Tag Instow

BLUE BEACH HOUSE

Al Brown Artist. Leave a comment

A favourite topic of mine, beach side huts and houses. I’ve started formally with some loose perspective guidelines and added some acrylic spray can paint to remove some of the initial white of the gesso! Acrylic on hand made canvas panel, 13 x 24″ in old money!
The second in a year and hopefully the end to my lull. This painting is of The Tarka Trail, in North Devon, as it passes through Instow. It was a humid sunny day when I sketched this and was taken by the blue beach house and the red poppies. When ever I see red poppies it always reminds me of childhood memories at Instow. As usual I will sit on this painting for a while then make the final corrective adjustments! Al

THE BLUE BEACH HOUSE

Al Brown Artist. 1 Comment

It’s been a while since I’ve put brush to canvas, the last time being January, so I’ve been taking iPhone pictures wherever I go to try and gain some inspiration. Today I cycled down the Tarka Trail from Barnstaple to Instow and was immediately taken with the seasonal poppies.
Along the trail lie various beach side huts, most of them were surrounded with blood red flowers. I remember them flowering here when I was a boy and wherever I see them they always remind me of Instow. With the sun high in the blue sky I was taken with this blue beach house and the contrasting poppies, I’m sure at some point this image will inevitably be used for a painted composition. I’m presently still not painting but instead playing the guitar so at least some creativity is being done! Al

INSTOW CHURCH TO THE ESTUARY

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We made the most of a gap in the weather today with a walk in the sunshine around Instow in North Devon. The waterfront was closed off to traffic and a right royal street party was underway; my wife and I had the mandatory Hocking’s Ice Cream with clotted cream on the top. The humid afternoon soon began to lose it’s sunshine but not before I managed to take these pictures in the graveyard of Instow Church. I’m struck every year with the cadmium yellow rapeseed fields around the estuary and was very pleased to capture them this year.

Cycling into the storm.

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Moving swiftly on a painting entitled ‘Cycling into the storm’ 600 x 600mm acrylic on panel. This painting is of the many beach huts that line the Tarka Trail at Instow. I was cycling on the Trail near the Cricket Club when a massive summer storm swept up the River Torridge towards me, quickly I took an image on my phone and this was the result. I remember the cyclist speeding by trying to get to shelter before the rain came. On the left you can see the secure boundary fence of the Instow Arm Camp and just out of frame to the right the old railway crossroad that leads down the Instow Beach.

From Bideford to Appledore.

Al Brown Artist. Leave a comment

Well it’s a warm sunny day so the three and a three and a half mile walk from Bideford to Appledore was in order. You join the coast path just past the skateboard park at the end of Bideford Park and follow the coast path acorn signs. The path meanders up and down through woods with tantalising glimpses of the River, at one point there are a number of WW2 tank traps to negotiate. It is rather nice to pass the impressive array of private houses and cottages with fabulous gardens and views out over the river. Finally you descend to the waterfront and walk past an impressive boat’s graveyard just beside the large Appledore dry dock now owned by Harland & wolff. You then walk around the dock and follow the road, through cottages and fish markets into Appledore.

In Appledore there are a number of great places to eat but after some deliberation we decided to have some wonderful Hocking’s Ice Creams in chocolate waffle cones and look out across the river towards Instow. Appledore is a hub for local music, arts and sailing and you can spend hours investigating the arty shops in the narrow alleys.

The Cannis Aground.

Al Brown Artist. Leave a comment

Another visitation to The Cannis, a boat I painted during the summer of 2020 during partial lockdown. It has left it’s secluded mooring and is now on the other side of the River Torridge in North Devon. I was driving past and just couldn’t resist taking some pictures of it’s new setting. After walking across the wet estuary grass I had to jump a muddy tidal gap to make it to the boat. This I managed and took the pictures below, although I have played with them. I just love the dereliction of this scene so perhaps another painting for the future!

Broadsands.

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This is picture of Broadsands on Northam Burrows looking towards Appledore and Instow in North Devon. Experimenting with drybrush technique acrylic on panel 460 x 610mm. Original photograph by James Gooding on facebook. I quite liked the pastel colours and have used Turner’s Yellow for the first time. Al

Roborough Hill.

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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