Groynehenge – Not so much a neolithic monument, more an assortment of ocean eroded timbers – but it does look the part.  You just have to imagine it’s huge and ignore the fact in reality it’s only about two feet tall!

Strolling the beach here at West Wittering a month or so back (and what a magnificent hot sunny day it was) I came across this section of an old groyne.  Not, I have to admit, a new discovery, I must have passed it a hundred times or more, but as it stood there in the bright sunshine I thought to myself ‘I think I’ll have a crack at painting that!’

Once again the small voice of sense whispered in my ear ‘Are you sure about this? Have you thought about how long it’s likely to take?’ and once again, I ignored it.

It hasn’t been the most time consuming painting I’ve ever embarked on – that accolade goes to “Run aground” without a shadow of a doubt, but it’s certainly up there. I know, I know, I don’t have to paint the way I do – or do I? Hmm!

It’s a fair size 30″(81cm) x 16″(40.5cm) and it’s acrylic on a painted block edge canvas, £1250.00 – I hope you like it.

Oh, and it’s hanging in my lil gallery in Wittering Walk if you’d like a dekko.

“Run Aground” Oil on canvas 36″ x 24″

This is the painting that holds the record for the most time consuming painting I’ve ever done. I work top left to bottom right (I’m right handed and I have a left eye bias – the Italians have a word for working that way – you won’t be surprised to learn I’ve forgotten it!”). I started painting the pebbles and they went on, and on, and on, interminably! I promised myself that if it didn’t sell quickly I would never, ever, paint another – it didn’t and believe me, I never shall! A shame in a way – I thought it was cracking – still do.

New additions – a pair of prints

Having painted, and sold, a couple of pretty large seagull paintings this year I thought I’d try turning them into prints and see how they fly (deliberate pun I’m afraid)

These are details from those paintings and they are gracing the window in my lil gallery (it is only 64 sq ft) at the moment. Both are signed and labelled ‘Epreuve d’artiste’ meaning ‘Artists Test’. Back in the days of litho printed editions this title was applied to the first prints so the artist could gauge the colour correctness of the proof. In these days of giclee prints, especially when one prints them oneself and understands the colour handling capabilities of ones printer, that is hardly necessary.  These are purely to test the public response – if they sell I shall probably produce a Limited Edition print run – if they don’t I shant!

I’m not holding my breath – my print of Wave Study has been in the gallery since last September – no interest whatsoever

I think that’ll do for now. Thanks for sticking with it – assuming you have

Pip, pip, SB