Simon Peter O'Connell
Artist
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Aubeterre-sur-Dronne France
Aubeterre-sur-Dronne in Southern France was a real find, with a glowing valley red tiled houses and a serious river snaking along the valley below. I made a number of paintings based on sketchbook and photographic recordings and this painting is the largest to date. The looser painting has been emerging over recent months allowing me to play with a range of mark making processes and tonal perspective .
In my preliminary studies, I record observations in a sketchbook, accompanied by notes and a diverse collection of photographs. My objective is to attempt to encapsulate the essence of the scene, time of day and atmospheric conditions. Upon returning to the studio, I wrestle the images by layering paint with a palette knife and brushes which adds depth and texture to my artwork. this study of Auberterre became quite abstracted.
Auberterre
2024 Acrylic on paper
Same town different day.
The town reduced to thick daubes of colour, as the afternoon was hot the paint (even though applied with a knife) dried fast and so allowed layering up.
Aubeterre : 6
2024 Acrylic on paper
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Same town different day. A simple naive style painting, blocking in the individual houses with a range of whites and the signature vermilion roof tiles ..again a blazing summer day.
Auberterre
2024 Acrylic on paper
Same town different day.
Keen to imagine the same view in a range of materials and scale.
The town simplified into blocks of colour with the vibrancy turned up (Fauvist style) with a base ground of colour, acrylic paint and then worked into with oil pastel.
Auberterre-sur-Drone
Acrylic / mixed media 2025
The stunning rivers of France flow with grace, their long and leisurely paths making them essential for painting. I couldn't resist diving into a series of quick studies to capture the splendor of these magnificent waterways.
The River: Summer
Watercolour on paper
Fields outside Riberac #2
I happened on the southern town of Riberac and spent a fine afternoon recording the charged colours of the French summer. Painted in
Acrylic (which dried as soon as it was laid down) allows you to paint over scratch out and rethink areas as fast as you can imagine them. Keep your brushes in water.
Fields outside Riberac #2
Marseille: water based oil paint on paper
To the south, yachts moored up near the port of Marseille A study in water based oil paint and pencil on watercolour paper. ( im new to water based oil colour and enjoy the novelty of paint that seemingly is acrylic but is water soluable and slow to dry.
