The Cascades, Metcalfe

 

I knew when I was driving towards this body of water that I was heading for a fall.

Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"

Cow Skull

 

Memento moo-ri

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 20"

Still Life with Tea Towel and Gooseneck Jug

 

Towel puns are a particularly dry form of humour.

Oil on canvas board, 20" x 24"

P.S. Incidentally, this is the largest painting I've done for over three decades (32 years ago I did one over four times the size -- I might have to work back up to that).

Rose Study

 

Unfortunately I had a limited period to paint this subject -- if time had allowed more rose, perhaps I wouldn't feel so morose.

Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"

Skull Study

 

This painting started life (pun intended, of course) as a student demo.  As morbid as the subject may be, it's a great way to work on painting skulls.

Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"

Talbots Lane, Taradale

 

Talbots Lane works a bit like an "I am human" checkbox -- it's used to tell bots from humans.

Oil on canvas board, 12" x 16"

Pears with Antique Whisky Bottle

 

Gird your loins and pre-pear for bottle!

Oil on canvas board, 12" x 16"

Windmill Farm, Near Kyneton

 

The mental game of realist painting always involves a certain amount of tilting at windmills

Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"

Bone Handle Knife with Lemons and Biscuit Barrel

 

It was difficult to name this piece because, visually, it has a number of competing priorities: will the viewer buy a lemon, stare down a barrel or pick a bone-handle knife?

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 20"

Pears with Earthenware Jug

 

Pairing pears with moonshine

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 20"

Still Life with Old Books

 

Including books in a still life painting is hardly a novel idea; or is it?

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 20"

Off Blackhill Road, Kyneton

 

Paint it black (hill road)

Oil on canvas board, 12" x 16"

Vintage Mannequin in the Studio

 

The one-armed man-nequin

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 20"

Towards South Kyneton

 

The degree of difficulty for this painting was greatly increased by the almost freezing conditions -- it was always in danger of going south.

Oil on canvas board, 12" x 16"

Former Morgue at Old Kyneton Hospital

 

Once morgue for good measure

Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"

Portrait of Gino

 

This was painted as part of the Victorian Artists' Society Portrait Painters in Action day 2024.  I was suffering from a wee bit of jet lag, and towards the end my progress slowed somewhat -- a condition known as portrait painter's inaction.

Thanks to fellow artist Gino Severin for being such an excellent sitter.

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 20"

Outbuilding at Château de Campagnac, Sarlat-la-Canéda

 

I don't think I offended my fellow painters, but I did find myself on the outer.

Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"

Tower at Château de Campagnac, Sarlat-la-Canéda

 

Painting many castles kept me on my châteaux.

Oil on gessoed board, 6" x 8"

Gateway at Château de Campagnac, Sarlat-la-Canéda

 

Although entirely uncontroversial, the activity I engaged in on this day was known as painting gate.

Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"

Château de Beynac from the Dordogne

 

Dipping a château in the water

Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10"