Pembrokeshire is beguiling in the sunshine.  I spent the afternoon at Sandy Haven with my watercolour class, having bullied them into trying sketching outdoors instead of always working from photos.   There’s something surprisingly absorbing about sitting on a wet patch of sand splashing paint on the page, focussed on the subject, timeless.  Everyone else enjoyed it too – at least it builds confidence.

Sally J at Sandy Haven

Spending a day in a sea scout hut in Milford Haven may not sound like a bundle of joy, but take a roomful of lively U3A students and one watercolour tutor on a mission (me) and a great time was had by all.  Well, I enjoyed it anyway (and got paid for it!).  It was a very mixed ability group, so we dipped in an out of dozens of subjects – the magpie approach, hoping there would be something for everyone.

It amazes me how people have a different attitude to art to, say, learning a musical instrument.  With music, you don’t buy a piano, try and play a Beethoven concerto and when you fail say ‘there, I knew I didn’t have musical talent!’  You get lessons, do easy stuff to start with, do lots of scales.  But with painting, people buy the kit, have a go, fail and then say they don’t have talent.  All that’s needed is for someone to show them how, followed by plenty of easy stuff and scales.  For painting, ’scales’ means trying out different colour mixes, brushstrokes, ways of laying on the paint.  Producing a complex finished painting is the equivalent of that concerto!  Talent is the cherry on the cake… but first you need to bake the cake.  Sorry, way too much ranting…… time to calm down and top up the wine glass.

Getting ready today to do a watercolour workshop to U3A in Milford Haven tomorrow, choosing subjects that will hopefully be useful to a group containing both experienced and beginner painters.  I decided that colour theory should definitely be on the list – it may sound a bit dull but I never fail to be excited by the way in which three bright colours mix together to make such gloriously natural neutrals.  Mixed greys are so useful when painting landscapes; if you’ve ever sat on a beach trying to work out what colour the rocks are, you’ll know what I mean.  The truth is that all the colours are in there, an effect you just can’t get from a tube of good old paynes grey.  Colour mixing is one of life’s marvels……. well, I’m easily pleased!

I went to an inspirational lecture today by maritime art expert and historian James Taylor on the voyage of the Beagle, full of the small detail and human story that bring history to life.  It’s a fascinating tale of unsung seamanship – imagine manoeuvring square rigged engineless ships for months on end in the Patagonian channels with inaccurate charts – and history in the making (some guy called Charles Darwin happened to tag along….).  In those days all sailors were taught to draw and paint, not for fun but because there were no cameras, and they needed an accurate record of landfalls and pilotage information.  For much of the trip Beagle had not one but two artists, which shows how important the job was in a boat only 90′ long….  enough for now, but thanks, James – the best stories are true ones!

Meanwhile, back in the real world we 21st century wimps found a weekend camping in the rain at Beale Park Boat Show a bit of a trial.  Losing money and getting wet – two of my least favourite things all at once!  The rain kept visitors away until sunday when the sun finally shone and I got to play with my coracle on the lake.  Ah well, it could have been worse.  I could have been a 19th century sailor on a surveying trip on the Beagle in Tierra del Fuego.

minimalist boating

Busy in the studio this week getting everything together for the delightful Beale Park Boat Show.  Set by a lake near Pangbourne, the show is the best way to mix business and pleasure, meeting up with other exhibitors and friends, sharing a glass or two over a barbecue in the evening, and sailing an assortment of lovely small boats on the lake.  My coracle is taken down from its home on top of the chest of drawers in the bedroom and will have its first outing of the year on the lake.  Oh, and I’ll be selling all my bits and pieces as well…… come and say hello if you’re there.  Fellow marine artist Nicola Dixon will be coming over from the Isle of Man for the first time in several years, so I’ll be making space on my stand for some of her cards and paintings.  All we need now is good weather, though the forecast is looking a little damp……