Lavender field of Provence – oil painting

Lavender field of Provence

I have actually never traveled in Provence but images like this make it pretty appealing! Soon I hope. 🙂 The photo that was used as inspiration, was made available to those taking the online course I mentioned previously. I am quite pleased with how the painting came out as I continue to explore the alla prima way of producing oil paintings on one session with a wet into wet method. What a pleasure to have such a vibrant subject as an excuse to use all those juicy colours! …Although who needs an excuse 😉

Tom wrote a playful poem to go with this painting. Once again the poet’s eye catches the essence of the painting and also brings his own perspective.

Amidst the stems of grass and flower
ants and insects in their bowers
languish lazily

Up the stems and down the leaves
over trousers, into sleeves
they wander mazily

In the distance far from home
where they never ever roam
clouds drift hazily

Keeping to their small locale
Where the flowers bob and bow
blooming crazily!

image (c) 2017 Hilary Farmer
poem (c) 2017 Tom Radcliffe

English Bay …oil painting

English Bay

We were walking along the shore in Kitsilano a week or so ago and were treated to a spectacular sky with the sun starting to set and gaps in the clouds allowing light to stream through. I didn’t take a picture at that time but the image stuck in my head so that when I went back more recently I took some photos with the idea of combining photos and memory into a painting. As a result this small (6″x6″) painting is a somewhat imaginary landscape which is English Bay but not from an exact viewpoint. I plan to return to this – there are so many ways it could be painted!

Tom wrote a lovely poem for this painting which catches the mood and essence of the piece in just a few words.

Sky of promise
Touching quiet sea
Held within the ragged arms of land
Blazing moments
Reaching out to me
Falling from the air into my hand

image (c) 2017 Hilary Farmer
poem (c) 2017 Tom Radcliffe