A watercolour from a few years ago. Looking through one of my drives I discovered this long forgotten painting. I rarely work in this media but perhaps I should visit it again. Al
A photomontage of an old pen and ink drawing of Donna Summer with the coloured background of one of my paint palette abstracts. Al
This window was designed by one of my old teachers, the Bideford artist James Peterson A.R.S.A. and portrays St Helena the Patron Saint of Lundy carrying a boat and St Michael with an aeroplane. There is also a map of Lundy with white horses as well as many sea birds which include, of course, a Puffin. It was given in memory of Arthur Manley Tucker and his son George. The father was buried off Lundy and his son was killed in action with the RAF in WW2.
A quick timed acrylic sketch of the River Taw at Ashford Strand in North Devon. Painted on 400 x 400mm gesso panel. The original painting has much more subtle colouring. I needed to do this because my paintings are becoming more drawn out and laboured. I need them to become a little more honest and spontaneous. Al
An acrylic painting 690 x 380mm on Bockingford Paper. It is of the road across the Marsh in Braunton, North Devon. I particularly liked the dark summer shadows and Cow Parsley peeping through the gloom. I cycle around the Marsh and always stop here by the bridge to look out across the fields and at the swans paddling up the narrow irrigation drains. Al
Back to using my Bideford Black pigment on Bockingford paper 700 x 340mm. This time is a picture inspired from a circular walk from Watersmeet to the Blue Ball Inn at the top of Countisbury Hill. Then onto Lynmouth and back up to where we started our walk.
The Blue Ball Inn was so called because in the late 18th century it was used as a coaching stop. A blue ball used to be raised on a pole to notify the coachmen that someone was in need of passage. It has a history of haunting and highwaymen!
I would love to spend a few days here painting and drawing the North Devon coast at Bucks Mills. I used to surf here on Christmas Day and have many happy memories of summer days here. This is a pen and ink drawing it did a few years ago with a nod towards an old art teacher of mine at Bideford Art College/North Devon College called Jimmy Paterson ARCA. He painted this very scene and I’ve seen it displayed at the Burton Gallery in Bideford. Al
A return to normality with another 36 x 36″ canvas. This acrylic is of Bedruthan Steps in Cornwall, England. I spent a rather enjoyable day here in June this year with memories of the 70s when we surfed here whilst at Art College in Redruth. I loved the dark foreboding sky approaching a warm sunlit beach, magical colours, the climb down through some rather precarious steps is worthwhile the effort. Al
Al Brown Artist. 