Painting “A sea view with martins”
Plein‑Air Painting – Acrylic on Paper
Bamburgh Castle, Bamburgh, Northumberland, England, UK
This is a sea view with Martins I won't forget in a hurry. It's at the front of some holiday cottages at Bamburgh, Northumberland, UK.
I made this painting while sitting by a holiday cottage window opening on to this sea view.
The ever changing light on the ocean is forever fascinating – I could have spent the whole time sat by that window painting the shifting textures, shades and colours. No two moments the same.
To add to this joy, Martins and some Swallows zipped past the windows with mesmerising speed and agility.
In the warmth of the evening as insects rose, there seemed to be hundreds of these little dynamo acrobatic birds. I'm sure there weren't, but there were a lot!
They fill the sky in this painting because they filled the sky over the footpath to the gate, and the glistening sea beyond. Far too many, moving way too fast, to count.
The neatly tended borders were filled with a soft green flowering shrub where the Wagtails paraded and flitted across the lawn. Beyond, yachts and other boats glided up and down the coast this way and that, while clouds sailed out to sea above.
Flowers, sunshine, blue-blue seas, sparkles and glints, and little birds full of energy and daring – altogether, an idyillic scene. What else could you wish for? Oh, to live by the sea on such days as inspired this painting.
Of all the acrylic on paper studies I made while in this lovely place for a glorious week by the sea, this one was a 'must-do' as a larger finished oil painting.