I can claim my Brisons Veor project was a success as I  did achieve one big 50 x 100 cm painting, but I still have another canvas the same size and my giant roll of paper was untouched. It was great to have the studio space to spread out and time to work on a larger piece over several days . But so many interesting painting subjects had to be left for another time.
The last day was just pack up and leave by 11, but  then I enjoyed the freedom of a wild dash plein air painting, battered by wind in the afternoon at Porthmoina.    I saw a pod of dolphins swim past and there was a brief period of that amazing turquoise Cornish sea before it clouded over.

 

It is never dark where I live so  although my main project was to paint at least 1 large oil, my secondary project was to attempt to paint moonlight.     
   Advance preparation is key.  For No1 I drew the house view first in daylight from the car, then set out my 4 colours (black , white, naples yellow and prussian blue). As dusk fell I used the red beam on my head torch to light up my kit with brief flicks onto dazzling white to see what actual colour I was using. However although it had stopped raining it was still too cloudy for the moon to show through and once dark everything was just completely black.

  Next night I had given up thoughts of moonlight, but spotted its reflection in the house window, so quickly did a watercolour postcard of Moonlight over the Brisons. I then launched into No2, a 20x 20 cm oil from the balcony before it clouded over again. I used the palette from the Brisons painting so ended up with french ultramarine by accident rather than prussian blue. The following night the sky cleared again so I did a bit more and an even smaller oil attempt -No 3.

I had imagined 9 sunny days painting outdoors in Cornwall. This is what I got. A blanket of fog hanging over the view. Luckily I had added some Conte pencils and pastel paper to my kit at the last moment so did this view of waves through the rain splattered window on my first evening.

Although Brisons Veor is said to be the westermost house in England, I was not completely isolated as friends Lisa and Roy came down from St Just at teatime most days, bringing goodies and cough medicine and we went sketching. This is the hut I painted in 2011, now further battered and roofless.

I guess there are four strands here -
1) studies of Priests Cove to Lands End (including my big 50x100cm oil and the 2 big watercolours) which happened throughout all 9 work days.
2) studies of The Brisons  (rocks) (including the 30x30 cm oil) which happened on 6 of the days.
3) studies of moonlight, including 3 small unfinished oils, which happened on 6 days.
4) Other subjects including the Fishermens huts and swimming pool  oil, on 6 days

 Alkyds, inks, watercolours, acrylics, Artisan oil, drawing pencils, Pitt pens, sketchbooks, brush kit, plein air painting box, small painting supports, ruler and so on. Because my stay is cut short I will use oil paints first as they need the longest time to dry, then the alkyds, then the acrylics towards the end.  Not visible here- two large correx boards and my giant 1.5 meter roll of watercolour paper and various off cuts, plus the boot will be full of clothes, wet weather gear, easels, and painting stools. And, cross fingers , sun hats.

 I can remember looking up at the little row of cottages and thinking how great to stay in one to paint. I had no idea the end one was an Artists Residential Studio run by the Brisons Veor Trust. Last year Portishead artist Ian Price told me about brisonsveor.org.uk. and I successfully applied for a residency. I have 9 days for my project which is to have the time and space to PAINT BIGGER. (Bigger for me that is as my normal size is less than 30cm)

Painting at part of the former Wick Quarry, between Bristol and Bath. They struck a spring so it is now a small duckweed covered lake. Other parts of the quarry still exist. Thanks to artist Neil Murison, R.W.A. we were able to paint here today. Everything was very green but I was able to get a bit of blue from this beached boat.