I was delighted when Tim asked me to create this exhibition of Lakeland paintings for The Northern Lights Gallery..
THE LAKE DISTRICT is one of my favourite areas to paint. It has such beautiful scenery: with mountains, lakes and cottages dotted on the landscape. These are all my favourite things and the area holds such inspiration for me.
I paint in oil and I have a love of colour and texture. I take my inspiration from experiencing the landscape on walks and using photographs that I take.
When I begin a painting – I always start with the sky – and I like to work on the pure white canvas. This makes it easy to judge colour as I progress. I love colour and I enjoy the way that oil paint blends as you mix it. If you look closely at my paintings you will see that solid colour is rare in my paintings. For example – in one of my green brushstrokes – you will see a mix of shades of green and yellow in the one stroke. In the sky you will see the blue is a mix of ultramarine, cerulean, purple and other hues.
Working full time as an artist is a wonderful career. Some people think the job would be lonely – but you actually work with quite a lot of people – lovely gallery owners, like Tim, picture framer’s and people who visit your studio.
Painting is not the glamorous work that people imagine. Oil paint is unbelievably messy – or perhaps it is just how I work! I usually work in the morning and finish mid – afternoon to clean up.
I hope you enjoy my paintings and your visit to the Northern Lights Gallery.
Best wishes,
Sheila
Exhibition Paintings:
