes, coconut palms fringing white sand beaches etc all feature in watercolour on paper or acrylic on canvas or on wood & in various formats.