An airial view of a bay

Very difficult subject with difficult perspectives. Well done you for having the courage to have a go at it - I would have run a mile! Some of your work seems to be verging towards the abstract, which I think is wonderful. You have such a command of colour now that this in itself makes for a very pleasing painting. I am not sure what you are unhappy about - perhaps you intended the painting to turn out differently. If you wanted a true representation, then perhaps the land part needed to be more green and less turquoise and the sky needed to be the same blue as the sea, as water colour usually reflects what is going on in the sky. However, I would like to approach this painting as a design with an abstract feel and as this I think it works very well indeed. Your signature red boats add that little zap of excitement. Perhaps you are unwittingly moving in a direction which is more imaginative and design based - I don't know. I always find something in your work which intrigues me, so more paintings with this feel would welcome.

I always think i am not getting the texture of the clouds right Thea, & the blue line i have done i feel should have been white to represent the waves breaking, but i did this to accentuate the land from the sea, perhaps i am veering towards the abstract as you say (I hope Not).

Max, I like your blue line - it is a surprise in the painting, which adds to the drama and interest. When I said abstract, I didn't mean those paintings which don't seem to represent anything very much but always have fancy titles! I just felt that you were creating very imaginative works, which sometimes break the rules to very good effect. I like to break the rules. I found that by striving to always get everything 'right' constrained my painting. I know I have gone on about this before, but I feel you have a real freshness in your approach and your work and I think you underestimate your talent. I think you have really got something in your style - so keep going!

Thea you are very good to me with your comments not sure if i deserve them but i appreciate them just the same. I do see what you mean about the abstract in my paintings, i try to be imaginative in a lot of my work, i just don't want to overdo it. I will definately keep on painting & strive to improve which isn't easy.

Hi Max when I looked at this painting I saw not only a beautiful work and as Thea says bordering on the abstract...the colours are just so beautiful and if you see faults in it I didn't just a lovely rendition of a very difficult subject...I do think you underestimate yourself but on the other hand I know what that feels like and it can sap the energy from you so a big slap on the back...a line or hard edge in water colour well work with it because there's little can be done about it...I didn't even notice it

Thank you Patsy for your kind comments. I did this painting in my minds eye, as if i was up in the air looking down. I will leave the blue line in because it seperates the sea from the land. I did enjoy the challenge of this painting.