Thursday, April 11, 2013

"Chimes Cottage in Early Spring" (oil on linen; 9" x 12")


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It's already April 11th and you are probably wondering why I haven't yet announced the theme for the April Challenge.  Here we go.  I am going to paint a series of paintings based on the pictures I took during my recent trip to England.  The April Challenge is "I Love England"!

You know I haven't painted for three weeks.  Furthermore, I haven't touched oil paints for a month and half!  It took a while to get my mojo back.  A sudden heat wave in the mid-Atlantic region didn't help either.  My garden is going absolutely crazy.  Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin were spectacular on Tuesday. I am in the midst of spring fever.  It is hard to sit calmly in my studio and paint.  To prove my point, I am sharing just two pictures of my garden this morning.


tulips and grape hyacinths

daffodils and woodland poppies among other flowers!

But I digress.  Let's get back to today's painting.  For eight enchanted days, we stayed at this thatched-roofed stone cottage, which belongs to my husband's first cousin and her husband.  Chimes Cottage on Church Lane in Sidlesham, West Sussex is 380 years old, and is on the British National Register.  There were several such cottages on the lane. It was as if we had walked into a fairy tale.  The painting is a gift to our wonderful hosts.  I hope they like it!

4 comments:

  1. Hi Kim, I love your painting of Chimes Cottage! I was in the Cotswolds last Sept. and have been painting cottages off and on since. Maybe I will join your challenge!

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  2. That will be fantastic! I remember seeing one of your cottage paintings.

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  3. Hi Kim,
    I love all the photos of your Spring flowers - particularly the grape hyacinths. They are one of my favourites. You have done a beautiful job with the English cottage.

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  4. Thank you, Wendy. Grape hyacinths are mulplying like crazy in my garden. I wish our money in the bank does that too!

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