The Harbour Masters Office
£1,500.00
The Harbour Masters Office, 12x16in, oil on board, painted in the summer of 2021. Southwold painting by Suffolk painter Nick Grove.
It’s 5am in the morning, in the summer, at the harbour in Southwold. I travelled up the night previous and stayed at the far end of the harbour, where few people reach. I awoke this morning to find the coast shrouded in a cool mist that has come in from the sea. It’s cold, and there’s not many folk about—only me, a few Fishermen, and the solitary dogwalker. I make a pot of hot coffee and start painting straight after, from literally beside my van. It feels so good to be out and about so early and breathing in the sea air.
At Southwold, the sun rises from the sea. By 7 am, it is high enough to reach over the sand dunes and to the far end of the harbour where I am set up. The light is changing rapidly now, and although I start altering the cool colours to warm colours, I stop myself. It is part of the challenge to capture the changing light effects as you paint en plein air; however, I’m so far gone with this painting that I consider it best to keep with the original idea.
After another 45 minutes or so, I have my first painting of the trip in a position whereby I am happy with it. Later in the studio, I may play with the painting a bit if necessary. And by dressing the painting in a frame and standing back, I can visualise the finished piece of artwork. Thus making it possible to decide what needs to be done to make the painting ‘work’. I take reference photographs; however, I look at them seldomly, preferring to complete the paintings from memory and from instinct. Then I take a long look at the scene in front, soak it in, and store it in the memory bank for later.
12x16in
Oil on board
Framed
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