28th January 2016 River Gwendraeth at Kidwelly Quay

The weather has been abysmal and with a break likely this morning I took the opportunity to get out and do some painting. We went to Kidwelly on the South West Wales Coast about 10 miles from home. I set up with the Quay wall behind me to shelter from the wind. The sun was out and it wasn't too cold despite a frost in the early morning. The bridge over the river is the rail bridge.

I set up and did a 2 minute sketch in my sketchbook to finalise the composition and then brushed out the horizon and a few guidelines with a brush loaded with turps and ultramarine. Then I got stuck in with a big brush.

There were no real issues surprisingly and I even included some lapwings on the far bank that were having fun in the wind. 

Ferry Point Wednesday 6th January 2016

Well halellujah I got to Llansteffan today and although it was fog and misty on the way it was lovely sunshine on arrival!

I had a look around at the views. I was tempted by this view of the Castle and Village but I have painted it quite a lot.

I was also tempted by the reflection and the sun on the estuary from Ferryside.

In the end I went for Ferry Point looking inland. Here it is half finished.

A satisfying morning with no problems. Lets hope for more to come.

My Pochade Box outing January 2016

Its Tuesday 5th January 2016. There have been about 10 weeks of rain and I am beginning to wonder at the viability of painting plein air in Wales! Today's forecast was for about 3 hours dry weather this morning. I was optimistic but my enthusiasm was dampened by the arrival of heavy "precipitation" at about 9am. Oh well I had to collect the grandchildren this afternoon and tomorrow's forecast looks acceptable at the moment.

Then at 12 o'clock it was dry and I thought lets go, I have a couple of hours. I decided on taking my small pochade box I had made. At least it would keep my work dry in the event of a down pour. I thought I would walk down to the river going via the underpass. I got to the underpass but it had 3 ft of water in it! I walked back and found the first subject I came across as time was running out. A concrete footbridge over a ditch and I was set up.  This is not a stream but obviously it is subject to flooding.

I got on with the work quickly using the brush from the begining.  Twenty minutes in and an unwelcome visitor arrived in the form of large splots of rain. I quickly packed up and thanked myself for the foresight of bringing the pochade box and not the box easel.

Shall I finish it at home? Probably.