AUTUMN 2024- Anglesey

Solo Exhibition: Painting through the Seasons, In the Footsteps of Charles Tunnicliffe, in the Long Gallery at Oriel Ynys Mon, Llangefni, Anglesey, 10th June-12th October 2025.

18th October 2024 North Anglesey near llanfairynghornwy

I woke up at 7am and looked out of the sky light window to see the super moon dropping in the sky and glowing brightly through a thin veil of cloud. Tired from the long drive yesterday, I got up slowly, the sun was rising at 10 to 8 as I make my way to Cemlyn bay. The sky is lit up from a fiery yellow source that sets the clouds off with orange and pink hues. Driving over the bridge I'm delighted to see the single cygnet is grown up and with its parents on Cemlyn lake. Back in June it had been tiny, fluffy and riding on the back of a parent under the shelter and safety of it's wings. There are Mallards and Little grebes on the lake as I pass by too. The tide is rising at Cemlyn bay, there are a number of waders on the shoreline, Black headed Gulls, Oystercatchers, Turnstones... Further up the shingle bay a large flock of Golden Plover have landed and amongst them a brown Eider duck! The first I've seen in Wales, having recently seen them in Scotland on Holy Loch it's a welcome sight. I can't resist a sunrise painting to set the scene and capture the golden Plover flock and bird silhouettes dotted along the tide edge.

Autumn flocks, 9" x 7", oil on linen.

It's the first time I've been to Cemlyn in the Autumn, I've been 3 times now during summer to see the Terns. I'm wary of how high the tide is going to rise so I head back to the car park and paint the Little Egret feeding on the water. The foliage in the centre of the water is a beautiful autumnal russet orange/ pink and forms the start of my composition to set the Egret against. The Egret obligingly flies closer landing to feed right in front of me so I'm able to begin painting it in without the need for optics and I can snap some beautiful close up reference photos which is a great help as the light is disappearing into building cloud and the tide is rising around a metre per hour today. The vegetation is soon lost to the rising sea, I work on the water for a while longer before packing up. I can see seaweed has washed up right over the car park, the tide has near filled the pool and is near level with the car park, with another hour left to rise, it's time to get out.

There is a large flock of Curlew feeding in the field behind the carpark, I can hear their calls and they can be seen close by through the hedge. I stopped again by the bridge to paint the lagoon, there are a group of Widgeon on the water, flocks of Lapwings on the lagoon islands, groups of Redshanks, the large golden Plover flock keep taking to the air in an aerial display of synchronised flight, their golden glowing brown feathers show as they turn in the air.

I painted the waves on the lagoon and the softening sun slowly fading into the building cloud as the sky continues to fill with various bird flocks due to the rising tide.

Lapwing and Golden Plover Flocks, 9" x 12", oil on linen

Lapwings are to the left and the large flock of Golden Plover are flying in from the right.

The rest of the day brings very wet rain!

I continued on this from memory and a couple of photo references. I find photo's are generally very difficult to work with as nothing compares with direct observation, at best they serve as a reminder for drawing and arrangement but the rest relies on memory and working in keeping with that I've already caught but I have to be careful not to overwork it. I keep going until I feel I've said as much as I want to say with the info I have to work with whilst hoping to preserve the impression of the moment. I will attempt another plein air session on this tomorrow for some further details in the foliage.

19th October 2024 Cemlyn Bay

The day began with skeins of Greylag geese flying over a mirror flat lagoon. A soft haze of purple blue was hiding the sunrise. As Tunnicliffe wrote in his winter diary, 'this is the season of 'mists and mellow fruitfulness'. I painted on the bay where waders congregated by the sea edge, Oystercatchers, Turnstones, Golden Plovers... The sun was peaking over the haze wall now, it's first yellow rays lighting up the flecked golden plumage of the golden Plovers.

I began by painting in the Golden Plovers general shapes before continuing to sculpt and shade their forms.

Golden Plovers on the Shoreline, 5" x 7", oil on linen.

Little Egret, Cemlyn. 12" x 18", oil on linen.

My third session on this piece, its a different light quality to day but I work in harmony with my painting as I add some more suggestive details and I'm happy it's completed. I don't want to over render it, I like impressionist finish that is representative of the fleeting moment.

Lapwings on the Lagoon edge, 12" x 24", oil on linen.

Lapwings were resting in the grassy edge of the lagoon, occasionally preening and then snoozing. There was a lovely bright warm light from the mid morning sun. I played around with the arrangement of Lapwings and the grass until the sun is too high. This piece is going to need more work in the studio.

Turnstone study, 9" x 12", oil on linen.

A Turnstone was poised on the seaweed clad rocks in shade and set against a sunlit back drop. Its stillness offered an opportunity of study until it wandered around to the other side out of sight.

There was a beautiful silky sparkling light over the lagoon islands where the foliage is a semi submerged wetland now that its autumn and the tides have risen. There are plenty of Mallards and widgeon feeding here, A Little Egret passes by scaring a few Mallards on the waters edge and back onto the island to forage. I spotted Goosanders across the water. The is sky regularly filled with the sound of Curlews calling.

As the evening light takes a hold the tide is out and the sea edge is alive with the movement of small waders darting to and fro in search of food. I count over a dozen ringed Plovers with juveniles amongst them which is lovely to see after having painted a couple as vulnerable fluffy chicks in June earlier this year. There are a number of Oystercatchers and black headed Gulls much further up the edge, they flew as I broached a little nearer with the scope even though I was still a great distance away! I do have an excess of kit with me though... a trolley and two bags!! Not the best birding attire maybe. Overwhelmed with choice of what to paint I eventually settled on the Golden Plovers again as I've never seen so many... Their plumage really lives up to the name as the sun lowers and enhances those golden hues. In my study I capture one in light and one in shade for comparison. The sun sinks back into a haze wall sitting on the horizon, ending the day as it started.

Golden Plovers at Sun down, 9" x 7", oil on linen.

20th October 2024 Cemlyn Bay

A morning of heavy rain, strong wind with gale force gusts- an excuse for a much needed short lay in... but the outdoors beckons me.

I tried looking out over the lagoon, spotting Goosanders bobbing on the blown waves, disappearing and reappearing as they rose up and down the crests and troughs. I conclude it far too windy for scope work and decide wild seascapes were to be the subject of the day.

Wave study, 9" x 12", oil on linen.

I manage a wave study with the Turnstones flying by. I saw a pair of Turnstones hunkered down and bracing themselves much like I was, through a severe gust and so I made a study of their rock and a crashing wave to set the scene. I wanted to paint a small one of the islands dotted with Great black backed Gulls but I knew time was running out before the car park flooded, I was allowing an extra half hour due to the storm.

Turnstones braced against Storm Ashley, 9" x 7", oil on linen.

Come the afternoon it's far too windy to paint but I persisted nonetheless since I was here to paint and I can't resist a wild sea! Had I looked at the weather in more detail I may have thought twice about painting on the coastal edge as the gusts were quite extreme. There were times when all I could do was brace myself to remain standing and I did question myself at that point! I was impressed to see the Turnstones and Gulls riding out the gale force winds of storm Ashley though I saw one bird swept sideways and backwards, steering clear of the rocky edge whilst riding an extreme gust!

Wild sea studies.

As afternoon turned into evening I was blown away by the scenery, colour and light, the sun was softening into the haze, casting a warm glow behind the pale blue/white waves. It's a very rugged and wild bit of coastline, a favourite motif to paint!

A few gusts nearly knocked me off my feet. My easel is surprisingly wind proof with its tent pegs firmly planted in the grass, though I held onto my palette through the gusts! I usually clip my paint tube onto my easel but not today! I had it in my coat pocket... adding a few more paint marks to my coat.

I moved down onto the beach, where it was marginally more sheltered. I spun sideways in the wind as I climbed up off the beach and was halted in my slow steps on approach to the car park after rounding the wall! The wind did not relent that day!

Sunset over the Storm study, 5" x 7", oil on linen.

This last piece was my favourite, I had more success working on a smaller scale. It was tiring bracing myself against the gale force wind all day, I ached later on!

21st October Cemlyn Lake

I enjoyed a hazy sunny dawn, the Golden Plover flock were on the beach again, I painted a study of two of them backlit by the rising sun. The Ringed Plovers were also amongst them bathing along the tides edge.

Golden Plovers at Dawn, 9" x 13", oil on linen.

There are vast flocks of starlings on the move around the island. I seized an opportunity to paint them poised in a hedge. Their colours are beautiful in the sunlight, pink/purple sheens and emerald greens.

Starlings on the move, 18" x 24", oil on linen.

I saw lots of waders on the shore in the evening. The sky regularly filled with of flocks of various species, Lapwings, Golden Plovers, Curlew, Starlings, Gulls, Greylag Geese, Corvids... It's wonderful to see so much bird life, Cemlyn and the surrounding countryside appears to be a wildlife haven and such a magical place to visit.

22nd October, Cemlyn at dawn followed by a visit to Newborough Warren.

Another beautiful morning spent repeatedly attempting a painting but never quite getting there. I rarely sketch these days, preferring to draw directly on the canvas with a small filbert brush as I can easily wipe, adjust and mould the form whilst working with a thin wash of ochre/ raw umber... I consider this process as my 'ephemeral sketchbook'. So sadly nothing to show here!

Flocks at Dawn. 9" x 11", oil on board.

Cefni Estuary, 9" x 13", oil on linen.

Kestrel study, 12" x 14", oil on linen.

I ended the day with a long walk down the beach and explored all around Ynys Llandwyn island on a reconnaissance mission as time was running out. There wasn't a great deal of birdlife about yet as I'd seen in Winter. There were young seals hauled out on the rocks and I noted a number of spots I will return to later in the year.

23rd October, Cemlyn Lake and Beaumaris

Little Grebes study, 12" x 24", oil on linen.

There were seven Little Grebes on Cemlyn lake, I've never seen so many at once. One had been sleeping soundly as a Mallard neared and so another Little Grebe gave it a direct prod with its beak to wake it up to move! I worked on this piece for a few hours before having to abandon it as the light had changed too much. I began sketching in different Grebes and wiping them off as I decided upon my composition. This will need further work in the studio.

Greylag Geese, view from Beaumaris, 9" x 12", oil on board.

24th October Oriel Ynys Mon visit

I couldn't resist revisiting this spot on my way home as I'd glimpsed this view driving back from Beaumaris at sundown and it had looked spectacular. There were plenty of gulls and ducks swimming on the water. The Autumn leaves were a fiery orange in the setting sunlight.