The completion of a large 48 x 20″ panorama on gesso primed panel. An acrylic of Castle Rock at The Valley of Rocks near Lynton in North Devon. Love the rugged coastline and rocks here. Climbed here too! The Devil’s Cheesewring is a rock outcrop which stands on a slope leading to the famous Castle Rock. Al
I’m still in the painting and creativity doldrums so today I forced myself to sit down and take two hours to paint a picture. Not necessarily for sale but just to start the juices flowing again. Well I’m not there yet but at least it’s a start in 2020.
Last week I decided to cross over from Devon into Somerset and first visit Porlock (by the way Mrs Jackson’s Victorian Tearooms homemade crumpets are to die for) and then to complete a circular walk around Bossington Hill. This is a wonderful winter’s scene I saw in full sunlight. Al
https://www.albrownartist.com/post/the-view-from-bossington-hill
Another trip out to the old Dairy Crest building in Taddiport, nr Torrington, North Devon! My son Archie required more pictures for his end of term exams and here we were. I managed to chat to one of the grafitti artists at work here as he prepared another wall for a composition! There is some fantastic work here so if you’re near pop in and have a look at North Devon’s most original Contemporary Art Installation! Al
Well it’s the end of a rather busy year with many new friends and contacts made. I’ve broadened horizons and am very appreciative to the people who’ve visited my exhibitions and purchase some of my artistic anxieties!
I’d like to thank Josie Lloyd for inviting me to the wonderful Hatherleigh Festival and to Alan Beaman for allowing me to exhibit at Commerce House, see you next year as a visitor. Love staying in Hatherleigh, a special place!
Than you to Peter Stiles and the Plough Arts Centre for allowing me to exhibit on your artist’s wall. Perhaps one day upstairs?
Thanks to Stella Levy for the encouragement, to North Devon Art Trek and allowing me to be part of the final night at the White Moose Gallery, a sad loss to North Devon!
A special thank you to Adrian Beasley for arranging and providing some forward drive with regard photography and art exhibitions.
To the Pilton Arts Group for allowing me to exhibit during the North Devon Art Trek!
To the Burton Gallery in Bideford for choosing me to be a small part of their Christmas Exhibition.
Finally, a great thank you for the encouragement, purchases and positivity from everyone who knows me and my work. Not too sure what 2020 will bring but hopefully more of what happened in 2019! Al
An acrylic sketch on gesso panel 400 x 300mm of a warm Autumn evening on the River Taw in North Devon. After an enjoyable cycle around the area I spotted a kingfisher off the slipway on Barnstaple Quay. On returning home I came across this view! The original image is more subtle in colour and tone. This is probably my last image of 2019! Al
Barricane is a picturesque cove tucked in between the rocks, famous for cowries and other exotic shells sought out by children and adults alike. For many years this secluded beach was a locals secret hidaway but recently the word has got out. In the summer there is a food hut that sells curries and tea in china mugs. Sadly a few visitors and locals alike bestow the beach in rubbish, bottles and discarded BBQs. It was our Secret Heaven!
https://www.albrownartist.com/post/barricane-beach
KOH SAMET
Deep green and distant islands
I have been off Ban Pae Pier.
Where the salt white sands are bleached,
And the water’s crystal clear.
Sweeping shadows of the palm trees,
Open fingers brush the shore.
Band of grey approaching thunder,
Monsoon rain a little more.
Without care for tortured world
We bronzed our thoughts away.
Cosmopolitan games of volleyball,
Oriental Eden made for play.
Beachside huts now mute and toppled,
No more bucks from Uncle Sam.
My friends have now gone elsewhere,
Have they gone to Vietnam?
Korean families with their beach craft,
Who’ve discovered Diamond Sands.
While away their humid moments,
Where a noisy jet ski lands.
My uncovered secret heaven
Was impossible to hide.
Speeding years and aging faces,
From those memories we cried.
Why couldn’t it last forever?
Tearful dreams of carefree days.
Fleeting moments of impermanence,
They’re our lives the Buddha says.
So now it’s time to move along,
Relieved so one pretends.
Now I’ll sit alone and drink awhile,
To the ghosts of dancing friends.
A view out to see from Crow Point in North Devon. On the horizon the famous Lundy Island. This item if for sale on my website at https://www.albrownartist.com/ if anyone is interested. Many thanks Al
https://www.albrownartist.com/post/crow-point-to-lundy
Perhaps my next large scale acrylic? Photograph taken on my iPhone in January 2019 with a photoshopped sky. Love photoshop which allows me to experiment with compositions, tones and colours. I then take these onto the canvas and alter them to fit the media technique. Al
https://www.albrownartist.com/post/linhay-on-the-marsh-1
For sale on my website https://www.albrownartist.com/
An acrylic on gesso panel 37 x 37″. After spending a rather enjoyable day on Exmoor looking for herds of deer we made our way back home via Countisbury Hill. From a curve on the A39 road I saw this striking Autumnal sky, muted colours and dark shaddows. I took this picture on my iPhone and here it is in paint. Al
For sale here at a Black Friday price due to it’s size at https://www.albrownartist.com/post/a39-to-wilsham
Al Brown Artist. 