After an enjoyable visit to the quiet Buck’s Mills in North Devon I have decided on this composition. This view is from the stony beach at half tide, I especially liked the exposed and reflective rock pools there. Al
BUCK’S MILLS
Tag Bideford Black
GREENCLIFF
My first painting since August last year! This is of Greencliff near Abbotsham on the North Devon coast. It was a warm sunny day and whilst walking came across this view after squeezing through a gap in the bracken; it is here where I get my Bideford Black pigment. I can surely feel the gap in my painting fluency due to the lay off in painting but I’m confident this will return over the next few pictures. A little encouragement this painting has now found a new home! Al
SAUNTON SANDS
Saunton Sands painted on Bockingford paper using natural pigments found at Fremington Quay in North Devon. Amongst the rocks and strata at Fremington are various pigments including the usual Bideford Black, which I usually get from Greencliff at Abbotsham, a blackish colour called Poor Man’s Coal, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber, White Clay and Grey. I collect these pigments for further preparation where I finely ground them and use them for my paintings!
A FORGOTTEN FOLDER
A quick look through a forgotten folder found behind some canvasses in my studio. If there’s anything you like please let me know as all are for sale! The music is a little noodling I did on my guitar a few years ago and I entitled it Costalotcoffee!
THE BOARDWALK TO CROW POINT
A painting using the local Bideford Black pigment. This painting is of the old boardwalk which lead to Crow Point in North Devon.
A LOOK BACK AT MY 2022
A selection of some of the paintings I’ve completed in 2022, the year started out with a Bideford Black and ended with a large composition called Secluded Stream. I’ve had the great pleasure of twice visiting the Lizard in Cornwall this year and searched for sea glass with my wife along the North Devon Coast. During the year I was invited by a friend of mine, Adrian Beasley, to join again with the Black Arts for a residential course and worked with clients using the Bideford Black pigment at the Northam Visitors Centre. Having not exhibited for quite a while I ended year at the Burton Gallery, I’m now taking a slight break to plan my 2023 campaign. Al
WORKING WITH THE BLACK ARTS
A wonderful few days spent again as the BLACK ARTS with organised residential workshops managed by Adrian Beasley. The workshops featured tutors Adrian with digital capture, editing and printing, Stephen Raff taking clients through the early wet collodian photographic process and myself painting compositions with clients using the unique Bideford Black pigment. Our clients stayed at the Seagate Hotel in Appledore, North Devon and were taken to venues each day. I had the great pleasure of being based at the scenic Northam Visitor’s Centre beside the beach at Westward Ho pictured above.
Below are pictures of some of our clients work produced over three days involving group discussions. Each evening a different venue was chosen where we chatted informally about our day’s progress over meals at Belluno in Bideford, The Beaver in Appledore and Moran’s Restaurant in Westward Ho. On the final evening we all got together to look at the final work produced which included ‘The Big Reveal’ where everyone could see each other’s compositions. As you can see from the pictures superb work had been produced and the fabulous Indian banquet cooked by Clea, Adrian’s wife, ended the three day course superbly.
PIGMENTS FROM ROCK TO BLACK
I’ve spent an interesting afternoon looking through the rock strata at Fremington Quay. I’ve collected Bideford Black from Greencliff at Abbotsham and used the blackish colour called Poor Man’s Coal from here at Fremington too. A renowned pigment artist called Peter Ward mentions that there are other distinct colours to collect here too, namely, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber, White Clay and Grey. On inspection these pigments are quite evident here so after collecting some samples I will prepare them for future painting projects. Below is a link to an interesting article by Peter Ward.
LESSON PREPERATIONS
An afternoon of running through lesson ideas in the use of Bideford Black and paint application techniques with Adrian Beasley. Adrian used assorted brushes, rags, scalpels and spattering techniques to produce these two wonderful images of the boardwalk at Crow Point. The subject is a particular favourite of mine but in a few weeks with other students other ideas and compositions will be explored with regard to Westward Ho, pebbles and beachscapes in both black and white photography and paint.
THE BLACK ARTS RETURN
I’m pleased to be part of another Black Art’s project organised by photographer Adrian Beasley. This residential course will run from the 12th to the 16th September and will be based in North Devon. The project will feature the following artists.
Adrian Beasley who will be based at Hartland Quay featuring landscape photography and computer enhancement of images.
Stephen Raff, will be taking students through the wet plate photographic process and creating glass plate images.
Al Brown will show how to make and use the local Bideford Black pigment and use it to create landscape paintings of the North Devon coast.
These few days should prove to be an exciting challenge to create memorable black and white images of North Devon. There are still a few places left! Al
Al Brown Artist. 