Southampton Watts Park in the Snow

Southampton Watts Park in the Snow

 

This painting was created in early 2013 and is based on a crude photograph taken with my mobile phone a few weeks before of Watts Park (also known as West Park) when covered with snow. I took a number of pictures at the time and the romantic couple seen here were added from one of those to help give a sense of scale and interest. The statue is of Issac Watts, a famous resident of the town of Southampton. Born in 1674, Watts was a leading nonconformist. I thought the dark, bare trees made an interesting contrast to the fresh white snow.

The painting has a base of red acrylic paint, followed with the actual painting done in oil. It its painted at size of 16” x 20” on canvas. 

Southampton Watts Park in the Snow

Southampton Palmerston Park Autumn sun

Southampton Palmerston Park Autumn sun

This painting was done in febuary 2013 as a small exercise, on a piece of canvas board, sized at 10” x 12”. It is based on a photo taken of a corner of Palmerston Park, in the centre of Southampton, during the Autumn of 2011. I was struck by the colour full scene illuminated by the low autumn light. The park is right next to a busy traffic junction, which cannot be seen from this angle.

 

Southampton Palmerston Park Autumn sun

Autumn trees in Palmerston Park, Southampton

Autumn trees in Palmerston Park, Southampton

This painting is of Palmerston Park, in Southampton, UK. It is named after the former Prime Minster the 3rd Viscount Palmerston. Autumn is well embedded, the sky clear and the light sharp. I was attracted to the combination of the colour of the trees and the vivid blue sky. The line of dead red leaves either side makes a nice border between the tarmac path and the green grass. It is painted on canvas in oils, measuring 20" x 16".

Palmerston Park Southampton

Swans and Boats at Riverside Park Southampton

Swans & Boats at Riverside park, Southampton

This is painted in Acrylics on a 16" x 20" canvas. The subject is Riverside Park, on the outskirts of Southampton, Hampshire,UK. Plenty of swans can be seen on the featured river, known as the River Itchen. The water still has a large salt content at this stage and many sea birds can be seen as well as fresh water varieties. The area is popular with canoeists and yachtsmen using the water, and families and friends walking through the park or fishing from the banks of the River Itchen.
The painting is based on a number of poor quality mobile phone images, taken during a summer evening. A complete composition is built up in photoshop and then redrawn on the canvas.

Riverside Park Southampton