sea blue sky abstracts

There's quite an interesting story attached to 'Porthmeor Triptych' below: I'd bought the distressed frame back in the summer and cut and primed paper and board in readiness, but didn't get around to starting the painting until the last week of November, right after the Christmas Card printmaking workshop!   Two big 'toothpaste squeezes' of green and blue ink remained unused at the end of the day, which I scraped onto some cartridge paper and took home rather than waste - and then transferred to what has become the top painting.  I think the intensity of the inks has given an authentic 'sea feel' to the artwork and scraping away the glutinous solidifying medium, a pleasing abstract quality.  'Porthmeor Triptych' SOLD printers ink/oil on paper/board, framed size 23 x 66 cm soon to be exhibited at Art Space Gallery, St Ives Click to enlarge.  Copyright Lesley Ninnes.

'Wren's Spires' by David Higham For this year's Xmas picture I have used a Christmas card sold in aid of  Freedom from Torture  Click to enlarge.  Copyright David Higham/Freedom from Torture. I think we all tend to look back over the year during this time of reunions and gatherings of family and friends, reliving the good parts, having borne the bad!  So many special people didn't make Christmas 2013 and those of us that  remain must celebrate and be thankful because we are the lucky ones. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! x 

Square paintings are framed and on sale at Art Space Gallery  if not marked 'sold'. 'Surf and Some Blue Sky' has yet to be taken to the framers to be float mounted.  The remaining float mounted boards, which I forgot to measure (again) are to be found in the browsers at St Ives Society of Artists Mariners Gallery 'Rocks Revealed' oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm.   SOLD 'Headland Shelter' oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm.   SOLD 'Surf Force' oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm.   SOLD 'Surf and Some Blue Sky' oil on board, 15 x 13.5 cm.   SOLD 'Turbulence and Foam' oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm.  SOLD 'Light on the Sea, Porthmeor' oil on board, 'tiny' float mounted.   SOLD 'Misty Creek, oil on board, 'tiny' float mounted.   SOLD 'Mid Tide Surf' oil on board, float mounted.   SOLD 'Dark Bay' oil on paper, float mounted.   SOLD ...

Assorted Christmas cards below, the outcome of a day spent at a printmaking workshop towards the end of November, at Newlyn School of Art  led by Jesse Leroy Smith and Alex Higlett.   Of the Holly print cards, one features the actual printing board I made.  It has a gold sheen and pale ghost holly image and is shown on it's side - the only way the reflective effect could be captured in the photo. (below) The Merry Xmas card (below) on the left was printed and then worked on afterwards, using watercolour and acrylic holographic medium.  The card on the right was made at home, using mixed media and 'printing' the cut out cardboard 'holly leaves'. People who follow this blog will probably recognise the Chough images, which were drawn from photos taken further up the North coast last year.  I reworked and even combined two prints (below right) using watercolour and acrylic paint.  All good fun! Click to enlarge.  Copyright Lesl...

Some of you may remember a painting I completed back in March 2013 for the October raffle fundraiser at St Ives Society of Artists?  Well here's a pic which appeared in a recent edition of our independent, local weekly newspaper  The St Ives Times & Echo of yours truly making the official 'live raffle draw' for 'Porthmeor Reflection', which was won by a lady from Chester. Proceeds from the monthly raffle are in aid of the roof fund and much needed restoration of the Mariners Gallery .  Tickets are available now for the Christmas raffle  prize painting by Paul Wadsworth .  Copyright St Ives Times & Echo When I visited Bath in July 2013 for the preview of the Bath Society of  Artists Open Exhibition  author/critic/ artist Peter Davies was close to completing his book 'Bath Society of Artists A History' which has been published by St Ives Printing & Publishing Co. The book charts the 109 year history of th...

Quite a few to display today!  The square format paintings are framed and currently exhibited at Art Space Gallery, St Ives , with the exception of 'The High Point' which is on show at St Ives Society's Mariners Gallery.  The two rectangular artworks are mounted and soon to be placed in the browser at St Ives Soc. 'Porthmeor, Gale Force' oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm.  SOLD  'West Side, Squall Coming In' oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm.   SOLD 'Sunset Blessing' oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm.  SOLD 'Cloud and Pool Reflection' oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm.   SOLD 'Sunset from Gwithian' oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm.   SOLD 'Headland Silhouette' oil on board, 20 x 12 cm.   SOLD 'Window on Porthmeor' oil on board, 10 x 15 cm.   SOLD 'The High Point' oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm.  SOLD 'Room to Walk, Porthmeor' oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm.   SOLD 'Seaweed and Rock Pool' oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm.   SO...

Another re-worked painting, which in this case involved turning the canvas upside down and incorporating what had previously been 'sky'into the glow at the base of the surf breaking on the sand!  I'd recently witnessed similar conditions, when turbulence and undertow beneath the surface give an illusion of calm between the formation of increasingly large swells - and clumps of seaweed which have been torn from the rocks are rolled and pulled up into the waves before being flung ashore. Now exhibited at Art Space Gallery , St Ives. 'Ground Sea and Seaweed' acrylic/oil on canvas, white wood frame, 79 x 64 x 5 cm.   SOLD Click to enlarge.  Copyright Lesley Ninnes.

Only a few to share right now, as I've been working on a larger piece - as mentioned previously - and also have had work commitments elsewhere both this and next week!  The square painting is framed and will be displayed at Art Space Gallery very soon.  The first two rectangular artworks will need to be mounted (10 cm wide conservation board) before being offered for sale at St Ives Society of Artists Mariners Gallery. 'Porthmeor Sand Pools' oil on primed board, 19.5 x 5.5 cm.  SOLD 'Southern Bay' oil on primed board, 19.5 x 5.5 cm 'Tranquil Porthmeor & Pool' oil on primed board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm.  SOLD 'Rough Coast' oil on board, tiny painting.  Not For Sale 'Porthmeor Surf & Man's Head' oil on board, tiny painting.  Not For Sale Click to enlarge.  Copyright Lesley Ninnes

Tardy again, and yes, I know it's the first day of October - just didn't manage to post these images before! Currently working on a large seascape and quite a 'dark' still-life.... The square paintings are usually to be found at Art Space Gallery, St Ives  and the mounted works at St Ives Society of Artists , Mariners Church, St Ives. 'Porthmeor, Headland & Surf', oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm, framed.   SOLD 'Porthmeor, Squall & Surf' oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm, framed.   SOLD 'Thundering Surf' oil on primed board, mounted.   SOLD 'Nice Day, Porthmeor' oil on primed board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm, framed.   SOLD 'Break in the Clouds' oil on primed board, mounted.   SOLD 'Man's Head, Rough Weather' oil on primed board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm, framed.   SOLD 'Rocks & River Mouth' oil on board, 13.5 x 13.5 cm, framed.   SOLD 'Seascape with Bright Clouds' oil on board, mounted.   SOLD 'Clear Sea out West...