I started painting just two years ago, at the age of 69, when my wife gifted me a Bob Ross painting experience. Prior to this I  thought art was not for me, and still recall my art teacher taking the brush from my hand at age 15 and saying, “Don’t you get it at all?”

Well, I came home from that painting day with a completed painting and was hooked. For some time, I continued in the Bob Ross style but became weary of painting imaginary scenes.

I still paint alla prima much of the time but I’m trying very recently to paint more in layers. I’ve tried acrylics but not had much success as I struggle with the fast drying. I have used them sometimes for under-painting.  I also discovered pastels and love them.

I don’t have any pretensions that I am a good artist. I paint for my own enjoyment and I think I might be very slowly improving. I am in awe of the amazing artists we have in the group and think I’ll always be a bit of a “slow learner” but I don’t plan to stop any time soon!

The paintings in this exhibition were selected from work done during Lockdown - apart from the piece "Willie Lott’s Cottage" which was completed in November 2019.

Supplies I use:

Oil paint
Most of my paints are still Bob Ross, along with ZenArt. However, as I use up my colours I’m trying to upgrade to better quality paints, and would really like to build a collection of professional artist quality paint, if I can afford it. I paint on a variety of surfaces, mainly canvas board and textured paper of various makes.

Acrylics
I’ve a selection of Liquitex Basics and Heavy Body paint, and use the same surfaces as for oil paint.

Pastels
I’ve quite a collection of Faber Castel Pastel Pencils,  Panpastels, Rembrandts, a few Conte’s and just recently some Unison and Senellier. I’m really just at the start of exploring the possibilities of pastels. I use them on Canson Mi Teintes Touch and PastelMat.

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