An acrylic painting 600 x 760mm on panel of Greencliff near Abbottsham on the North Devon coast. The view is looking downwards to the sea and in the distance Harland Point is seen. It is here where I go to collect the pigment I use to produce Bideford Black. I’ve experimented with layers of acrylic wash for this painting. When viewed in full sunlight adjustments had to be made to create that darker warm evening light. Al
Above are pictures of progress so far, I’ve also started another smaller painting of a sunset at Broadsands on Northam Burrows in North Devon. Last picture is of it in it’s new home, quite an impressive setting!
Another picture inspired from Roborough near Pilton, Barnstaple. I’m using some broken sticks from the hill to create some surface texture. This is painted using Bideford Black hand prepared paint on thick cartridge paper. The view is of looking toward the top of road leading down to Raleigh and Barnstaple. In the distance there is a slight glimpse of the River Taw leading to Fremington Quay, Instow and Crow Point. Al
An acrylic on 16 x 20″ canvas of the wonderful Woody Bay on the North Devon Coast. I haven’t visited this location for many years and was delighted to find it as impressive as I remembered. A rocky beach with a Victorian swimming pool and remains of an old pier. Well worth a visit if you’re in the location. This is situated in the Exmoor National Park.
A couple of pictures from my latest foray up the very steep Roborough Hill near Pilton in North Devon. I’ve slightly tinted the black and white images to give them that look of an old school 1930s travel book. I remember, as a boy, looking through those old musty picture books of the world and it was from these very books that fuelled my inspiration to travel. These pictures will eventually become large Bidiford Black paintings.
Roborough Hill
The main reason why I was there today was to pick a place to photograph the Spitfire flying over the country’s hospitals with ‘THANK U NHS’ under it’s wings. I decided to return down the hill and finally took the picture below.
A mixed media composition of the late Peter Green who died on the 25th July 2020 aged 73. 540 x 400mm, Bideford Black, Uni-ball fine line pens & Indian Ink. I’ve found this frame on a recent trip to Clifton in Bristol where I discovered it in an antique shop. Peter Green was one of the greatest Blues guitarists Britain ever produced. His shape-shifting riffs and long, improvisational excursions made Fleetwood Mac one of the most exciting live bands of the 1960s Blues explosion. He first picked up a hand-me-down guitar at the age of 10 and, like many of his peers, began to devour the import vinyl that trickled into the UK from the US. He studied the greats Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy and BB King – combining their tensely coiled playing style with the shimmering vibrato of The Shadows’ Hank Marvin. But he actually started his professional career as a bassist, until an encounter with Eric Clapton persuaded him to ditch the instrument. “I decided to go back on lead guitar after seeing him with the Bluesbreakers. He had a Les Paul, his fingers were marvellous. The guy knew how to do a bit of evil, I guess.” He later had the seemingly impossible task of taking over from Clapton in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Fans were unconvinced at first, but after a handful of incendiary performances, he won them over, earning the nickname “The Green God”. Interestingly enough I thought the Green Manalishi was him but Mr Green says it was actually about a wad of cash he dreamt about.
Sandy Lane Poppies 1220 x 610mm acrylic on panel. A painting of the dusty lane that leads to the Burrows Carpark in Braunton just behind Saunton Beach. I was quite taken by the poppies in the hedge and the stark neon whiteness of the sandy road.
A large digital painting I’ve been dabbling with on and off for a few years now! Using the app Procreate on my iPad image size 3,915 x 1,690 dpi. This image was captured on a GoPro camera between sets whilst surfing off Combesgate Beach in North Devon. In the distance you can see the back of the break with a few surfers making the most of a kind summer swell.
Below are the three layers I’ve used to create this large image. Once connected the final image is complete.
Above the completed image on the left and on the right just playing with photoshop to exchange the painted sky with a photographic one! Time to now move on as this composition is finally over and dusted. Al
Sadly this year’s Glastonbury Festival was cancelled due to Corona Pandemic; 50 years anniversary since 1970. I usually work every year at the festival with the fantastic Recycling Team and love the atmosphere in Tom’s Field where we workers spend time listening to live music, eating and drinking in Tom’s Bar. No public of course! We especially love the Singing Cider! Tom’s Field, if course, named after the horse that used to reside there. Well this year I noticed a video about Glastonbury by the artist Beans On Toast and the opening frames showed a scene which inspired me to sketched here in pastels. Well until next year 2010!
Presently I’m working on a series of sketches of some of my colleagues at North Devon District Hospital at Raleigh Park, Barnstaple. Pen and Ink on thick cartridge paper. So far I’ve drawn ODPs (Operating Department Pratitioners), a member of our Support Staff and Recovery Nurses. I’m also experimenting with Uni-Ball Needle Pens and the moment instead of my usual traditional knib or Staedtler fine draughting pens!
Al Brown Artist. 