Sunday, 1 February 2026

Head painting exercise - 'The Champions'

Head painting exercise - 'The Champions'

The Champions TV oil portraits
This set of portraits are characters from 'The Champions', a series broadcast in the UK between 1968 - 69, and made by ITC, a company who produced quite a few similar series.
It is listed as a spy thriller/science fiction/ detective fiction series. Shown are the four main characters (upper left) Craig Stirling, (upper right) Sharron Macready, (lower left) 
Tremayne, (below right) Richard Barrett.
Craig Stirling oil painting


Sharron Macready oil painting

Tremayne oil painting

Richard Barrett oil painting Davey


Sunday, 25 January 2026

Julian Masson portrait - oil painting

Julian Masson portrait - oil painting

Julian Masson with Frequency Hopping artwork
Pictured here is French artist Julian Masson, currently residing in the UK. 
He is framed in this composition standing in amongst one of his works, a mobile named " Frequency Hopping" which consists of cut card triangle shapes painted with various textures, hung from a frame work suspended from the ceiling. It's influenced by H. Lamarr’s work.
Julian's work explores our relation with technology and the connections between Science and the Arts. His web site is https://jfmmasson.com/
The painting is sized at xxx x xxx", painted on canvas, in oils. Originally the painting started to take shape in late summer 2023. Some progress was made before the work was abandoned until the following spring, when completed.
close up Masson oil portrait

close up of clothing detail by M P Davey



Sunday, 11 January 2026

Plein air painting 136 07 june bishop's waltham ruins

Plein air painting 136 

Bishops waltham ruins art M P Davey

Bishop's Waltham palace was a residence built around 1367 and destroyed during the civil war 1642-49. It was home to many influential figures in politics and the church over the years. The ruins are about 12 miles from Southampton.
This oil painting was done one Friday morning with very changeable weather conditions so it was difficult to pin it down as a dull day or sunny one. Sized at 12 x 9.5", done in oils on mounting board. 07/06/24.

Friday, 2 January 2026

Plein air painting 135

Plein air painting 135 

Southampton Western Esplanade oil painting Davey
This unglamorous view is of a traffic junction in central Southampton. It is a junction along Western Esplanade road within the heart of the city. The long red brick wall hides the railway line running parallel to the road. On the left can be seen the footbridge crossing the line, with the building beyond it being offices built above the central station. 
This was painted one Thursday morning (06/06/24) on mounting board sized at 12 x 9.5" in oils.

Sunday, 7 December 2025

Plein air painting 134

 

Plein air painting 134 rose garden

Southampton rose garden art M P Davey

A meetup of the Southampton Art society took place at the East (Andrews) park, in central Southampton, on the morning of 4th June 2024. The specific location was the rose garden, near the junction of New road and Above Bar Street. In the background can be seen some of the shops, some in scaffolding on the right hand side.
Painted on cardboard in oils, sized at 12 x 9.5".

Sunday, 23 November 2025

Plein air painting 129

Plein air painting 129

Southampton Houndwell place art M P davey

This is another view of Debenhams, Southampton, but from the other side as shown in the previous post, and painted about a week later (18/05/24). The road featured with a sweeping curve is Houndwell Place, and the ex-department store's architecture follows it. In the foreground is a supporting column, part of old offices converted into student apartments a few years ago. On the right side is a recently hit road sign!
Oil on mounting board cut to 12 x 9.5".

Monday, 3 November 2025

Plein air painting 133 central hall

Plein air painting 133


This distinctive building is the Central Hall, built in 1925 as a Methodist church, later becoming a part Hampshire Education Authority during the 1960's, and since the 1990's has been owned by the New Community Church. It resides along Kingsway, Southampton. The roadway outside the building was risen a number of decades ago for a redeveloped traffic junction which visually 'eats' in to the base of the Hall. In the background can be seen 'Dukes Keep'.
Painted in oils on mounting board cut to 12 x 9.5", one Monday morning, 3rd June 2024.