Clachtoll Peat Road Bridge

Love this Fiona. It smacks of having many stories to tell. I particularly like the curve of the wall and those lovely splashes of yellow.

Positively sparkling Fiona.

A lovely oil painting Fiona. Looks a fantastic place for a walk.

I like the colours and the strong brush strokes, Fiona.

I love the sparkle you have achieved Fiona, it really gives the sense of brilliant sun reflecting on the plants and water after a heavy shower, also love the story. I can almost feel Brigadoon just beyond those stones !!!

Absolutely love everything about this one Fiona. The splashes of lovely colour are stunning and those fine fine dark lines in the foreground are perfect. Well done you!!!

A painting with a story, fantastic, Fiona. Love the bright colours and the composition.

Carole, thank you. Yes lots of stories I should imagine, a few hundred years worth! Sarah, David, Cesare thank you very much. It’s so quiet and peaceful with only the sounds of the water and the birds for company. Lol....Linda, I think I’ve painted that bridge as well! Thanks very much for your lovely comment. Really Louise? Your positive comment has cheered me a bit, I wasn’t at all sure about the way I have painted it. And of course, there is a bridge involved, even if a tiny one....lol. Thanks Louise. Mia, thank you so much, appreciate your comment.

Yes, really!! (thought it best not to mention the bridge word involvement though) lol

Oh no, I just did..

Louise since trying this self portrait .....and failing, it seems to have knocked my confidence a bit. I thought I had turned a corner and at last feeling confident in what I’ve attempted but I’ve gone back to dithering. It’s okay you’ve caught me in a good place ref the .....you know what....I’ve just had chocolate and a G&T but not in the same glass. Thanks again.

I like the vegetation, rocks and water,It looks peaceful ,love the Peat road story as well, Fiona.

I tried a self portrait this afternoon and it was a complete disaster. I'd tried just looking head on in the mirror and soon realised that the full front view of the face and neck wasn't easy to get right and mine just looked dull and uninteresting. Also, half of me wanted to use exciting type colours but the face in the mirror was just pale beige (with a bit of blusher!) Perhaps it's easier to paint someone else from life or else use a photo of ourselves more in profile. I gave up and doubt whether I'll try again. I felt that a self portrait is of no interest to anyone except possibly me anyway! Don't despair Fiona, you're not the only one who finds it impossibly difficult and does it matter when you can paint such good scenes as this one?

It IS difficult isn’t it, and I agree, if it wasn’t for being the subject of this terms art class I wouldn’t even be thinking about doing one. I was so vexed after last weeks class, I thought, I can do this and I did a quick ten minute biro scribble of Julian and it wasn’t half bad. I’ve already decided not to go to class next week because I know after the three hours I’ll be ready for throwing myself off a bridge! Lol Thank you for that Louise. I think I need to paint/draw something silly and forget about getting it right....I do feel stupid allowing it to get to me like this......I’m the most laid back person I know, even Brixit only gets me to a simmering point. X

This is beautiful, Fiona. Love it!

Maybe that's why we find portraits so very difficult. We try too hard to get a decent likeness. The worst thing is when someone says it looks nothing like you but does that really matter. I'm not trying for an exact likeness but my awful attempts are indeed 'nothing like'. Also, with a self portrait we want to look reasonably attractive. That's just human nature I think so if the chins too long or the mouth a funny shape in the painting, then that won't do either. Do we flatter or try to paint a self portrait more honestly. Having said all that, maybe you should go to the class but not take it all too seriously. Would you be allowed to have a bit of fun with the self portrait I wonder or be thrown out of the class?! You see, you're not the only one struggling with self portraits but having discussed it here, I'm thinking.. fun? biro? gin and chocolate? lie down and nap? decisions!! LOL

Sparkling happiness Fiona.

Great to have the story behind the painting Fiona, which looks lovely with some super colours. You poor thing, you sound so stressed out about your self portrait. Why don't you have a try with a photograph and perhaps use a grid - many do and did in the old days so why not you? It's certainly not worth worrying about, after all painting should be a pleasure😀

This has a real sparkle to it Fiona. I feel you should recognise that you have great talent in spades but that self portraits are just not for you. Let us all enjoy those talents and for goodness sake continue all the other subjects that you paint so well. This new oil is a fine example of that. xx

Super sparkly stuff, Fiona! Love it!

This takes me back to one of the many??!! sunny days I've spent in that part of Scotland. A gorgeous "good feeling" semi abstract painting Fiona.

Louise, this chat has cheered me up, thank you! X Margaret, Satu, Margaret, Carol, Thalia, Val .....many thanks ladies, your support and encouragement have done me the world of good. I’ve pulled myself together and dumped the portrait! Feel much better....lol

Missed this one earlier, Fiona - love the fresh colours (and interesting narrative).

What gorgeous colours, Fiona.

Jenny and Ellen.....thanks very much!

Fab colours. Fresh feel, spring is on the way ..

Hope so Gudrun!

Beautiful simplicity Fiona.