A Quick Return

By the Sea...

Well, it's been a long time! 

I apologize for having been so absent. Many of you now follow me on Instagram, where I post several times a week. I found that writing longer blog posts was occupying a lot of time and so I've mostly appeared on IG (@donaldjurney) as a way of keeping up.

Since I last wrote, we had a very successful workshop in Holland, followed by a a great one in Toronto. Students made a lot of progress, and I was pleased with the classes.

Here's a demo from Holland, being held up by the Dutch boy:

 And one from Canada:

 

For those who don't know, there will be a workshop under the auspices of The Welsh Academy, in Crickhowell, Wales, 22-30 June. There are a few places remaining. If you'd like to join us, painting the countryside and the mountains in the Brecon Beacon National Park, do write to Lucy Corbett, Director, at the Academy: info@welshacademyofart.com

Plans are afoot, too, for a workshop in Norway, in the beginning of August, centered on Egersund. For more information about this workshop, please send me an email at dbjurney@verizon.net

 

I'm pleased to report that an American collector of mine has invited me to Ireland, to paint a group of paintings during three weeks this coming June. I've been encouraged to suit myself on subjects and locations and so I look very much forward to following my nose around the Emerald Isle. Although I've drawn in Ireland, I've never painted there. So if you have some suggestions of places for me to visit, do leave a comment. This is the sort of carte-blanche invitation that one only dreams about, so you can well imagine my excitement about the opportunity.

After the return from Holland, bracketing the the Canadian workshop, I continued to spend a lot of time painting out of doors, including a stolen hour on Christmas Day at my sister's. Here's the sketch from then:

Christmas Willow, 14"x11" (35x28cm)

Rather a hasty grisaille, but it enabled me to report that I'd painted outside in every month of 2014.

Recently I've made this painting (almost finished) from an 11" x 14" plein air study in Rhode Island, painted last summer.

The Schooner Robert McClintock off Brenton Point, 30"x36" (75x90cm)

This photo's a bit yellow, but you'll get the idea.

For now, that's all. I look forward to seeing some of you for the two workshops and to painting with you. In the meantime, I send my very best wishes to you for 2015 and for lots of good painting.

Donald