Richard Paul Art

This is the third of my paintings of the Christmas market at Bath in Somerset, England. Darkness has fallen and the buildings of the city are all lit in changing colours, whilst the light from the market huts spills out across the pavements, stopped only by the many people casting shadows in all directions. Painted in oil on a 12x12 inch board.

I've seen many views of this famous bridge, and decided to see it for myself. I spent a day walking the path on the Western side of the Avon gorge, then crossing the bridge into Clifton, Bristol, UK. Down the little used zigzag path I reached the busy road on the Eastern side, and followed the water back into Bristol. In my walk my favourite view was my first sight of the bridge, and that is what I have painted here. Hope you like it.

The North Laines of Brighton (UK) is not your average shopping street. The shops here have a somewhat laid back, eco friendly, upcycle and chillout feel about them. I've captured this little scene from their heart and painted it on a 12x16 inch board. Enjoy spotting all the little details.

The thing I love about Bath is everywhere you look you find something unexpected and quite wonderful. Here I spot the 'Bath Mineral Water Hospital' behind a typical street cafe scene. The hospital is being redeveloped, so you'll have to take your ailing mineral water elsewhere now! I've painted this scene in oil on a 12x16 inch board.

The village of Hamble sits on the river Hamble in Hampshire (UK), with places to walk along the shore, and a little pink ferry that takes you across the water to Warsash. This is one of those spots along the river, that I've chosen to paint. The pine tree that hogs the frame was created by going wild with an old toothbrush!

In a corner of old Portsmouth (UK) you find this historic view between two very old public houses. In the gap is a glimpse of the historic naval dockyard with its old buildings and the large hulk of HMS Warrior (an early metal hulled warship) with its masts and rigging. Painted in oil on a 10x12 inch board, there are very few clues as to the century.

Another view from Bath (Somerset, UK) and its much loved Christmas market. This time I've painted a view from outside the back of the Roman Baths, looking under the arch to the abbey. Lots of fantastic architecture, and a row of market huts providing pools of light for the foreground. Feel free to sup a glass of mulled wine as you feel the atmosphere.

The Christmas market in Bath (Somerset, UK) is one of the best in the country. The little huts fill the many courtyards and lanes. As evening falls the historic buildings are lit by changing coloured lights, and if you find just the right spot you can get a fantastic picture. This 20x16 inch oil painting is based on my photos from the 2023 market. The historic abbey is lit up pink in the background. Hope you can feel the atmosphere of being there in that moment!

This is one of two narrow shopping streets in Frome (pronounced 'froom') in Somerset, UK. Its too narrow for traffic, and has a stream running down a channel in the path. It also has a fabulous selection of independent shops, including a good bookshop and the bakers shown here. You can't see whats inside from here, but I can tell you its full of delicious cakes, tarts, pastries and pies. I've painted this view in oil on a 12x16 inch board. I hope you enjoy looking at all the little details I've included!

Lord Palmerston's statue is silhouetted against Romsey's (Hampshire UK) christmas tree, as two small children look on. One little angel has her hair lit by a passing cars lights, giving her a halo - she surely has been good enough for Santa to bring presents this year.

Such a relaxing life, where you can step out on your local beach for a break in the sun whenever you like. I've painted this idyll in oil on board, based on photos I took on a summer day trip to Shaldon (Devon, UK)

Ocean Village, Southampton (UK) has changed a bit since I first visited 30 years ago. Back then it was the most desirable place to be in the city, with exclusive apartments and houses with a view over a marina filled with yachts, and a vibrant little mall with cafes on the waterfront. Since then the development has grown hugely, with the marina (now filled with expensive 'gin palaces') overshadowed by tall buildings fighting for the light. The atmosphere may have changed, but there is still some of the magic around the marina. and that is what I've aimed to capture in this 12x16 inch oil painting, looking towards where there was once just that little two storey complex of shops and cafes.

The beach at Ryde, Isle Of Wight (UK) stretches far out at low tide, but at the far end and at high tide it is just a little strip, where tourists are happy to spend a day enjoying themselves by the sea. I've painted this view of a typical summer day in oil on board.

Teignmouth is the archetypal seaside town, albeit with red sands. This oil painting is the view from the botanic gardens in Shaldon, across the river Teign in Devon, UK

Beggar's Fair is a free music and arts event that takes place in Romsey, Hampshire, UK each summer. This courtyard is typical of the dozens of venues spread around the town. I've painted this scene in oils based on photos I took. why this courtyard? I couldn't stray far from the paintings I was showing nearby, and I particularly enjoyed this quartet.

Until recently I had no idea that the Kennet and Avon canal went right into the heart of historic Bath (Somerset, UK). This painting is of Sydney Wharf, close to Sydney Gardens where my last Bath painting was sited. From here it a ten minute walk to the bustling city centre, but you would never guess.

Its been a while since I last painted these beach huts on the Dorset coast, so here is a new set painted in oil with greater skill honed over the years since. These idyllic beach huts on Mudeford spit, Christchurch, sell for absurd amounts of money, but you can have them on your wall for the cost of print from teepublic!

A familiar sight on this part of the Devon (UK) coast. The hills force the railway to the shore, where it weaves through the red sandstone cliffs, with a promenade alongside. I've painted this scene in oil on board, so you may notice a few brush marks!

Off the tourist trail, Bath has lots of interesting little corners and delightful little parks. This one lies across the Pulteney bridge, and at the far end of the grand terrace, behind a gallery. I'm guessing that this was once a toll booth for entering the park, but now it serves coffee! I've painted this in oil on a 10x12 inch board, a scale at which you may notice a few brush marks and not so straight lines!

The river Itchen is not much more than a stream until it reaches Southampton (UK). At riverside park it widens dramatically, and passes under Cobden bridge. And that is where I got this view, looking South towards St Denys and Southampton water. Painted in oil on board I was drawn to the jumble of boats and in particular the less than perfect hopuseboat that dominates the view.

Its a while since I did a new painting of the stunning Outer Hebrides, so allow me to show you this new creation based on a view from the hills of South Harris. I'm standing on a hill of around 300m looking out to Luskentyre on a slightly hazy day, so the sea, the beach, and the background mountain are all softened by the light from their usual vivid hues.

With the low winter light, the windows on these historic buildings in Salisbury (UK) created pools of light across the shady road. I've captured the scene here in oil on a 12x10 inch board. You may spot some brush marks!

A view of Portsmouth (UK) from the end of the city walls, with the huge Spinnaker Tower looking like a model on a chimney! I've painted this in oil on a 12x10 inch board, so expect to see a few brush marks!

Another from my series of oil paintings of Bath. This one is a narrow street with cafes and restaurants (including Sally Lunns), as the light fades on a winter afternoon. My other Bath paintings so far are the Coeur De Lion, and the abbey at dusk.

Bath abbey is quite a stunning building, but wait until just the right moment at dusk, and the floodlight and natural light balance to create this stunning effect, which I've painted in oil on a 12x16 inch board.

I thought it about time I painted a view of Portsmouth (Hampshire, UK), so I was delighted to find this unusual angle where the Spinnaker Tower looks like a little model sitting atop a chimney. The view is from the city walls, above the artist's shops of the arches. Painted in oil on a 12x10 inch board.

There is nothing more uplifting in Spring than the sight of a carpet of bluebells spread through a wood. There is really something quite magical, but you really have to be there to feel it, as its very much a surround and overwhelm your sense type of experience. So its with trepidation that I've attempted to capture something of it in this painting, for those unable to get to an English bluebell wood. Its based on photos I took, and the feeling I had in my local wood in Spring 2022. At the time of writing its just a few weeks too early for this year's display.

OK beach huts are a bit of a cliche now, but these are real beach huts in a real English landscape (Wells Next The Sea, Norfolk), so I think it only proper that I should paint them in my long series of British landscapes. These hut are quite distinct from others I've seen. Many seem to be competing for height, but in that, the woods behind always win. I've depicted this small group in oil on a 12x12 inch board, and reckon they would look pretty good as a set of coasters.

I was attracted to this view by the vibrant red paintwork of this pub. The Coeur De Lion can be found down one of the narrow pedestrian lanes in historic Bath, England. This is fairly typical of a winter Saturday, though no doubt patronage was boosted by thirsty rugby fans off to see the local match. I've painted this scene in oil on a 12x16 inch board, trying to capture as much of the vibrancy as I could!

This is a painted view of Hereford cathedral, as seen along the narrow passge of Church street. I chose to paint this view as it gives a glimpse of the cathedral without making it the complete subject. Its all done in oils, working wet into wet on a 10x12 inch board.

Weobley is one of a number of villages on the black and white village trail through Herefordshire (UK). The trail is so named after the Tudor cottages with their dark oak frames and white washed wattle and daub infill (a mix of lime, cow dung and straw 'daub' pushed onto a woven twig 'wattle' - but you probably knew that anyway). In Weobley the cottages are clustered round the old church, making it hard to get a good view, so I've chosen to paint this view instead, from the other end of the village based on a photo I took around 25 years ago. Painted in oil on a 18x24 inch board.

This is a repaint of my old view of Ornsay lighthouse on the Isle Of Skye. You can find it along the channel that separates the island from the mainland (whose mountains you can see in the background). I've painted it over the original 12x10 inch painting - and at that size the brush marks will be quite apparent.

For this painting I've chosen a rather unusual view of Lyme Regis. Most people would stand at one of the levels here and photograph towards the shore, but here I've stood with my back to the sea, looking over the tops of parked cars to view the jumble of walls and buildings at the focal point of this Dorset seaside town. Its the point where the two roads in meet at the shore, and where you can catch the bus home again. Its a view with lots of details to keep you looking! I've painted this in oil on a 12x12 inch board.

On my travels I came to a florists unlike any I'd seen before. Outside was a wall of vegetation, and looking in the doorway it was a cave of vegetation hanging from every surface. Lit mainly from a second room beyond, it was a magical space and a challenge I just had to have a go at painting. I hope you like it as much as I have enjoyed bringing it to life. Its painted in oils on a 12x16 inch board.

I had been thinking of painting this for some time. My local theatre (Romsey, Hampshire, UK), is an old art deco cinema, is used by the local amateur dramatics group. It sits on a busy traffic junction, and its lit up at night. So I waited for a performance and took many photos of the people arriving, plus the additional light from car headlamps. From a combination of these my latest oil painting captures the mood of people visiting the theatre - quite possibly for a pantomime (note the Christmas tree). Painted in oil on a 12x12 inch board

Many people walk through the gardens of King Johns House in Romsey, on their way between the car park and the town. But after 5pm they are locked for the night, and thereafter only visible in glimpses from a few places. Between the carpark and the garden lies a stream and a path, and if you crouch down low you get this view, illuminated by the lights of the post office yard next door and brightened by a trace of snow and frost from early December 2022. I've painted this version in oil on a 12x16 inch board.