Sandy Dooley

Kitchen table

2012-01-30T11:27:00.001Z

A postcard from Kent

2012-01-30T11:16:00.003Z

this is a view very close to my home, it's cold here at the moment!

Drawing!!

2012-01-25T10:43:00.001Z

I have been spending my time drawing and making small paintings on paper, a process I am hoping will help to broaden my view. I will keep you posted.

A little bit more...

2011-12-15T13:10:00.000Z

Another thought to add to this piece.

Starting and finishing a painting

2011-12-12T12:54:00.000Z

I have been working on a commission over the past ten days or so. Here is the finished painting.....

The painting is 80x120cm. Here are a few pictures of work in progress.....

Reflections and sunshine

2011-12-06T09:17:00.001Z

This piece is working from the same roots as this one. It is a bit smaller, the shape of the canvas is the same. I have always loved the late lily paintings of Monet, they seem very modern to me.

Finished

2011-12-01T15:02:00.001Z

This 90x90cm piece is heading with a couple of others to the gallery I show with in Godalming, Surrey.

Near Twilight

2011-11-29T14:20:00.001Z

I do love a bit of melancholy!! Early evening is a favourite time of day, and during this autumn it has been very lovely in the late afternoons.

Camber sands

2011-11-25T10:17:00.001Z

We are enjoying the most beautiful autumn, day after day of warmish sunshine, not really windy and so the leaves are bright and colourful.Here is a painting of the walkway down to one of my local beaches, Camber Sands.

Working on...

2011-11-11T12:19:00.000Z

I started this painting a short while ago....see here. I am working on it in conjunction with my new piece. Having one one painting out to look at whilst working on another is something I do quite regularly.

Love this artist

2011-11-11T09:11:00.001Z

I have been really enjoying looking at the artwork of Antony White on-line.He spans the world between abstraction and landscape in a way I find immensely appealing. The thick viscous paint and often patchwork piecing together of forms reminds me of Lars Dan too....

Work in progress

2011-11-10T16:12:00.001Z

I have a 90x90cm stretcher, linien on canvas, and several drawings scattered around. I have just made a few marks on my brand new painting. I love this stage in a painting, there is so much freedom.

Last drawing, now to work

2011-11-08T15:04:00.000Z

At 57x75cm, oil pastel, compressed charcoal (for a really black black line) and acrylic paint (not much, just some tints really) on watercolour paper, this is my largest drawing.

as well as working on all the drawings I have made in the last day or so I will use them in my larger paintings. the colours, skies and perspectives are all inspiring.

Rowley Gallery

2011-11-07T13:27:00.001Z

You can see two of my paintings in the Rowley Gallery, Notting Hill Gate, Londontake a look here and here!

Apple country

2011-11-07T10:19:00.000Z

I live in apple country, Kent is a big producer of apples and pears. We are surrounded by wonderful orchards. We have two apple trees in our garden...hardly an orchard, but they certainly produce a lot of apples. The crop is just coming to a close now.

A few more drawings in the rain

2011-11-07T10:15:00.000Z

A days drawing

2011-11-04T08:37:00.001Z

Up on a local hill looking over the farmland and fields on a blowy November day....All these drawings are compressed charcoal, oil pastel and acrylic paint on watercolour or cartridge paper.

Autumn Blue to the fore

2011-10-30T12:09:00.001Z

Autumn sky, autumn leaves

2011-10-17T14:21:00.001Z

A sketch on canvas, which I will work into. This is 92x92cm, acrylic and charcoal on linen. The leaves are turning and falling here!

Petal part two!

2011-10-14T12:45:00.003Z

More work on this little painting, see my earlier diary entry.

Apricot palette

2011-10-14T10:55:00.000Z

I like the combination of orange, apricot, wedgewood blue, ultramarine....

One painting leads to another

2011-10-12T15:30:00.000Z

Painting is certainly addictive, sometimes one idea leads to another. This large painting is going back into storage for a while while I think about it, in the meantime it has spawned lots of ideas about colour and using marks in a really free way. BTW, it is too large to hang so I have propped it up in my sitting room.....

One more layer on my painting.....

2011-10-10T13:20:00.002Z

Painting taking shape

2011-10-07T15:29:00.000Z

I feel that this painting is starting to take shape, it is so much larger than work I have done before. This make scale an issue, and keeping the marks simple and proportionate.I also have this smallish green painting just about finished.

Petals, a sketch

2011-10-05T12:05:00.000Z

A small (40x50cm) sketch to support my large painting. My garden is full of scattered petals and flowerheads at the moment, the gusts of wind and September sun are an evocative combination

Sunny work afternoon

2011-10-03T14:33:00.002Z

Work continues apace on my huge painting. I am loving this process so much.....the wide open spaces!!

Progress....

2011-09-30T10:19:00.000Z

I have been working on this very big (for me) painting of 200x120cm. It's interesting to use big brushes and big marks, and i have to step way back to look at it as I work.

Winter Revisited

2011-09-26T12:51:00.001Z

I am enjoying the soft palette in this painting. It is 90x90cm

Working outside

2011-09-23T16:45:00.002Z

Definitely finished painting....

2011-09-23T10:45:00.001Z

I have difficulty in finishing paintings off, very often! It's hard for me to put them aside. Anyway, I have definitely finished this painting....maybe....

William Gear

2011-09-22T18:18:00.001Z

Saw some William Gear paintings to day at the Redfern Gallery in central London. this Scottish artist worked from the mid forties till his death in 1997. Lovely paintings!I also bought a beautiful book about Cy Twombly.Altogether a good day!

Our stream in sunshine and shade

2011-09-20T09:05:00.000Z

Another smallish (40x50cm) painting, I have a large canvas ready to start, these watery pictures will be my starting point....

Underwater Onland

2011-09-19T11:31:00.001Z

I am finding these paintings really absorbing and stimulating, and working on this long, landscape format is interesting too. Grabbing inspiration from shadows and sunshine above and below water makes the marks very fluid. i find the subject rather evocative, which gives me a lot of freedom.

New thinking

2011-09-15T10:44:00.001Z

I love to swim, apart from the fact swimming pools and nice hair do not go together particularly well I think it's a great way to start the day. As I count my lengths off, the reflections from the huge window that runs one side of our local pool mixes and jumps off the water. It's fluid and dynamic....on a beautiful morning like this morning it's magic.

this little painting, started a short while ago is about that feeling of water and reflections.

2011-09-13T15:14:00.002Z

One more layer on my beach painting .

Breezy, blowy painting

2011-09-13T09:22:00.001Z

Sandy Dooley: sandy@designbywire.com

Nearly finished this piece.

Turner fan

2011-09-12T07:54:00.002Z

I am a William Turner fan!I studied in London and used to visit the Tate (now Tate Britain) regularly.It's a rainy, windy morning in Kent, (plus I took part in the Londom Duathlon yesterday....cycling is possibly not my strongest suit) so I am having a virtual visit to see some of his work this morning.http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/WorksList?cgroupid=999999949&searchid=10644&tabview=lightbox

A Gorgeous Mess

2011-09-10T16:47:00.000Z

Love Michael Raefnyder's paintings. See some here.....the refers to an article by Katie Anania. "A Gorgeous Mess"

Grasses in September

2011-09-10T13:19:00.002Z

Another layer of paint on my favourite work in the studio this afternoon.

Beach painting

2011-09-08T15:21:00.000Z

After spending a week on Pantin Beach on Spain's Atlantic coast in the sunshine, I am starting to make a series of small sketches. The breeze, sea, sun and good breakers make for a great cocktail. Here's one.

More paint

2011-09-08T09:46:00.003Z

Thinking about fresco like colours, viridian, chromium oxide green, cerulean blues and chalky shades.

Art in situ

2011-09-07T14:39:00.001Z

A really busy day on my computer! Catherine from Art Acumen has kindly sent through a few images of a couple my paintings in situ, in a central London office. This one is called 'Big Field'. Great to see them in their new enviroment.

photo credit: Art Acumen

Always nice

2011-09-07T11:48:00.000Z

Always nice to hear I have sold a painting....This one has just been sold

A few hours later.....

2011-09-07T10:58:00.001Z

Chalky painting

2011-09-07T09:16:00.003Z

I like to work on several pieces at once. It's good to bounce ideas off one canvas to another. I am looking at this piece along with the more abstract one below. It is 90x90cm

New studio

2011-09-06T16:27:00.002Z

By the way....I am getting a new studio, actually I am buying a beautiful garden office/studio/ log cabin building. Doesn't need planning permission, is lovely, is large, I can really spread my artwork out, and spend time looking my paintings when they are on a wall (actually I will be sitting in armchair as I do this). I am very excited, but have to wait for about a month for delivery.....I can wait!! Just about.

New Beginnings

2011-09-06T14:32:00.000Z

September is my favourite time of year for new beginnings, the end of summer marks the start of new activity.

This little painting is 50x50cm, it is definitely a picture in flux, a tentaive new beginning. I want to enjoy the colours and shapes in it without making it very figurative. I love to layer paint and build depth. I will blog updates....

September bluster, new work

2011-09-06T13:06:00.001Z

Blustery, windy, showery, trees are waving away. September weather with a vengeance! I am working on several things in my studio at the moment. The painting above is 90x90cm. I'm not sure if it needs more work yet, I shall put it to one side and concentrate on other things.

Summertime

2011-08-28T14:49:00.004Z

I have had a wonderful summer, traveling to Devon in July. So green. Beautiful.

Holiday

2011-08-24T13:31:00.007Z

Just had a fab holiday in northern Spain, just like Pembrokeshire, but warmer, delicious seafood, bigger waves and even less traffic!

Art Acumen

2011-08-04T12:06:00.016Z

I have just sold a couple of paintings through Art Acumen, http://artacumen.co.uk/

More artwork to galleries

2011-08-04T12:03:00.010Z

These two paintings are destined for the Pond Gallery, Clapham.

Artwork delivery

2011-07-25T07:24:00.004Z

Beautiful sunny morning, July weather! i am taking these two paintings up to a The Architects Gallery in Teddington this morning.

Commissioned painting for a friend

2011-07-12T21:08:00.003Z

I really enjoyed making this painting...it is 80x80cm, and I love the bright combinations. I saw the space it is intended for, and that was very useful.

Commission

2011-07-07T12:20:00.003Z

90x90cm, a commission through the Pond Gallery in Clapham....

Summertime

2011-07-07T12:18:00.003Z

Summer is here, it's a very windy one so far!

2011-05-25T11:55:00.001Z

May time

2011-05-25T11:50:00.003Z

Two small paintings

2011-05-08T13:35:00.003Z

Two slightly over exposed pictures of small paintings 50x40cm approx. It's a great size for me to work at and try different ways of marking, I love woodland in the spring, the shadows and new leaves create a wonderful enviroment.

New paintings

2011-05-03T10:45:00.002Z

Sketches

2011-04-17T16:05:00.003Z

2011-03-28T14:53:00.001Z

New beginning

2011-03-28T13:52:00.002Z

Architects Gallery

2011-03-21T15:32:00.002Z

this piece is now at the architects Gallery in Teddington, Middlesex.

Spring paintings

2011-03-21T13:35:00.002Z

Working on one of my spring like paintings.....encouraged by sunshine

Spring/Summer

2011-03-21T11:17:00.002Z

I am now working towards an exhibition at Mc Allister Thomas Fine Art, Godalming. This takes place in June. http://www.mcallisterthomasfineart.co.uk/

Watery Spring

2011-03-18T17:38:00.004Z

Two sketches on canvas, the bottom one is 70x70cm, the other 40x50cm. both are acrylic on canvas.

What next?

2011-03-07T16:04:00.007Z

Can't think what my next move is....

One more sketch, two tiny paintings

2011-03-04T12:09:00.003Z

Affordable Art Fair

2011-03-03T09:23:00.002Z

I delivered artwork to the Pond Gallery, Clapham, for the London AAF yesterday. Spring was in the air in London, but very chilly and windy in Kent. I want sunshine! http://www.pondgallery.co.uk/
Take a look at blog for 11 Feb, Birdsong, to see two of the paintings .

From my sketches

2011-02-28T13:21:00.004Z

One of the sketches I have been making in the last month or so. I use a lot of oil pastel, as well as thickish layers of acrylic paint on watercolour paper. 21.5x30cm

2011-02-28T11:51:00.001Z

2011-02-25T12:47:00.001Z

Sponanteity

2011-02-16T12:36:00.004Z

Finding the balance between spontaneity in mark making and colours is a challenge in the early stages of a painting.

Painting finished

2011-02-16T11:14:00.003Z

This is called 'Big Field" It is 93x93cm, acrylic on canvas.

Birdsong

2011-02-11T12:22:00.005Z

That's what I can hear out of my studio window today. Wonderful.
Both the paintings above are 92x92cm.Both are nearly finished, I find actually finishing work on a painting very difficult. Sometimes I need to take them out of harms way!!

Sunny painting for a rainy day

2011-02-04T13:02:00.004Z

I have been working on this painting along with one more this week. I love the warm colours and brightness of the piece...especially compared to the wet and windy day today.

Spring Work

2011-01-25T11:01:00.004Z

One more layer of paint!!

I will be at the Affordable Art Fair with Pond Gallery again in March, so I am working towards that at the moment. I will also have some work in the Architects Gallery in Teddington in March. Over the next weeks I will put all the work for these events on these pages and on my main website.

another layer on another painting

2011-01-24T15:01:00.003Z

More paint

2011-01-24T11:33:00.003Z

Bright day

2011-01-18T14:38:00.002Z

New Year, old painting

2011-01-13T13:35:00.004Z

Another layer of paint

2010-12-17T10:48:00.002Z

Cannot resist working on this painting....

Re-think

2010-12-09T10:54:00.004Z

I have been working on this painting for a while. It is 70x70cm, quite small for me. I have been thinking about scale, and the power of a limited colour palette. Look back to 24th November to see the last incarnation of this piece, the canvas is rich with marks and paint.

Another winter painting

2010-12-08T12:06:00.003Z

A Winters Day

2010-11-30T10:49:00.004Z

This painting is 90x90cm. It is so wintry here, snow is covering the ground and the sky is grey/white. Colours are leached out of the landscape.

Cold winters day painting

2010-11-24T14:11:00.003Z

Commissioned painting

2010-11-05T13:14:00.006Z

This is a big painting! it is 160x80cm. I have really enjoyed working on it...so much space!

Revisit

2010-11-05T12:49:00.003Z

Added to my painting, posted on Wed 27th Oct. Thousands of tiny marks make up the bottom half of this picture.

Gold Boat

2010-10-29T16:12:00.002Z

This little painting on watercolour paper has been in my kitchen for a week or two, I have just been looking at it. I think that i will use it as a sketch for a larger painting.

Orchard drawings

2010-10-29T15:14:00.002Z

I will keep on working on these drawings, even though the leaves are falling very rapidly off the trees here. Autumn is descending!

Orchard painting

2010-10-27T15:49:00.003Z

I have been working on this, it is 57x75cm, and it would be great if I could keep the spontaneity of the image.

Orchard painting

2010-10-27T15:49:00.000Z

New painting

2010-10-27T15:33:00.000Z

I have used tiny brushmarks on this painting of 95x95cm.

More trees

2010-10-27T10:17:00.002Z

This sketchy painting is 70x70cm, i have had it in studio and in my home for a few months now. I have done a few similar paintings, see links below.
http://www.paperisland.net/art-10-painting13.html
http://www.paperisland.net/art-10-painting12.html

Dart Gallery, Dartmouth

2010-10-19T12:40:00.003Z

I will have a couple of paintings here for a Christmas Show...here is one of them.It is 80x80cm, titled 'Walking The Coastpath'.

2010-10-19T09:36:00.000Z

Another commissioned painting

2010-10-15T08:06:00.002Z

I have enjoyed working on this, it is smaller than most of my paintings, 70x70cm, and using darker, richer tones. I might explore this a bit further.

More apples.....

2010-10-12T13:00:00.001Z

A few drawings

2010-10-11T12:19:00.003Z

Apple orchards....i will do some more drawings here, it's beautiful.