Pointes Des Monts Lighthouse, Quebec by Thea Cable

One of my favourite subjects Thea! I love your lighthouses and this one is no exception.

A lovely delicate watercolour, I like all the colours you've used, especially in the rocks.

Well, this one went extremely well didn't it? It's possibly one of your best! It's obviously good for you to paint a subject that you're comfortable with as your enthusiasm shows. I do like that rusty coloured roof, the rocky foreground and the fact that you've painted to the edge of the paper again. It's a nicely balanced painting with the sky drifting off to the left corner and the horizontal lines of the grass and rocks. You've guessed that I rather like it..

Thank you very much Avril, Marjorie and Louise for such generous comments.

It is gorgeous work Thea, you always use such lovely colours as you have certainly done here, lovely sky, the flag moving in the breeze gives quite a jaunty air to the scene which is ideal for the subject matter, it is quite faultless Thea and you are obviously enjoying your painting with renewed enthusiasm after your recent course,

Thank you very much, Ros, for such a nice comment. I do feel more confident since the course as I feel I have a better understanding how to put my paintings together. Looking forward to painting as much as possible now.

Very pretty subject which you've pulled off splendidly!

So fresh - the hallmark of your work Thea

Fresh and breezy, I can smell the fresh air. A very pretty lighthouse.

Well, I think it has all been said! Great.

Can smell the sea breeze from here a lovely colourful scene Thea.

Thank you very much Debs, Michael, Lesley and Gudrun. I appreciate your taking the time to have a look at my painting and then leaving such nice comments.

Thank you very much, Carole. I am glad that is the feeling that is coming over because it was what I was aiming for - so that's always a bonus!

It has all been said and I agree with each and everyone of the comments. Brilliant!

I think the flag was a brilliant move, It brings the whole painting to life.

Dearest Thea, you make it sound as though I was trying to patronize you! I posted mine first then saw yours. And then I saw this! It has enormous vibrancy and fizz to it. Just love the cool reds on the tower contrasting with the warmth of the house, and the bold greens (conspicuous by their absence in my stuff) linking to the foreground boulders. Above all, the thing looks like a single swoop of impression captured simultaneously, not assembled later. I'm rotten at extended painting sessions. If there's any virtue in my work (a doubtful proposition...), it's born of impatience and enthusiasm: never paint anything that doesn't make you smile (or weep)!

Dear Kim, you would never patronize and I know that. You have done nothing but help me, for which I am very grateful. I am glad you like this painting as I am pleased with it for a number of reasons. One is the green (which also hardly ever figures in my paintings) as this is the first time I have painted a swathe of green and felt it worked - eureka moment I think! Also, it was one of those paintings that just went ok from start to finish - rare I find. I do a painting over two or three days as I find that after an hour my concentration wavers and I start to make stupid mistakes or bad decisions. I do find I can take up where I left off fairly seamlessly - always a bonus or my paintings could look very disjointed. Anyway, thank you for your continued help and support.

You're absolutely right about losing concentration, but I just take a walk then work on - even burning the midnight oil if necessary. What I said about subject matter holds for me more and more: I simply couldn't grab a photo off the internet and do a good job of it unless it was of a place/person/object I knew personally. I spend ages looking for things to inspire me and when I see them I recognize them immediately. Like buying ties: love at first sight or forget it!

I have a slight problem, Kim, in painting for long stretches as I have some degenerative issues with my neck which hinders me on occasion from keeping my head in one position for a long time - hence the painting over a couple of days. As for subject matter, I paint from photos almost exclusively and I have to get the resource material from various places. Some come from photos my husband has taken (like all my Venice pen and wash ones) and some come from copyright free sites. However, I am with you about painting what you love. I don't think anyone would be surprised to learn that some of my favourite subjects are lighthouses, boats and racehorses, all of which I seem to have an emotional connection to. I love anything nautical and also am very familiar with horses, having had a horse mad daughter and run a livery yard in the past. Racehorses I find particularly exciting and I think this started when I had the most fabulous day at Ladies Day at Ascot. I had never been racing before and the colours, the thrill in the air and the nervy horses just blew me away (I did actually win £197 in bets!!). I have only painted someone I don't know about 3 times, and I found it hard. I usually paint people very familiar to me. With the American Indian, I came across the photo and as I have a real feeling for the past of these people, this is what inspired me to paint the man. So , like you, I need that emotional connection. I search for ages for the one image or photo that grabs me. If it doesn't grab me then I don't paint it.