“Selwicks Bay”

Selwicks Bay is one of many inlets on the distinctive headland that's Flamborough Head. Selwicks is the one with two lighthouses. An old lighthouse stands in the golf course on the approach to the cove. A newer one sits above the bay itself (to the left, just out of the picture).

I'm a regular visitor to Flamborough Head, and always find it rewarding painting and sketching in the bays, or on the cliffs. I've also walked around the headland, some 9 miles, so I know it really well.

This large painting was created on location, sitting high on the cliffs above the view you see here. It's painted using acrylic paints on a large sheet of heavy watercolour paper attached to a board on an easel.

Fortunately, there wasn't any wind that day, otherwise such a large sail would have flapped around. Wind is an artist's nemises more than rain.

I love working big like this. Making paintings this size outdoors is quite a mission though. The logistics of transporting, setting‑up, taking down and carrying the wet artwork can be considerable. It uses up a lot of painting time before the brushes are even out.

Since painting this I've moved to oils instead of acrylic. I've also developed a preference for quick set‑up kit that means I can rock‑up to a scene and get painting within 5 minutes. With larger work, that's not so easily achieved. No doubt, as I become even more seasoned in outdoor painting, my pieces will grow in size again.