Waterfalls in Iceland
Following my trip to Iceland in 2022, I found i had a lot of beautiful photographs of wonderful waterfalls which i have always intended to capture on canvas. I have only recently found the time to focus on this ambition using the images I spent so much effort obtaining and post-processing so diligently.
Svartifoss waterfall in Iceland. The rock formation is produced when lava cools suddenly into symmetrical crystalline forms.
Svartifss done with fluid acrylics on watercolour stretched paper.
I have started on the amazing natural phenomenon of the Svartifoss waterfall. This cascade is over colonnades of igneous rock formed when basalt cools in symmetrical formations. Fascinating.
I have a great choice of other waterfalls to choose from with many falls of all shapes and sizes throughout the southern part of the island.
Gullfoss watefall. Probably Iceland’s most famous waterfall within the popular Golden Triangle tourist destination.
Skogafoss waterfall. A most pictuesque and photogenic falls. It varies in colour throughout the day.
Seljalandsfoss waterfallas seem from it’s approach over-hanging a cave formation.
Gljufrabui waterfall, which is nearby to Seljalansfoss. The water actually falls inside the rocks. It is worth getting wet to experience.
David Hockney inspired
In Spring of 2025 I fulfilled a dream to go visit the lily pond made famous by Monet at his home in Giverny, 30 kilometres west of Paris. It was a brief visit due to changeable weather, so I was unable to use my sketch pad. But I did get some lovely photos. Subsequently I went to a massive retrospective exhibition of David Hockney’s lifetime of artwork. The exhibition was in Paris entitled “Hockney 25”. It included some beautiful art pieces, big and small, which Hockney produced while resident in Normandy. One of these was his interpretation of the lily pond.
Giverny, France. The famous Monet lily pond with a slightly overgrown green Japanese foorbridge.
I was so inspired by his rendition of this iconic scene that I decided to do my version of the pond from my photos in the style of Hockney. There are so many other scenes from the house and gardens of Claude Monet that I feel I need to also render some of these in watercolour or acrylics ( Hockney’s preferred medium).
Lily pond. My version of the scene painted in the style of David Hockney. Acrylic on watercolour paper, 32cm x 24cm.
Lilies in the pond. Present day appearance.
Monet lilies in the Musee Marmottan, Paris.
Monet’s house and gardens, Giverny, France.
BigTree; Four Seasons
I currently live in a picturesque little village in the rural area to the north of Bristol and west of Thornbury called Olveston. It has an old Norman square towered church that is overlooked by a tall sycamore tree. This tree is an unusual shape and has been pollarded to grow into a desired form. I thought it looked particularly attractive while in bud last spring-time and I painted what was presented to me.
Sycamore tree , Olveston in the springtime. 32cm x 48cm. Acrylic on paper. 2025
I am very interested to see how this lovely tree changes with the seasons and have photographed it now in the summer and early autumn. I intend to do fiurther larger scale acrylic on watercolour paper paintings 32cm x 48cm. I am also hoping for snow this winter!
Big tree photograph, Summer time.
Big tree, autumn.
Honeybee Art
I have been fascinated with bees since childhood. I now have four years of experience working with these beautiful insects. Actually they do most of the work and we reap the benefits ! I have gained some experience with improving my photographic skills and will continue to improve my macrographic techniques.
Macro photograph of the head and antennae of a honeybee.
I love observing the behaviour of bees and am rewarded when i bring a camera with me to inspections. Thet have a habit of getting other bees attention by rapidly flapping their wings to distribute a chemical pheromone.
Honeybee feeding off an allium.
Honeybee displaying rapidly flapping wings to spread the scent from pheromone glands on their upper abdomen to attract other bees to a food source.
It is while observing them gathering on flowers and plants that I decided I could put my artistic skills to good use and reproduce these images as small paintings. I look at Instagram and other media sources and frankly the overwhelming number of images of bees seem to our lovely wild bumblebees ! I want to try to correct the balance and put lots more honeybee art out there. I will also be promoting the cause for the protection of wild bumblebees and other solitary bees too by painting images of them.
More flapping to spread secretions from the Nasonov gland.
Hpneybees have long tongues to reach into plants to obtain the sweet nectar.
I will be happy to continue with my landscapes painting style too by painting apiaries in their locations for other beekeepers to cherish. It will be my plan to produce 12cm x 12cm cards that will be for sale at our honey stalls at fairs and other exhibitions. I this way the proceeds will be put back into my local South Gloucestershire Beekeepers Association (SGBKA).
Bees have incredible ways to survive even the coldest of winters.
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