Plein air painting 152 28th july sun morning riverside

Plein air painting 152 

Painted from a position slightly further along than one done a few days before (149) this view shows a number of houses backing on to the River Itchen in Southampton, at Riverside park. The house would sighted on Priory road.  A collection of small boats are to be seen on the mud bank, some derelict.
The plein air painting was done on the morning of the 28th July on a sunny morning. It is done on mounting board sized at 12 x 9.5 in oils.
Below is a still of the easel set up for the morning.

Plein air painting 151 24th july wed common

Plein air painting 151 

A tranquil view of  Southampton common, Hampshire. The two figures were seated there when the painting was started but soon moved. Generally the weather variable/ dull on this summer's day making the shadows change intensity and location. 24th July 2024.
Painted in oils on mounting board sized at 14 x 7.5".

Below is the photo showing the tree sitting on the common, with the artist easel set up and work finished on the painting.

Plein air painting 150 

Members of the Southampton Arts society met up on a Sunday morning to paint together at a local location. This was Ashlett Creek in Ashlett, very near to the town of Fawley, Hampshire, and a little distance from Southampton. The creek is on the banks of Southampton water and is famous for the distinctive architecture of the Tidal Mill. My painting features the scene just next to the mill, and shows a great deal of small boats and larger shipping, with Warsash on the opposite side. The day was quite dull weather wise, despite it being a summers day and the tide was quickly coming in as the painting progressed, changing its look.
Painted on mounting board sized at 12 x 9.5", using oil paint. The day was Sunday 21st July 2024.

Plein air painting 148 

On a hot afternoon I painted this view of the clock tower, part of the Civic centre, Southampton, which is a grade II listed structure. The tower is 157ft high. The easel is set up in West (Watts) Park with Commercial road running through the scene. To the (off) right is Cumberland place which was closed to traffic, but very noisy anyway due to ongoing roadworks.
Painted in oils on mounting board, sized at 9.5 x 12" on the 18th July, 2024.
Below shows the painting easel set up with a part of the bicycle used to transport the equipment around the city.

Plein air painting 147 17th july cemetery wide afternoon

Plein air painting 147 

Southampton 'Old' cemetery provides many interesting views to other local artists and photographers. The large area features a Victorian cemetery, rarely used for burials now. Nature is constantly attempting to take over the site and bury the wonky headstones in long grass and ivy. This view shows such a scene as see from one of the main routes through the area.
This 'wide' plein air painting is sized at 14 x 7.5", done on mounting board and painted in oils. Created during the afternoon of 17th July 2024 while standing in the shade on this hot day.

Below is a photo showing the pochade box set up on the tripod with the painting almost finished.

Plein air painting 144 4th july park isaac watts

Plein air painting 144 

Dominating the scene is the statue of Isaac Watts as installed at Watts park in central Southampton. He was an English Congregational minister, hymn writer, theologian, and logician, born in the town in 1674. Painted during the morning of the 4th July 2024 on mounting board sized at 12 x 9.5", in oils, with a number of people dropping by to see what I was doing, including someone who had seen me in the past, but in a different location.

Plein air painting 142 27th june park wisteria pergola

Plein air painting 142 

East (Andrews) park in central Southampton as painted on 27th June 2024 during an early start one morning. Wisteria can be seen on the right hand side hanging from the pergola along Floral Walk. In the distance buildings along Brunswick Place are visible. 

The landscape painting is done on mounting board sized at 12 x 9.5", using oil paint. One of the council gardeners was often checking progress as the painting was worked on during the course of a few hours.

Below is a shot of the easel (pochade box) in place.

139 16th june old law courts

139 Plein air painting

Southampton's Old Law courts (grade II listed) are seen here on the left, along Castle Lane, a dead end. They date from the 1850's, and were in use until the 1970's.The red brick building on the right is Lansdowne House, with the foot of the steep road beside it known as Landsdowne Road. The lamp post has been hit at some recent point.
Painted one Saturday morning on mounting board, sized at 12 x 9.5", and done in oils, during the 16th June 2024.

Plein air painting 141 25th june graveyard

Plein air painting 141 

Within Southampton lies Southampton common, and within that the marvelous 'Old Cemetery', a large Victorian site now largely left to nature. This was painted in oils one hot summers morning on cardboard cut to 12 x 9.5". (25/06/24).

Below is a photograph showing the set up used for this plein air painting. On the left is the bicycle that transports all this around! 

Plein air painting 137 13th june new road junction above bar street

Plein air painting 137

The road junction between New Road and Above Bar Street, in central Southampton is seen in this plein air work. The foreground dominant building is what was the ABC cinema, with a number of shops situated around its base. Behind is a taller building used by the university. A recent addition is the bay for parking electric scooters, at the entrance to Palmerston park.
Done on cardboard cut to 12 x 9.5" and painted in oils.(13/06/24)

Plein air painting 135 

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.

Plein air painting 134

 

Plein air painting 134 rose garden

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".

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.

Plein air painting 121 

Shown here is the distinctive form of the clock at Bitterne Triangle, on the outskirts of  Southampton. Originally situated in the centre of  Southampton along the high street, the 1899 structure was moved to its current location in 1935. 
The painting was done on a cold, windy Saturday morning (6th April 2024) in dull light with the Urban Sketchers facebook group. I was positioned next to a chip shop with smelly bin. Fortunately the wind did remove the smell from my immediate location.

Plein air painting 120 

Another very cold day following on from the last post with the urban sketchers, this time at Shamrock Quay, Southampton, situated on the banks of the River Itchen. I did not pick a view of any water or boats but examined the architecture on the local business on the quay side with the carpark in front. In the latter stages freezing cold rain came in and I finished off the painting working under a boat on stilts.
Painted 2nd March 2024. Oil on mounting board 12 X 9.5".

 

Plein air painting 119

Itchen bridge, Southampton is seen here from a viewpoint at the suburb of Woolston. The modern development known as Centenary Quay replaces Vosper Thornycroft, the world famous ship builders on this site since the early 20th century.

The Itchen Bridge is a toll bridge opened in 1977 and spans the river Itchen.

This painting was done on the 3rd February 2024 with the Southampton Urban Sketchers during a very cold Saturday morning with dismal light.

Plein air painting 117 

One of the last landscape paintings done during 2023 was this one set in the New Forest, Hampshire. The low moorland is known as Pig Bush. It was a dark, gloomy day with rain threatened. However no pigs were seen. The landscape is mainly populated with heather.

The artwork is done on cardboard sized at 12" x 9.5" with oils, the date being 12th Oct.

Plein air painting 113 

Weston Shore (Hampshire) lies on the east bank of Southampton Water. Here the view is looking north upstream, toward the city of Southampton with the tide out. On the right side is 'Vantage Tower' one of the tall buildings at Woolston, and in the centre can be seen 'Moresby Tower', at Ocean Village. Southampton Water is the link to the port of Southampton, and would have seen many famous ships throughout history.

Painted on the 10 August 2023, in oils on mounting board sized at 12" x 9.5".

Plein air painting 98a

Painted during 15th May 2023 at Warsash, on the outskirts of Southampton, Hampshire. The River Hamble is on the left side with Hamble village, and the marina, in the far background. In the center of the painting is the Harbour Masters Office, a distinctive round building painted in black and white.
The plein air landscape art was done in oils on mounting board, sized at 12" x 9.5".

Old dead tree - oil painting

Painted during Autumn 2023, the subject is an old dead tree, resting on the ground and gently rotting away. It was to have been seen in the New Forest, Hampshire during the summer of that year, where a reference photograph was taken of the subject, leading on to the creation of the studio painting later on.

The painting measures 20 x 16", and is painted in oils on primed mounting board.

It can be seen in greater detail on this link.