Alejandra
Maria
My neighbour and yoga teacher, Candelaria asked me to paint portraits of her granddaughters, Alejandra and Maria. The medium is pastel which I prefer for portraits. I use Sennelier artists soft pastels on Sennelier pastel card. The original paintings are 50cm x 32cm.
If you are interested in commissioning a portrait please contact me – mmerry44@ymail.com
Boats at Las Negras
Sales of original paintings have been very few during July and the first part of August. I think I only sold a couple during this time. Summer visitors here rarely buy art and it is also a poor time for on line sales. As usual for the end of August sales have picked up during the last week. First I sold this watercolour to a couple from France visiting Las Negras.
Sacromonte, Granada
A collector from the UK bought this watercolour of Sacromonte, Granada on line.
Mayte Beltran – Flamenco with shawl
Mayte Beltran in Red and Black
Mayte Beltran herself bought these watercolour studies of her Flamenco dancing at the Las Negras fiesta. She is staying in the village for a few days and called round our house. She is a charming young woman and of course I let her have the paintings for a very special price.
La Rubia
Finally another collector from the UK bought this nude in pastel, La Rubia on line.
Seated Nude
My drawing, Seated Nude, has just won first prize in the FAA on line contest A Vintage Female Bottom. When I saw this contest I remembered this pastel which I painted about seven years ago. As I have not promoted any of my figure studies lately, and never this one, I thought I would enter it. The original was sold some years ago to a collector in Canada. If you would like to view more of my figure studies please look at www.paintingsofnudes.wordpress.com
Rincon de Bornos
My watercolour, Rincon de Bornos, has just won first prize in the on line art competition, Artist Of The Month for July. This is the second time I have entered a painting in this monthly contest – my painting Mediterranean Blue won in May. 125 artists from all over the world submitted a painting to this competition. Rincon de Bornos is a painting of a corner of a patio in the converted old mill of Bornos above the village of Las Negras near my home. A lovely subject to paint with many different tectures, the stone walls, metal bike and chimney, wooden doors and the plants. Lovely colours too and typical Mediterranean plants – vines, cacti, succulents and geraniums. I used a free, sketchy style of watercolour painting for this work.
The original painting is for sale for 110 euros.
All enquiries mmerry44@ymail.com
La Iglesia de Santa Ana
After recently selling two paintings of Granada to couples who spent their honeymoon there, I have just sold three more to a couple from Ireland who were married there two weeks ago. The painting above of Iglesia Santa Ana was an obvious choice as they were married tin this lovely church in the Plaza Nueva.
Shops in the Albaicin
The other two paintings are very different. The collectors did not want the more commercial views of the Granada and the Alhambra but instead chose two paintings which they thought captured the essence of the city. This colourful street scene of shops in the Albaicin was one.
Rincon de Sacromonte
The third painting was this watercolour of a corner in the old gypsy quarter, Sacromonte. This is one of my most aclaimed and admired watercolours of Granada but, because the subject is not very commercial, it has taken a while to find a buyer.
Mediterranean Blue
My watercolour, Mediterranean Blue, has just won first prize in the on line art competition, Artist Of The Month. 148 artists from all over the world submitted a painting to this competition. I chose to enter Mediterranean Blue because I painted it this month and I thought this little rincon was an interesting subject. This entrance to a property in my village, Las Negras, is characteristic of the Mediterranean. The sun-blistered blue door, the sharp shapes and shadows formed by the cactus and the palm tree against the intense blue sky combine to form a composition which is very typical of where I live.
The original painting is for sale for 200 euros.
All enquiries mmerry44@ymail.com
Calle Victoria, Granada
I have completed three commissions in the last two weeks. I was asked by a Muslim couple in England for a painting of Granada where they went for their honeymoon last year. They wanted a street scene from the Albaicin with the Alhambra in the background but the paintings on my sites which they liked have all been sold. I offered to paint a watercolour especially for them. They were delighted for me to do this but wanted themselves incorporated into the painting. I completed the painting last week and here it is above.
St Just – in – Roseland, Cornwall
I was then asked for a painting of St Just in Roseland church in Cornwall by a couple who had just returned from a holiday in the area. I have painted this lovely old church by a creek many times but all my originals have been sold. I said I would paint another for them. Normally I paint this church from the other side of the creek with more water and boats in the foreground and in sunshine. However, they said that the weather was dull and damp when they came across the church and this angle was their first view of it. They wanted a real reflection of their holiday so here is the painting which I have just completed for them.
Las Negras, Almeria
I was also asked to do a pastel portrait of a young boy dressed for his first communion. He is the son of restaurant owner in Las Negras but lives with his mother in Almeria so I had to work from a photo. The parents are delighted with the portrait but unfortunately I did not scan it so I cannot show it to you but I have also sold a painting of Las Negras recently so here is this instead.
