This is a painting from a while ago of my twins, wife and friends on Westward Ho Beach. I was taken by the glassy reflections on the wet beach from a recent tide and in the distance, across the estuary, is the famous Saunton Sands Hotel. This image has been created using watercolour, pastels and acrylic paint now in a new frame and double mount!
Bedruthan Steps, mixed media on 40 x 30″ deep edge canvas. I was struck by the white parallel lines of the incoming waves on this day as I sat on top of the cliffs. The name Bedruthan Steps is said to be taken from a mythological giant called Bedruthan, who used the tall rock formations on the beach as stepping stones, and seems to be a late-19th-century invention for Victorian tourists. It is now part owned by the National Trust, the beach is now closed due to cliff instability and fear of visitors becoming cut off by rapid incoming tides.
From a plein air acrylic sketch made during the summer, seen below, I’ve added some additional digital layers to plan the progress of this painting. Heddon’s Mouth is a wonderful pebble beach on the coast of North Devon. The National Trust have the wonderful Hunter’s Inn here which is both pub, hotel & restaurant. The circular walk from this place down to Heddon’s Mouth and back is one of my favourite walks. More progress pictures to follow as this composition unfolds. Al
http://www.thehuntersinnexmoor.co.uk/exmoor-restaurant/
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/heddon-valley/trails/gentle-walk-to-heddons-mouth
Spring at Manning’s Pit nr Pilton, North Devon (720mm x 560mm). Now in a private collection.
This is a mixed media painting of a wonderful stretch of English countryside near to where I live in Pilton, North Devon, England. There is a rather sad fate hanging over it’s head as developers are hoping to build a housing estate on it. For all residents this is a terrible thing to happen as most of us have spent our childhoods playing in the river, fields and woods of this beautiful area. Let’s hope it stays that way for our children to enjoy too.
Al Brown Artist. 