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The weather in Newbiggin by the Sea has been delightful. My partner, John Graham, and I have seized the opportunity to go cycling along the coast, basking in the warm, sunny days. The freedom to explore the Northumberland coastline once more, after seven weeks of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, has been exhilarating. Below are some photographs from our cycling adventures and a glimpse of my latest artwork. Furthermore, John has been fortunate to observe a bird at Newbiggin by the Sea that has not been previously documented in this area. Continue reading to discover which bird it was. Newbiggin in the sunLast week, John and I went for a bike ride along the coast. We took a break at Beacon's Point, a popular spot for birdwatchers known to have rare birds occasionally. We enjoyed the warm weather and took some time to relax on the cliff edge before moving on towards Lynemouth power station, hoping to spot some Flycatchers and Whinchats. We followed a path alongside the golf course covered in gorse bushes, providing an ideal bird nesting place.  A year ago at this location, John photographed a Red-spotted Bluethroat, a rare bird that drew photographers from far and wide. Sadly, not everyone had the opportunity to witness it, myself included. Information about the most recent rare bird sighting in Newbiggin can be found further down this article. 'On the Easel' - Kingfisher in AcrylicsRecently, I've spent some tranquil evenings in the studio, focusing on finishing several paintings that have been gathering dust on the shelf. I've resumed work, particularly on a Kingfisher painting whose simple composition enhances its impact. The bird's vibrant presence dominates the otherwise muted backdrop, rendering additional details superfluous. For the wooden post, I employed a combination of paint and texture gel, while strategically placed raindrops at the conclusion serve to highlight the bird exquisitely. Last year, John captured the reference image for his painting. Surrounding him were open fields and patches of woodland, teeming with wildlife. One morning, a Kingfisher perched briefly on a wooden post, giving John just enough time to take several photos before it took flight again. You can read about the process of this Kingfisher painting here. 'On the Easel' - Bullfinch & Apple Blossom acrylic paintingThis painting was created by merging two reference images: one of a Bullfinch and the other featuring apple blossoms. Close to home, there's a cycle path adorned with apple blossom trees, a common habitat for Bullfinches. Capturing a photo of both the bird and blossoms together proved elusive, so I utilised an image of a Bullfinch captured by John. You can read about the process of this Bullfinch painting here. What a find!One morning, John was lucky to spot a beautiful European Bee-Eater flying over a nearby lake. Despite being far away, the Bee-Eater was easily recognisable due to its long beak and bright colours. While there have been reports of Bee-Eaters in other parts of the country, this was the first sighting of one in Newbiggin by the sea.  European Bee-Eater in Newbiggin by the Sea, Northumberland,UK
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This Christmas season has been exceptionally hectic with commissions, and I fear I may have taken on more than I could handle. Today, I completed the final commission of the year, feeling rather tired after many early mornings and late nights spent crafting beautiful dog portraits for their loving owners.  This Christmas commission is one I can share since it was presented early, allowing Kita's owner to select the frame for her beloved dogs' memorial portrait. With years of experience in pet portraiture, I was able to incorporate more into the painting than the photograph revealed. Given that Kita's owners had limited photos of him, and considering the exquisite detail that acrylic portraits can achieve, each hair was meticulously painted with a very fine brush to achieve the desired level of detail.
The customer had only a handful of photographs of Kita, having recently lost him, and I was restricted to using photographs taken with flash. Although the reference image captured a good pose, the flash altered his colour and limited important details, so I conducted online research on the breed and applied some artistic interpretation. Although the image was slightly out of focus, I discovered that by intensively working on the fur, I found that I could enhance the details by meticulously refining the fur, resulting in a final portrait that was more lifelike than I had anticipated. The completed painting was set in a black frame called Brockwell.  The progress of Kita's portrait can be viewed here. After finishing the portrait, I applied two layers of satin varnish, framed it with 'Brockwell' moulding, packaged it, and dispatched it to its new home. Upon its arrival, Kita's owner sent me the following message: "I just wanted you to know that I absolutely love my painting of Kita. You have done the most amazing portrait of him, he was my best friend and my little boy. I love him so much and the painting of him has been put up in the living room so we can all admire him everyday!!!  Receiving such feedback is always special, and I eagerly wait to hear how my other portraits have been received this Christmas. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! How to book your own bespoke portrait: For those interested in commissioning a custom portrait of your pet, a loved one, or any other subject, information on the commission process is available here. Feel free to explore my Pet Portraits page or Art Gallery to see more examples of my work. In addition to acrylics, I also create pieces using coloured pencils and oil pastels. I recently completed this stunning portrait of Willow the Springer Spaniel, as a surprise gift from a husband to his wife for their first wedding anniversary. The reference photo was excellently composed, which made the painting process even more enjoyable.  My acrylic paintings are designed to exude vibrancy and, where possible, texture. For the tennis ball at the forefront of the painting, I incorporated a moulding paste into the paints to replicate the ball's fluffy texture. Similarly, I used the moulding paste to add texture to Willow's fur, creating an intriguing effect when the painting is viewed from various angles.  The image above represents the preliminary phase of the artwork, where I establish the foundational colour tones. At this juncture, the appearance may seem quite chaotic, which can be somewhat disconcerting, particularly for the customer, but it does improve as the image below shows. Observe how the details have been further refined and the contrasts are now also being established.   Fine detail in the face The Ampersand Gessobord's smooth surface is ideal for the fine detail I prefer in my acrylic portraits. This portrait was created on a 22mm Gessobord, designed for frameless displaying. The edges have also been painted edges so it can be displayed without a frame. It has been preserved with multiple coats of Satin Varnish and enhanced with two wall protector feet on the reverse side's lower corners for extra protection.
The beauty of these 22mm board portraits is the flexibility they offer; you can decide to frame them later for a classic look or leave them unframed for a modern aesthetic. Crafting this portrait was a joy, and learning that Willow's owner was delighted with her unexpected gift made it even more rewarding.  Northumberland artist Karen M Berisford with her painting of Willow Karen, I was the lucky one to receive this beautiful painting. I can't tell you what a lovely gift it is, thank you so much for capturing Willow's character so well. I absolutely love it, it's beautiful and one to be treasured for many years to come. Are you looking to commission a custom-made portrait?For those interested in commissioning a custom-made portrait of their pet or another subject, further details are available on the commissions page. Additionally, you are invited to view my collection of pet portraits and the art gallery featuring a variety of subjects. Available mediums for portraits include acrylics, coloured pencils, and oil pastels.
The creation process of my acrylic pet paintingsI'd like to share the process involved in creating my acrylic paintings. Even when I have several dog portraits on the easel, my method remains consistent, however, I may choose to enhance the artwork by incorporating different mediums or adding specialist colours. Here are two of my latest dog portraits: one features a Springer Spaniel swimming, and the other, a young female white Boxer. Springer Spaniel |
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