sea blue sky abstracts

St Ives has seen some sun this week, but there have been forceful tides on Atlantic facing Porthmeor Beach.  'Better Weather to Come' oil on primed board, 11 x 12.5 cm.   SOLD 'Breezy White Caps' oil on primed board, 11.5 x 12 cm. SOLD  'Rough & Windy' oil on primed board, 12.5 x 11.5 cm.   SOLD 'Muted Seascape' oil on primed board, 8.5 x 15 cm.   SOLD 'Sea & Solitude' oil on primed board, 11.5 x 12.5 cm. SOLD Click images to enlarge.  Copyright Lesley Ninnes.

Same beach, same day! A wide angle view of Porthmeor taken this morning at approx 9.45 am. Looking a little closer shows some big waves out there! Around midday. High tide, photo taken at approx 5.30 pm. Surfers heaven!  The red flags stayed up all day though, as conditions were not suitable for swimming. Click to enlarge.

Some wild sea driving in from the Atlantic these past few days accompanied by strong winds came as something of a shock following two gloriously sunny and warm September days.  Hopefully the blue skies will return again very soon. The painting 'Porthmeor Gale' is definitely a winter painting though, inspired by a gale so strong that I struggled to stand to take photos most of which, even on 'continuous setting, were blurred.  The swells were vast and often seemed to engulf 'Man's Head', the headland on the left of the picture, surf rushed onto the sand and frothed like snow in the wind.  Currently displayed at Penwith Society of Arts, Back Road West, St Ives, in an exhibition which opened on Saturday 3 September, 2011. 'Porthmeor Gale' oil on primed board, glazed frame, approx 31 x 41 cm.   SOLD Close up below - click both images to enlarge.

Sizing is a bit vague in this post because I forgot to take measurements before getting the larger paintings framed (they're now displayed at Art Space Gallery ) and sending the smaller works to the framers for mounting!'  I hope to collect them tomorrow and, once wrapped and priced, they'll be placed in the browser at St Ives Society of Artists . Little Cove' oil on primed board, approx 12.5 x 12.5 cm. SOLD 'Little Evening Sky' oil on primed board. SOLD 'Sea and Shore' oil on primed board. SOLD 'Seaweed & Rain' oil on primed board, approx 12 x 11.5 cm. SOLD   'Sunset and Rocks, oil on primed board. SOLD 'Wave Push' oil on primed board, approx 12.5 x 12.5 cm.   SOLD Click to enlarge.  Copyright Lesley Ninnes.

The first two paintings will be framed and exhibited at Art Space Gallery .  All of the other generally small irregular shaped artworks will be mounted and offered for sale at the Old Mariners Church, St Ives Society of Artists. 'Brightening Sky' oil on primed board, 12.5 x 12.5 cm. SOLD 'Light on the Horizon' oil on primed board, 12.5 x 12.5 cm. SOLD 'Evening Waves' oil on primed board, 11 x 12.5 cm. SOLD 'Fine Evening Sea' oil on primed board, 8.5 x 14.5 cm. SOLD 'Winter Beach', oil on primed board, 24 x 9.5 cm. SOLD 'Rainy Sea', oil on primed board, 11 x 12.5 cm. SOLD 'Dusk Beach', oil on primed board, 5 x 12.5 cm. SOLD 'Low Tide', oil on primed board, 8.5 x 12.5 cm. SOLD 'Pink Sky, Grey Cloud', oil on primed board, 9 x 12.5 cm. SOLD Click to enlarge.  Copyright Lesley Ninnes.

Sennen Cove, pictured last Friday 12 August, at around 9-9.30 in the morning - wet, misty conditions don't detract from the empty beauty of this lovely, curved beach.   We stayed with my friend's brother and his wife, who run the  Old Success Inn, Sennen  arriving on the Thursday evening in plenty of time to take part in the regular quiz.  After a night spent within earshot of the sea (the photo above was taken just across the road from the Old Success) in what must be the most comfortable beds ever, followed by a delicious full English breakfast, we made our way down to the sea.  Thank heavens for wet suits! 'Ground sea' had created pits in the sand, kelp strands swirled around my feet and I was thrilled to be joined by a Shag swimming and diving within touching distance - that's a first, what a treat. Have a look at this  earlier post  to see more photos.   Click  here  for more info about the Old Success. Above and below are detai

Pools, runnels, shadows and reflections, perspective and distance - seawater and sand! SOLD Click to enlarge.

Porthmeor, just for a change!!  This painting is called 'Soft Evening, Quiet Sea' and measures 12.5 x 12.5 cm. SOLD 'Incoming Sea' below is rendered in oil on board and measures just under 12 x 13 cm. SOLD Darker, wintry, empty and elemental.  Click to enlarge.

Angela Garner, Lesley Ninnes and Jo Hamilton Jones present examples of recent work in a colourful and lively exhibition which opens on Sunday 31 July and runs until Saturday 6 August, 2011, at St Ives Arts Club , Wescotts Quay.  Angela Garner, who moved to Cornwall in 1998 from Surrey, says.   “My paintings are about depth and colour for the viewer to meditate upon.  The viewer is invited to look into the layers of colour in my painting to the beyond to enable the mind to relax.  I am currently studying for a Fine Art Degree at Camborne College and am also a member of St Ives Arts Club.” St Ives painter, Lesley Ninnes is a long time member of Art Space Gallery co-op.  “Living here brings an awareness of the elements, the movement and moods of the sea and challenging weather conditions – wild and exciting nature up close – a never ending source of inspiration.” Her artworks have twice been selected for exhibition in the annual ‘21 st Century Watercolour’ competition

I am going to miss you so much....... It has been so hard to let go of the first ever dog I have owned.  She was a star - so clever, so feisty - a joy, a pain - a revelation, a friend, an individual, a companion who didn't judge, with the biggest heart ever - 24/12/97-23/7/11.

You saw them as 'paintings in progress' in the previous post and now four of those shown have been completed. 'Elemental Porthmeor' oil on primed board, 12.5 x 12.5 cm. SOLD 'Porthmeor & The Island' oil on primed board, 12.5 x 12.5 cm. SOLD 'Sea Drama' oil on primed board, 13 x 12 cm. SOLD 'St Ives Bay Surf' oil on primed board, 12.5 x 12.5 cm SOLD Click to enlarge.  Copyright Lesley Ninnes

Forgot this painting when posting yesterday!  Rendered in oil on board, it's roughly A4 in size and when mounted will also be placed in one of the browser boxes at St Ives Society of Artists.   SOLD Click to enlarge.

'Sea' colours on the palette. When working on small paintings, I mix Liquin Impasto with paint applied after the first layer has been put down and dried. And frequently scrape paint residue and deposit at the top of the palette, wiping the rest of the board to create room to mix more colours as needed. Here are some paintings in progress, with labels showing how many times each little board has been worked on.  Some working has been more prolonged for example, the painting on the top right has had a lot more labour than the centre pic (red ground) which has had paint 'pushed' onto the surface on two separate occasions, without any thought to pictorial composition so far. 'Late Sun, Porthmeor' oil on board, 12.5 x 12.5 cm. SOLD 'Late Sun, Shadowy Beach' oil on board, 12.5 x 12.5 cm. SOLD Click to enlarge.