...and some MORE SUN !

Our second week at the Finca was another very pleasant break. We visited the wonderful gardens with palm trees, waterfalls and Roman remains at the Jardin de Conception just outside Malaga. The sun was at full strength but we settled under the shade and sketched a rather nice waterfall and pool which was quite a challenge as the light was moving as we painted.

Then we set off to Malaga for lunch at a small restaurant Denis found in one of the side streets which served up some very tasty dishes. After lunch some of us went to the Cathedral Square where we had coffee, ice cream and did some sketching while the others went shopping !!

In the evening we got 'Picks' round with his guitar and PA unit for some golden oldies which went on into the early hours. Songs included 'Dock of the bay', ' Midnight Hour' and the one that got us all going 'Rehab' ( backing vocals by the Fincarettes !)

Our boat and beach day was down at El Palo where the plastic chair I borrowed from the beach shattered beneath me sending me and the water container flying !

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At last...SOME SUN !

Thank goodness for the Finca and some Spanish sun! Got off the plane and felt really hot and uncomfortable, but once in the pool and a cooling cerveza and all was well !

Once again Denis got us to some different locations together with some old favourites.

An early walk down each morning to the beach for morning coffee at the Estacion Hostal set us up for the day .

One of the new places we visited was Stephen and Zara's house in Canillas which was an absolute joy to paint...and what a lovely spot. The small white village is very small and quiet and tucked underneath the towering bulk of Mount Moreno at around 8000ft behind it. The village itself is a few thousand feet above sea level and the views of the surrounding countryside are amazing.

We stayed in the shade of their garden for the morning session and had a delicious lunch on their patio, finishing off with our feet cooling off in the pool.

The afternoon was spent sketching at a small bar just around the corner with an ice cold beer in one hand and a paintbrush in the other.

We also got back to Nerja on the coast for a very enjoyable days painting. I set up in the shadow of the Balcon de Europa to sketch the beach and cliffs. The Denis arranged lunch at a local pizzeria which really hit the spot.

These are the sketches I did on those two days.

Wiltshire Villages

The start to the 'Wiltshire Village' painting workshops started off rather slowly as the first afternoon was decidedly dull and damp, so it was studio work to kick off the week.

Tuesday was altogether different. A morning sketch at the little village of Bremhill was overcast then the sun came out and stayed out so the afternoon was bright and sunny.
We set off in search of a 'watering hole' and stopped in the delightful village of Biddestone. I was so taken with it we did our afternoon sketch here on the village green outside the White Horse.

This is the view looking up the main street with the village pond on the left. Afternoon tea and cake, curtousy of Urchfont Manor , and it was back to base for a great evening meal.

After the rather dull and wet day we had on Wednesday, today was really hot and sunny so we set off to paint the small village of Alton Barnes with its Saxon church and thatched cottages.

Having set up in the field opposite a herd of cows decided to take a look and proceeded to block everyones view plus trying to eat my sketchbook and easel.!

Lunch at the Barge Inn right on the canal side then off the hill to the village of Lockeridge where I did this sketch of the road leading into the village. I originally set up on the roadside but it was so hot I had to move under the trees to finish it off.

Preston Court, Herefordshire

After rather a dull start to the morning our painting day with the Herefordshire Art Group turned out rather nice ! The main building , which is off to the right of my sketch, had just completed a two year roof renovation so there was still a lot of scaffolding about.
This is the view as you drive in behind the house with the small church on the left.

After lunch on the lawn I did another sketch, this time from the front of the house looking over the pond. A super venue all round .

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Kent Boatyard

This morning found us at the Iron Wharf Boatyard at Faversham in Kent for a days painting.
The forecast was not good but we ventured out anyway and as it turned out the day stayed bright and sunny for most of the time so sketching was very enjoyable.
There seems to be a whole community in the boatyard from people working on their boats to peiple living 'on site'.
This sketch shows a couple of the old barges moored upstream and looking out of the boatyard to the estuary mouth.
Sheila came along midday with lunch which went down extreemly well after the mornings efforts.

I finished off the day with this sketch of this lovely boat which belonged to John and was named 'NAMANDA'. She is made of Scots larch on an English Oak frame so she is a very sturdy boat and he informed us he had just sold her. Just as we were packing up it started to rain....how's that for timing !

Romantic Rhine Cruise

We started our cruise at Cologne on the Rhine , staying overnight then making our way upstream to Koblenz where we moored up for the night. The weather was not great and subsequently, when we got up next morning it was not a good day for wandering around the town. So we stayed onboard and I painted this view of these lovely houses across from where we were moored.

We were now at the mouth of the Moselle and the next three days would take us up and back along this lovely stretch of river.


This is a sketch of the lovely town of Cochem on the Moselle River. We had moored up for the afternoon and had a bit of time to do a rather less frenetic sketch of this rather commanding view. The sun was up and it was VERY hot and by the time the painting session was done we were well painted out !





The day before we had travelled up the Moselle to Bernkastel where we moored up for the night. I suggested that as we were there for the evening that it would be good to try an evening sketch after dinner. So come 9.15 we all assembled on deck to do a nighttime sketch and come 10.45 we were still at it. And we only stopped then as the bar shut at 11.00!!





Loads of locks so we had the chance to dash off a few quick sketches before we moved on.





The whole of the Moselle valley was a checker board of vineyards which seemed to take up every square inch of hillside.









This is the other sketch I did from the ship at Cochem. A much more simple affair but very enjoyable all the same.













By now the sun was really hot and the paints were drying very quickly. There were loads of people milling about and I have included a few including a guy who parked his wheelbarrow outside the bar with a whole load of flowers on it.!













Next day we headed back down the Moselle to Koblenz then back up the Rhine to the village of Rudesheim passing loads of castles on the way.






Managed to get some lightening sketches done as we sailed by.







Back to Cologne for a very hot afternoon. We walked up along the river bank for a good view of the magnificent cathedral. Right next to a rather large railway bridge there was a flight of stairs which was nicely in the shade and afforded us a rather nice view of the cathedral. So we all set up in various positions up the steps to get a sketch done.





























With all its ornamentation this was not a simple subject to tackle. However we all managed to get some rather good sketches done in the time and returned to the ship in good spirits !














That night we were invited to the Captain's dinner which made for a very pleasant evening and a nice way to wind up our cruise.





























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Wet and windy Wye ...!

We had a three day break in the Wye valley and the start was a very wet and windy affair. The first day we all went down to the riverside at the Ferry Inn but ended up at Ann's place...thank goodness. No sooner had we all set up and started drawing when the heavens opened and did it rain !
So we moved inside and I completed my demo along with a quick study of painting 'greens' !

Next day wasn't much better. It was grey and cold so we stayed hotel bound and painted all angles of the Old Court Hotel from the inside out.

On our last day the clouds looked really ominous but it was dry so I decided to chnce it and head for Symonds Yat Rock for the great views out across the bend in the River and I'm so glad I did.
The sun broke cover and it got progressively hotter as the morning wore on which meant we all got some rather nice sketches done. After lunch we made our way down to the riverside to paint in the churchyard of St Dudricius and this sketch is the one I did there. Lovely light and shadows and a happy end to our Wye Valley Break.