Back to Cold, Wet & Windy!

After the heat of the desert Curly Bob thought we should have something more local. My wife's cousin lives on the edge of the Trough of Bowland so this view came to mind. I painted it  for my exhibition in Eccles a couple of months ago.

It is mainly acrylic paint and mixed media beneath. The Trough is a beautiful place but can look very moody when the cloud comes down.

The painting is called "Ward Stones, Trough of Bowland". It is 40cm x 30cm and is painted on canvas. It is for sale in my shop on Etsy . If you like what you see please "Like" my Etsy shop snd Facebook page.

Freezing Snow Followed by Hot Sand!

This is called "Sinai Sunrise"  in which I attempted to capture a cool foreground with the promise of the day's heat to come. As with all my works they are unframed, gallery wrap style and ready to hang.

The previous painting posted in my Etsy shop was a snow covered mountian in North Wales so we thought this would be a change of scenery.

If you like it please vote for it on my facebook page.

Thank you to All At CPIU, Salford Royal Hospital!

I have just spent half a day in the CPIU at Salford Royal Hospital having a blood test and would like to thank Karen & all her colleagues for looking after me. Their dedication, friendly attitude, care, consideration and supportive attitude are everything that makes the NHS and SRH so special.

Sadly Curly Bob didn't come with me to say hello because he hates needles!

Bob has pointed out that hospital or not today is posting day. My next work is "South Stack , Anglesey", another acrylic painting on canvas from 2017.

It is for sale in our Etsy shop with all profits going to our causes (see list).

As always please vote for it on our Facebook page , if you like it. Thank You!

1 More From The Easel!

Bob & I have been busy selecting the next work to be shown on our Etsy shop from today.

It is called "Y Garn, Winter" it is 40cm x 30cm and is in acrylic paint and mixed media below. The process takes much longer than painting only in acrylic paint. Because of the thickness of the media this drying time can be weeks for technical reasons.

We take lots of holidays in Snowdonia and North Wales and I collect photos and post cards to work from. We hope you will enjoy this.

2 More Paintings Published on my Etsy Site!

2 more works published today on my Etsy shop. This means we are on target to have 26 works posted by the end of November.

The first one is an abstract form. I was experimenting with this for a couple of years around 2015 but decided to concentrate on Landscapes. It is called "Iris in Fire" and is 40cm x 30 cm in acrylic paint and various media.

The second one is a ladscape view of "Snowdon, Crib Goch & Crib Y Ddysgl". It is 40cm x 30cm and has been created by using various media to create a rugged texture to the surface which is then painted with several layers of acrylic paint. It takes several weeks to arrive at the finished item.

Original Acrylic Contemporary Landscape Painting on Canvas 40cm x 30cm (approx) - "Lighthouse, Early Evening"

Bob & I have decided to publicise my new shop by posting a new painting every day up to the end of November. Our target is to have 26 new works in our shop Curly Bob's Art Emporium on Etsy

This work is called "Lighthouse, Early Evening". It is an acrylic on canvas 40cm x 30cm and was painted in 2017 and was one in a series intended to convey the endless sea and sky in a tranquil setting.

We hope you will like it and vote for it on Facebook.

Opening a New Shop on Etsy!

After months of planning and countless management meetings Curly Bob & I have decided to open a shop on Etsy. Of course Bob will run it and I shall provide the labour and artwork.

This will require us to up our game as regards promotion via social networking. This looks like being a fairly steep learning curve and we hope any visitors will bear with us. (no pun intended)

I understand some new artists will refer to this as a "soft opening".  Personally this seems to mean blundering around until we get it right but we will get there.

The intention is to raise money for what we regard as our chosen worthy causes and an online shop was the next logical step. It will definitely be the proverbial voyage of discovery and every effort will be made to keep Bob on board until we reach our destination.

The first painting to be be shown is called "Winter Crows at Sunrise". It was inspired by a painting by Jean Claude Daubigny which I saw in the Musee D'Orsay in Paris 15 years ago. It is very difficult to locate online and was only hung for a couple of years. I  remember I was deeply moved by the winter light. I have tried to convey the deep cold using my own palette and hope any viewers will like it. Any constructive feedback always welcome.

It is for sale in my shop on Etsy

Half Way Through!

The joint exhibition at Eccles Community Art Gallery is now half way through. It is amazing how fast the time has gone. The gallery is situated down the side passage next to Wilkinsons.
The gallery is open on the following dates:-

Friday 22 February

Saturday 23 February

Tuesday  26 February

Friday    1 March

Saturday 2 March

On 5 March most works will end their month's display and the gallery will then be restocked with new works by new local artists. The gallery is a fantastic place because it in run by volunteers on a non profit making basis.

Artists are "in residence" every day the gallery is open. They welcome visitors who come in and talk to them. It is very interesting to see what others get up to and how they produce their works for display.
There is no obligation to buy but if if you wish to do so please note the Gallery operates on a cash only basis to keep overheads down which can be passed onto the customer.

These are 4 of my 14 paintings that are hanging in the Gallery.

Below is a shot of the Gallery with 58  more works on display.

Help For Heroes

Whenever the chance arises I like to use my art works to help our favourite charities. I offered a fundraiser for "Help for Heroes" who do fantastic work for ex servicemen of the British Army. This offer was accepted and the painting used in a fundraising evening.

It is called "Forward Observation Post, Musa Qala, Afghanistan". It is an acrylic on canvas (60cm x 50cm). I have to say it was not done from nature. Instead I worked from a web photo taken by an unknown member of the armed forces.

It seemed relevant to the worthy cause concerned and I chose it because of the rock colours and the deep heat/dust haze. It should be judged purely on its artistic merit alone.

(Donated & Sold 2017)

Clearing the Archives

Bob & I have decided to clear out the image archive over the next week or so. This is to make room to post images of the 14 works that are now hanging in Eccles Community Art Gallery a.k.a. "The Gallery"

These are works that have been completed between 2014 - 2018inc but have not been posted .

Once some of these have been posted I shall begin to publish images of individual works created especially for my solo exhibition within the gallery.

"Monochrome", oil on canvas, 60cm x 50cm

(Donated)

"Explosion in Aqua", oil on canvas, 2016, 80cm x 50cm

(Sold)

Hanging Tomorrow!

Tomorrow, 5 Feb 2019, I am hanging my works for display & sale at Eccles Community Art Gallery. It opens on Friday 8 Feb 2019.

Meanwhile here is "Mountains, Snowdonia", an original acrylic painting from 2017. 

Sold

Further posts of items for sale will be included in daily posts from tomorrow.

Preparation fof my Exhibition in Eccles, Manchester Continues

Only 10 full days to go before hanging on 5 February and opening on 11 February. I am publishing all my archive before the opening so I can concentrate on showing works on sale there and afterwards on EBay UK and Etsy UK.

This is "Les Hautes Alpes", Acrylic Painting on Canvas, 60cm x 50cm

by Aluitios Vanbear 2015 

Back Home at Last!

Curly Bob has finally returned from his 2 year quest to "find himself". he is now back home in his old room and this time he assures me it is for good.

There should be no further tales of dissolute excesses from around the globe. Bob has finally realised the need to be able to fund his retirement. He wants to live in a manner to which he has become accustomed.

If this conversion lasts then it will mean much more work for me. Bob has been down to my studio and feels more activity is required by me.

He will devote his retirement to keeping bees and directing our art enterprise. Following a brief team meeting we agreed that I am to open 2 online "shops" on EBay UK and Etsy UK. These will be launched as soon as my forthcoming exhibition opens in Eccles Community Art Gallery, a.k.a. "The Gallery" early in February 2019.

Another mini show is planned there in September 2019.

Meanwhile we are to clear out all items from the home archive before the end of February.

First work to be shown for over 2 years is " La Ferme a la Crepescule". Acrylic on canvas (60cm x 50cm), 2017.

2 New Works For Sale at The Peak Restaurant, Llanberis!

We are still awaiting the outcome regarding Curly Bob's business plan for the next 12 months. Pending this momentous outcome we are pleased to announce that 2 of my paintings have been sold there since Christmas and the proceeds donated to St David's Hospice, 19 Mostyn Avenue, Llandudno, LL30 1YS (see map).

The Peak Restaurant has asked for 2 more paintings which will be for sale and will be delivered towards the end of this week. These are as follows:-

"Glyder Fach", Acrylic, 2016

"Snowdon Fron Crib Y Ddysgl, Winter", Acrylic 2016

Both paintings are on canvas ready to hang as they are painted on all four edges or can be framed as the buyer chooses.

The Peak Restaurant is located at 86 High Street, Llanberis, Caernarfon LL55 4SU.
We are very grateful to the owner, Mrs Julia Roberts for her kind help in raising funds for this worthy cause.

Further information and Spring Menu will appear on my web page in the near future. Further details can be obtained at the restaurant's own website.

An Announcement Is Imminent

Sources close to Bob are confident that an announcement will be made as to his future within the next 2 weeks. It is not known how far reaching these will be but they are expected to be significant and far reaching.

Bob has suggested that posts must be made more frequently if we are to clear the backlog of works in the vault. The absence of any posts for the past month is mainly due to my being  busy working on 3 separate projects. Details of these and the works involved will also be published as soon as the vault has been emptied.

In the meantime, here is " Calanque et Deux Arbres", oil on canvas from 2014.

A Life Change?

Bob finally emerged from his reverie which he claimed was a brainstorming session. (The only brainstorming session I have ever known Bob to take part in usually involves bottles, cans, crates etc....Ed)

He informs me that he will be making some significant changes to his life in the near future. Hints have been dropped regarding the possibility of a world tour to promote my work and allow him to "find himself". I told him that I could help him with that i.e. he was lounging on our living room armchair so he need look no further.

He also felt that this blog needs to be changed to reflect my work more and lower his profile a bit. I began to suspect he had overdone the brainstorming a bit. Still he had a point and it was agreed from now on that I shall expand my blog to reflect more details and background to each work displayed. More on this and other changes will be published in the next post.

Finally he wanted to throw a big party to say thank you to all his fans & followers world wide. This is scheduled to be held within the next three weeks as soon as the corporate arrangements can be made.
Meanwhile I am requested to publish "Ferme Provencale", acrylic on canvas from 2014.

Two More Paintings On Sale For St David's Hospice, Llandudno

Further to my last post Bob has asked me to post the final 2 paintings of the 4 sent for sale via the Peak Restaurant, Llanberis. Proceeds from any sales are to be sent to St David's Hospice. The services this hospice provides cannot be overstated.

Curly Bob is planning a grand party for unknown reasons at the moment but I could hazard a guess. All I know is that when things become quiet I know he is up to something. Numerous phone calls have been overheard and when no instructions have been given for a while then alarm bells begin to ring.

I am taking advantage of the lull to get some painting done for a new project but more about that in my next post. Meanwhile here are the 2 paintings mentioned above:-

"Y Garn  From Tryfan, Snowdonia", acrylic on canvas, 2015.

"Y Garn, Snowdonia", acrylic on canvas, 2015

 In strictness they are mixed media which I have used to produce an actual 3D effect in all 4 paintings in this series. I plan to do some more using various media until I achieve the result I require without any warping of the canvas.

Paintings On Sale For Charity

Bob has organised a sale of 4 of my paintings at Peak Restaurant, Llanberis. These were requested by the owner Mrs Julia Roberts who has kindly offered to sell them to raise funds for St David's Hospice who provide excellent care for patients at their hospice in Llandudno.

There were four paintings selected by her in early December I shall be posting two more after this over the weekend.

The first one was posted on 2 January 2016.

The second one(below) is called "Dinorwig Slate Quarry, Llanberis" acrylic/mixed media on canvas 2015.

Any feedback most welcome. I respond to all comments as soon as possible i.e. when I am not painting.

New year Greetings

Bob has let his fans down! After his arrival back home he called all his friends of a like mind(a dissolute rabble...Ed) and set to partying in Bob's room for the best part of a fortnight. Luckily the neighbours are away for the holidays but it has meant that neither of us has had much sleep in that period.
I have spent most of that time clearing up empty beer and wine bottles not to mention ice cream cartons, chocolate wrappers etc. I had reached the end of my tether when the local girls marching band arrived in full kit just after midnight on New Year's Day. I threw the lot of them out onto the street, drums and all. I was grateful for the fact that there were no fireworks involved. Bears' fur and fireworks do not get on well together.

At this point I realised something had to change so I arranged a business meeting with Bob and themanagement team (me) fortomorrow ( 3 January) to make plans for the coming year. Hopefully he will have sobered up by then. Meanwhile he asked me to post "Tryfan from Llyn Ogwen, Snowdonia", an acrylic on canvas painted in November 2015.

ANNOUNCEMENT - End of Lease

Our lease on Curly Bob's Art Emporium at Botany Bay,Canal Mill, Chorley, PR6 9AF expires tomorrow. Today is our last day of trading.
We would like to express our thanks to all those who have supported us and our customers during the time we have been at Botany Bay and wish you all a Merry Christmas and a successful New Year.

I am exploring a new venue where my work can be viewed and purchased which I expect to announce in the near future.