Waiting for the next Leaf to Fall

I always find it very helpful to get feedback from my customers- especially when it comes to that perennial problem of deciding which of my paintings to have made into prints. So I've been showing my latest canvas to my "regulars" to gauge their response. The consensus seems to be "I want a copy once it's a print!" So that's good enough for me. 

But I hadn't expected one of my customers to observe, "It's very like a David Hockney. I love Hockney's work, but  I can't afford it... But I can still afford yours" I'm taking this as a compliment!

Thanks folks!  

Waiting For the Next Leaf to Fall- Autumnal Trees on the Banks of The River Coquet at Harbottle.

Autumn Colour

As someone who loves colour and also loves painting trees, Autumn offers a very obvious opportunity to indulge in both of these favourites. This year I'm working on a series of "panoramic" paintings of vibrant woodland trees- ghostly white trunked birches with their yellow leaves, shimmering in the wind like golden coins- and magnificent, lyrical beeches that dance across the landscape crowned with a palimpsest of amber leaves....

Autumnal Birch Woods 

Acrylic on board, painted area 17.5 cm X 49.5 cm 

 Autumnal Beech Woods 

Acrylic on board, painted area 17.5 cm X 49.5 cm 

Large Autumnal Birch Woods 

Acrylic on board, painted area 30cm X 80 cm 

  Large Autumnal Beech Woods 

Acrylic on board, painted area 30cm X 80 cm 

These four paintings, plus some additional snow scenes are going off to be framed, so that they'll be ready to hang here in the gallery soon! I can hardly wait to see them against the lovely warm terracotta red gallery wall.

Shy bairns get nowt!

Yesterday evening I set myself the task of re-painting the long "display wall" in the gallery to match the fabulous new wallpaper. So once the gallery was closed I moved furniture, covered prints, prepared the wall and lined in all the edges, before setting to with a paint roller. Down on my hands and knees, I suddenly became aware of a persistent knocking on the door. Looking up I saw a man with a slightly apologetic grin gesturing to me. It turned out he wanted to buy a brooch on display in the gallery window!!

Having served him, I felt honour bound to tell him that he'd perfectly demonstrated the local saying "shy bairns get nowt"! 

 Paintings of Bamburgh Castle and the Northumbrian Hills in Winter

 Family History / Mining History paintings

Paintings of The Harthope Valley, Farnham Moor, Rothbury's Simonside Hills and The Cheviot.

 Also showing a selection of my own limited edition prints and etchings by Ali Read and John Degnan, plus prints by Sarah Taylor.

Hanging something “Truly Great”!

Every gallery owner must surely aspire to hanging something “truly great” in their exhibition space. Something remarkable that will capture the imagination of the viewer. Something memorable; something original and unexpected.... But “greatness” as we all know is a subjective term. So how could one ever be sure that one has achieved this aim?

Well I know for absolute certain that I’ve managed it this time.

Can I hear a sharp intake of breath at the audacity of this claim, given that I’m displaying my own paintings here at Crown Studio Gallery? Has the normally shy and retiring Lynda Taylor suddenly become unbearably smug and self satisfied? 

I hope not!

But I do know I’ve hung something truly great, because I’ve just redecorated my window with this fabulously quirky wallpaper and what is it called? Why it's “Truly Great” by Holden of course. It's printed in seasonably warm bronze and russet colours and covered in a riot of swirling curlicues, crowns, lions, unicorns, tea sets, cake stands and roses. Everything that’s quintessentially, English!

 I like to think that’s a reflection of the art works I hang in the gallery too- a celebration of all that's best about Rothbury, Northumberland, England and Britain...

Of course if YOU think that my work’s great too I’d be delighted!

I hope you’ll come and have a look.

Reflections on a liquid landscape.

Northumberland has a wonderful varied coastline and sometimes I just have to go across to there to "drink in" its liquid landscape. So if you see a windswept woman standing immobile and apparently gazing at "nothing", it's probably just  me enjoying the reflections of cloud on wet sand, the ever changing colour of the sea, the stealthy rise of the tide, and the ebb and flow of beachcombers. 


And I like to think that's work.... because when I get back to my studio, I'll transform those sights and sensations into paintings.

      Boulmer Beach Reflections

A Strange Kind of Summer

On a wet, grey day like today it was great to frame some of my recently completed small paintings, because they reminded me that we have in fact had some excellent summer days this year. It hasn't been unremittingly dull weather- we've had some spectacularly sunny days, with gorgeous blue skies, temptingly vivid sea and golden fields. And best of all- I've been able to get out and about to enjoy them. I've even had a "plodge" or two at the coast and enjoyed some fine picnics (Even the one we had on a bench at Boulmer, when a passerby with an excited dog pointed out that there was a dead rabbit on the ground directly behind us- which we hadn't detected because of a good healthy breeze off the sea!) . 

This selection of paintings are all coastal scenes of some of my favourite places. They're probably YOUR favourite spots too!

 Bamburgh Castle Reflections

 Walking on Bamburgh Beach 

 Bamburgh Beach with Lindisfarne  

 Dunstanburgh Castle and Wheat Fields

 Exploring the Rock Pools at Howick

 Sun, Sea and Cereal- Wheat Fields at Dunstan

The Bathing House at Howick, With Dunstanburgh Castle

These small paintings are all part of my collection of "standard" small paintings.  They are each 12 cm square, window mounted in off-white/ ivory coloured card and framed in solid oak frames, bringing the completed framed size to 26 cm sq. They and a large selection of other Northumberland landscapes the same style and size, are available at Crown Studio Gallery for £69 each.

Pictures with the "X Factor"

I always find it very difficult to decide which of my paintings to make into prints. The images have to have that elusive "je ne sais quoi" quality that allows them to resonate with the viewer.  


So the selection process is a bit like "The X Factor"... but with less singing and definitely no phone votes! 


To date I've got 14 "Standard Prints" with an image size of 28.5 x 35.5 and 4 "Panoramic Prints" of 29.5 x 59 cm.  Have a look at these (low resolution) images of them below- you'll find details of sizes and prices at the end.

 The Thrum

                                                                   Birches

                                                                Bluebell Woods

                                                               Daffodil Woods

                                                                       Foxgloves

                                                    The Border Ridge, with Cheviot

                                                         Whiskershiel Farm in Snow

Golden Autumn Afternoon, Elsdon

Shillmoor, Coquet Valley

                                            Walking the Dog- Simonside With Snow

                                                            Poppies and Butterflies

Farne Island Puffins

 The World Still Going on Outside

                                                       Continuity, Watch and Chain

                                       Panoramic Midsummer Poppies

                                                            Panoramic Winter Beeches

                                          Panoramic Foxgloves in Summer Sunshine

                                                Panoramic Springtime Bluebells




Here in the gallery "Standard Prints" are £49 window mounted in ivory coloured board, or £79 ready framed in a light gold frame. 


"Panoramic Prints" are £95 window mounted and £145 framed.


Unmounted prints can be rolled up and posted to any address in the UK for £53 for "Standard" size or £99 for "Panoramic". I'm licensed  to accept payment via Debit/Credit Card by phone, but can also accept Paypal or a cheque if you prefer.