The Long View
These paintings, both in watercolour and in acrylic on canvas or wood, tend to be long pieces, either vertical or horizontal, when the longer length is usually approximately double the shorter one. The success of each piece largely depends on the subject in question, which is generally inspired by something I have seen or imagined. This format is fairly unusual but works extremely well when you want to fill a narrow space. Canvases are shipped rolled in a rigid tube; paper is shipped flat ( the paper used is very heavy and cannot bend) as are acrylic on cradled wood pieces. .
CARIBBEAN VILLAGE SCENE with goats & chickens wandering about, a cat & a dog. This typical Caribbean village scene is becoming a rarity with the number of cars now on the road. But the use of corrugated iron roofs still exists & most of the houses are built of wood. Many are balanced on breeze blocks with no foundations. This allows them to be transported on a flat-bed device to another location. Watercolour 11x30" 28x76cm
A framing suggestion...
COLOURS OF THE CARIBBEAN Use of those sparkling turquoise blues which epitomise the Caribbean Sea & those lush greens of the coconut palms combine to produce a semi-abstract contemporary painting which also features tropical birds: the graceful egrets. Watercolour 11x30'. 28x76cm
A framing suggestion...
BOWLED! A fun watercolour involving local Bananaquit birds that fly in & out of my house & my collection of bowls in blue & yellow - with my signature drips! 11x30" 28x76cm on heavy paper
THE DAILY QUEUE of Bananaquit Birds in the Bougainvillea waiting for their breakfast of sugar, which my husband serves them every morning. I have painted this same subject often as I love it & I can do so many different things with the birds. This is just a different format in watercolour on a long piece of heavy paper 11x30" 28x76cm. It's fun in every aspect!
KITCHEN GARDEN The original idea for this came to me during the Covid lockdown, although as we have quite a big garden & good weather, it wasn't too restrictive; the doors & windows remained open & the birds flew backwards & forwards as usual. I collect different coloured pots & began to paint variations of them. Growing different herbs in them came naturally & I needed somehow to introduce an element of fun as well as my friend the lizard. I hope you like it too! Watercolour on stiff paper 11x30". 28x76cm
TOPSY TURVY PINEAPPLES I was loving this new format & playing with Pineapples was great fun &, I thought, an interesting & original result. Watercolour on stiff paper 11x30" 28x76cm
PASTEL PALMS ALL IN A ROW This is a great & different format from the traditional rectangles & squares & surprisingly offers all sorts of new possibilities.. It's fun & the colours are more delicate than usual, & very peaceful. Watercolour on stiff paper 11x30". 28x76cm
A MUGS' GAME My collection of blue mugs & cups perfectly suited this format - almost monochromatic but pleasingly so with my signature drips to complete the composition . A case of less is more. watercolour on stiff paper 11x30". 28x76cm
PILING IT ON Watercolour inspired by the Brown Pelicans on pilings I see every day on my morning walk...and the lazy Laughing Gull too of course, hoping to profit from a Pelican's fishing skills. 11x13" 28x76cm on 650gm Arches acid-free paper
PILING IT ON : framing suggestion
BLUE LAGOON WITH ELEGANCE, the elegance being those beautiful, graceful white egrets. It's in acrylic on canvas 30x40" 74x102cm The ideal piece of art to brighten any home or office space
DOGNAP Inspired by a friend's painting of beach umbrellas & to which, in a fit of whimsy, I added a dog taking a nap on a lounger under one of them - after realising I hadn't included any people....I really just liked the colours & shapes they all made together - & of course I love dogs too. Watercolour 11x30" 28x76cm on 650gm Arches paper
DOGNAP: framing suggestion
BOOBY LOOKOUT A fairly common seabird in Antigua, the painting was inspired by a friend who mentioned seeing the same Booby every day on the same piling. Watercolour 9x24". 23x60cm
PAIR OF BOOBIES The word "Booby" was originally a source of great hilarity for my 2 young granddaughters who at first refused to believe that was what these birds were called...anyhow, as Boobies mate for life, I thought Id do a companion to BOOBY LOOKOUT although each is fine on its own too. Watercolour 9x24" 23x60cm
BOOBY LOOOKOUT & A PAIR OF BOOBIES Framing & hanging suggestion
COUNTING SHEEP! The way to tell the difference between goats & sheep here is that the former have tails that go up, the latter ones that go down. So these are obviously sheep, inspired by Jumby Bay Resort, Long Island where flocks of them abound & their logo is a sheep. Of course, this format lends itself perfectly to the subject. Watercolour on stiff paper 11x30". 28x76cm
BLUE MIST Introducing gravity into the equation... Acrylic on canvas 15x30". 38X76cm
BLUE MIST: a perfect accompaniment
BROWN PELICANS ON PILINGS: A TALL ORDER You often see these pelicans in groups, perched on pilings in the Caribbean Sea, often accompanied by a Laughing Gull, who hopes to profit from the pelican's hunting and fishing skills which as far superior to its own
A simple framing suggestion
BANANAQUIT BIRDS & BOUGAINVILLEA These delightful, yellow-breasted tropical birds wait in our colourful bougainvillea bush every morning for my husband to put out their sugar breakfast for them - there are always far more than shown here. The contrast between the yellow of the breasts & the deep pink of the exotic tropical flowers inspired me to paint this scene, which I have done many times! Watercolour 11x30: 28x76cm
BANANAQUIT BIRDS & SEA GRAPES Tis time it's the greens, purples & reds of the sea grapes balanced by the yellow breasts of the tropical birds that inspired this painting. Watercolour 11x30" 28x76cm
SMOOTH TURTLE There are lots of turtles around the islands of Antigua (Jumby Bay Resort island has a whole breeding programme), particularly Hawksbill ones, like the one here. This is a semi-abstract approach painted in acrylic on cradled wood. It is varnished, with sides sealed with black matt paint & ready to hang. 10x20" 25x50cm
BANANAQUIT BIRDS IN PARADISE The semi-abstract approach works very well here too - a dazzling array of colour harming perfectly with the adorable ubiquitous yellow-breasted birds. Acrylic on cradled wood, varnished, with the sides sealed with black matt paint. Ready to hang. 10x20". 25x50cm
YELLOW BELLS OR ALLAMANDA WITH HUMMINGBIRD These lovely yellow tropical flowers are climbing plants which are highly attractive to hummingbirds which drink the nectar from the bell-like blooms Watercolour 9x24" 23x61cm
A frame suggestion & and indication of relative size
COURTING HUMMINGBIRDS Coaxing acrylic paint to produce gorgeous abstract effects with the judicious use of water & gravity - letting it all dry then superimposing figurative Hummingbirds. Painted on cradled wood, varnished & the sides sealed with black matt paint. Ready to hang. 10x20". 25x50cm
COLOUR & HARMONY WITH HUMMINGBIRDS an abstract cacophony of different hues blending with 2 darting Hummingbirds enjoying the floral aspects of this original piece of artwork, in acrylic paint on cradled wood. Varnished, sides sealed with black matt paint - ready to hang. 10x20". 25x50cm
SEAHORSE IN THE DEEP Same format, but vertical, allowing more gravity to work on the final abstract paint texture, merging blues & greens, then painting a Seahorse on the dry background so it is almost camouflaged with the rest. Acrylic on cradled wood, varnished, sides sealed with black matt paint - ready to hang. 10x20". 25x50cm
THE DANCE OF THE HUMMINGBIRDS A semi-abstract technique, using acrylic paint, water & gravity to produce a unique background upon which figurative Hummingbirds cavort. Painted on cradled wood, this artwork is varnished & its sides sealed with black matt paint. Ready to hang. 10x20". 25x50cm
PINEAPPLE PICTURE An interplay of contrasts & colours using signature drips to define the composition - great fun & totally unique. Acrylic paint on cradled wood, varnished, the sides sealed with black matt paint - ready to hang. 10x20" 25x50cm
MANGO SEASON - the sweetest season! SO delicious - the Bananaquit birds love them too, as they ripen from pale green & purple to all shades of yellow, orange, red & pink with the bright orange flesh dripping juice. This is how they look growing on the mango trees. Acrylic paint on cradled wood, varnished, sides sealed with black matt paint - ready to hang. 10x20". 25x50cm
YELLOW BELLS or Allamanda - great climbing plants that abound in the tropics with their beautiful bell-shaped flowers in yellow or deep pink. Painted in acrylic on cradled wood, varnished, sides sealed with black matt paint - ready to hang. 10x20". 25x50cm
CHIEF Inspired by my friend Cecilia's really tall lanky dog who hangs out at her lovely restaurant on the water's edge at Highpoint, Antigua. Acrylic on cradled wood 10x20" 25x50cm Edges sealed black - ready to hang
BALLS A rather impressive statuette at Cecilia's restaurant that I couldn't resist painting Acrylic on cradled wood 10x20" 25x50cm Sides painted black, ready to hang
A framing suggestion for these two lovely, long pieces that hang side by side so well