A couple of Golden Oldies

Well, my exhibition has had its two week run and it seems to have been a success. There were plenty of visitors who made some good comments about my work. And yes, a few paintings were sold too!

Something that surprised me was the amount of interest that my early paintings stirred. In particular, this work from around 1995 entitled The Wildfowler was so popular that I had to start making prints of it. If you would like one, just contact me. They are £25 unframed or £45 framed, but unless you can collect the framed version from the studio here in Dersingham it would be better to order the unframed one, which is much easier to mail. Postage within the UK costs £3.

Another early work, which I did at the same sort of time as The Wildfowler is this view of Appleton Water Tower, near Sandringham. At this early point in my career I had already developed a love of simple subjects with a very limited palette of colours. Both these works are painted using Cobalt Blue, Raw Sienna and Burnt Sienna.

The Wildfowler painting in watercolour
The Wildfowler. Watercolour c. 1995. 15ins x 11ins.
Appleton Water Tower
Mist at Appleton. Watercolour c.1995. 15ins x 11ins.

From the Exhibition – Four from the North – Sunday 15th June

Here are some more paintings that I am currently showing in my Stephen Martyn at 21 exhibition. They are all scenes of the Northern England landscape, where I love to go hiking and have done so for many years.

Catbells from Skiddaw is a well known Lake District view from the summit of one the the highest peaks – Skiddaw, or Skidder as the locals say it. A long old haul up to the top and a very warm day when Margaret and I ascended this peak. Great views though. I took some photos because there were too many flies buzzing round on the summit for comfortable sketching. Why so many flies on the top of a mountain? Probably someone dropped their jam sandwiches!

painting of Catbells, Lake District
Catbells from Skiddaw. Watercolour 28 x 18cms.

Painting of Rain Clouds over Ingleborough
Rainclouds and Light – Ingleborough. Watercolour 33 x 25cms.

Painting of Ladder Stile
Ladder Stile near Ingleborough. Watercolour 50 x 37cms.

Painting of Great Shunner Fell
The Pennine Way at Great Shunner Fell. Watercolour 67 x 50cms.

Rainclouds and Light says it all. A wild day, with Ingleborough in West Yorkshire in the distance where, maybe, the sun is shining. On another trip to Ingleborough, in 2004, I sketched this ladder stile near the village of Clapham. This painting, made in the studio, was later selected for exhibition by the Royal Watercolour Society in London.

Finally, a view of Great Shunner Fell which is a huge hill on the Pennine Way. It forms the link between Wensleydale and Swaledale and makes a grand walk if the weather is good. Which is rarely, of course! I walked the whole length of the Pennine Way in 2005 and, nine years later, I think my feet have just about recovered.

From the Exhibition – Friday 13th June

What did I say about posting every day? Ah well, it’s been busy here, we’ve had plenty of visitors to the exhibition over the last few days and there have been some nice comments. The Shakespeare Barn is a beautiful gallery space and the work does look good.

As promised, here are a few more paintings from the show. This group of four are recent works in watercolour, all showing landmark buildings of King’s Lynn, with the common themes being people and the evening light. I’ve titled them “festival” paintings as to me they suggest the buzz of the King’s Lynn Festival (coming up soon in July), with warm evening sunshine and the chance for folk to wander round the town.

painting of red mount chapel kings lynn
Festival Evening – Red mount Chapel, King’s Lynn. Watercolour 47cms x 32cms.

painting of king's lynn custom house
Festival Evening – King St. King’s Lynn. Watercolour 47cms x 32cms.

painting of st nicholas chapel king's lynn
Festival Evening – St Nicholas Chapel, King’s Lynn. Watercolour 47cms x 32cms.

painting of greyfriars tower kings lynn
Summer Evening – Greyfriars Tower, King’s Lynn. Watercolour 47cms x 32cms.

From the exhibition – Sunday 8th June 2014

Well, here I am in the Shakespeare Barn, king’s Lynn Arts Centre. surrounded by eighty-two of my paintings, and there are still just a few left at home! This is the start of my celebratory exhibition, Stephen Martyn at 21, which opened on Friday evening and runs now until Saturday 21st June.

Muddy Farmyard Norfolk
I promised a glimpse of some of my oil paintings in the last post, so here they are. Muddy Farmyard Norfolk. Oil on board 16″ x 12″.
Farm in Upper Eskdale oil painting by Stephen Martyn
Farm in Upper Eskdale, Cumbria. Oil on board 16″ x 12″
Rainclouds over the Marsh, Burnham Overy. Oil painting by Stephen Martyn
Rain clouds over the Marsh – Burnham Overy. Oil on board 16″ x 12″

Already we’ve had quite a crowd of visitors. The Private view was a great evening, buzzy, with warm summer sunshine and some excellent jazz music from my friend Mike Smith and his trio. Lots of familiar faces but plenty of new ones too and yes, paintings were sold. The first full day, Saturday was also busy with a constant stream of visitors doing the rounds of the four galleries here. I’ll feature the other exhibitions in a future post, but they are all very varied and all well worth a visit.

Today Sunday, it’s quieter, perhaps because the weather is so good that people are out in their gardens or on the coast, but nonetheless we have had people in and there have been some nice comments.

Over the run of the exhibition I will endeavour to post on this blog most days, and to feature two or three pictures from the exhibition in each post. Do try and get along to see them for yourself! Margaret and I will be here most of the time, from around 10.15am until close at 5pm. The galleries are in the courtyard behind the Guildhall in King St. King’s Lynn, and you’ll spot my banners at the entrance to the complex. There’s lots of information about the Arts Centre on its website kingslynnarts.co.uk including maps and directions.