Sea View

Painting H2O whether it’s the sea, a river, a pond or indeed a glass of the stuff is not easy...indeed painting anything well is notoriously difficult.. so be inspired by the professionals

Generations of artists have sought inspiration from water, the sea especially so, and the Royal Society of Marine Artists holds annual exhibitions of members’ works that show us the fruits of that inspiration. Mall Galleries in London is home to these shows and hopes are high that the venue will be able to open again before the end of the year to bring visitors face-to-face (masked of course..) with great art. Until that time though, we’ll have to make do with looking at art on our phone and computer screens. Not quite the same but better than no art at all!

Above: Mariquita and Marietta Off St Tropez by Brian Jones Light: Jenny Morgan captures life at work on a trawler in heavy seas. Work is called ‘William Wilberforce: Hauling and Towing’. Oil on canvas, £2,900. 75x55cms. Available through Myton Gallery

Below: Sun on Canary Wharf by Benjamin Hope. He says of his work: ‘I draw and paint directly from life, both in the studio and outside. Working in this way results in marks that are reactive, and for me, it is the best way to capture what it feels like to be with the subject.’

Left: QE2 New York by Douglas Gray, work made in oil paint. His fans say his ownership of atmosphere, light, place and visual narrative add up to truly memorable paintings

Bottom right:

Sunlight & Shadows by Deborah Walker. Her work is, she says ‘landscape based with an emphasis on painting water. My approach embraces both representational and abstract elements and I push the character of the paint to extremes. I work mainly in watercolour...’