Southampton Northam Railworks - oil painting

Painted in early 2022 this scene shows railway works at Northam (Mount Pleasant) a suburb of Southampton. The normally busy four track railway is closed and the level crossing for road vehicles has been temporarily pulled up. New track is due to be placed on fresh ballast using the approaching panel hanging from the rail crane. In the distance in this industrial scene, can be seen some of the landmark buildings of the city of Southampton.
This painting measures 33” x 23”, done on mounting board using oil paint. A number of photographs were taken a couple of years previously and used for reference for this artwork. Unusually this engineering/ transport artwork was painted in public during a residency at the Southampton city art gallery, in public, during the spring of 2022.

The painting can be seen in greater detail here.

Plein air painting 68

Shamrock Quay in the Northam area of Southampton, UK, is home to many marine based industries and places for placing various vessels in dry storage. One Friday afternoon in August 2022, this boat was painted in the late summer sun, surrounded by pieces of equipment used to allow a boat to be held upright out of water. Painted in oils on mounting board sized at 12" x 9.5".

Plein air painting 65

One of Southampton's streets has become home since 2019 to an old lighthouse ship, named along the side in big white letters as Calshot Spit. This name also refers to the location at which it worked, which is the entrance to Southampton water from the Solent. The bright red ship, which was known as Light Vessel 78 (LV78), was built in 1914 and is a rare surviving example of a riveted iron-plated ship. It is now along side the Solent Sky museum in Albert Rd South.

The painting was done on mounting board (sized at 12" x 9.5") in oils. It was painted in August 2022 in two sessions because of rain.

Plein air painting 67

 

Andrews (East) park is one of five areas that make up the central park to be found in the centre of Southampton city, UK. This view looks north towards Brunswick place with a student housing block towering above the scene, situated at that location. The Richard Andrews (an industrialist and three times mayor) Memorial is in the centre of the painting, whereas at the rear of the park is The Queen’s Peace Fountain. This plein air oil painting was done one morning in late August but there is already a hint in the air of Autumn coming. Painted on mounting board sized at 12" x 9.5".

Head painting exercise - 'The Squid Game'

Characters from 'The Squid Game', a South Korean drama.
Seong Gi-hun (player 456), Jang Deok-su (player 101), Kang Sae-byeok (player 067), Oh Il-nam (player 001), 
Painted in oils on cardboard sized at 12" x 9.5" during summer 2022.

Plein air painting 66

A tree is shown, as seen on Southampton common, Hampshire, on an early summer morning in August. It was early enough to feel a little chilly! The tarmac path leads from the south up to the north of the common as a busy route for cyclists, joggers and others, including school children, to help get from one area of the city to the other avoiding the busy traffic that surrounds the common on each of the four sides.

The painting measures 12" x 9.5" and is painted in oils on shop reclaimed cardboard.

Head painting exercise - Star Wars droids

Various droids from the Star Wars franchise. Painted, alla prima, in oils on cardboard sized at 12" x 9" over late summer/ autumn 2022.

Top left K-2SO, top right UK2-B, bottom left Medical droid, bottom right EV-9D9.