I have started up oil painting again – yay! I have done three very small (6″x6″) paintings for an online painting course – Once Upon a Time in Provence with Dreama Perry. I can’t recommend her courses enough – so much inspiration! I will not be posting the paintings I am doing as part of the course and following her instructional videos as they are her copyrighted material in terms of composition, method etc. However, as I go along, I will post other pieces I am doing.
This is a 9×12 oil on gesso board of two peonies in a blue jar using the alla prima method where oil paint is layered wet on wet in a single session. Here the challenges I was focused on were painting the white peony using a subtle variety of colours for the shadows and getting a pleasing effect of transparency and shine for the glass jar.
Tom’s poem to go with this one is a little melancholy but reminds us to see beauty and love life in the moment.
so pretty on the table in the sun
warming up the lonely room with colour
pushing back the shadows and the dun
dreary dullness in the days of dolour
a bright reminder of more happy times
living beauty grown in fertile soil
giving pleasure as the churchbell chimes
calling mourners all to gentle toil
remembering the layered past beyond
this circled sadness of the present instant
skipping stones across a summer pond
listening to the loon in purple distance
a momentary beauty still in life
bringing solace in the midst of strife
painting (c) 2017 Hilary Farmer
poem (c) 2017 Tom Radcliffe
Green Tea Doodles 
I have missed seeing a drawing from you that includes transparent items. So wonderful to see your style with that, again, and in oil!! Somehow, I have been waiting for that, for a long time. I feel more complete now that I see it.
Thanks Max! I’m glad you feel that way! For some reason transparency and reflection have fascinated me for a long time – I think there will be more (and better) to come!