Debra Wenlock Art
Debra Wenlock is a colour-passionate artist. Her joyful paintings bring light and colour to lift your spirits!
“Red Red Robin”
My twenty-second daily painting for advent – 22nd December 2013.
Perched in our Laburnum tree after the flowers had fallen, this young robin added a complimentary red amongst the foliage. The friendliest fellow in the garden – and another sweet song!
Not so much a Christmas robin… with the shortest day just passed I’m already looking forward to spring and summer.
Original robin painting in acrylic on canvas, measuring 8 x 8 inches.
Zebra Finch Painting – “The Littlest Birds sing the Prettiest Songs”
My twenty-first painting for advent – 21th December 2013.
A resident of the aviary at Ward Park in Bangor – another favourite (is that allowed?)
The zebra finches are chirpy and pretty like the chorus of this Be Good Tanyas’ song:
The Be Good Tanyas – Littlest Birds [Official Music Video]
Original finch bird painting in acrylic and oil pastel on paper, measuring 8 x 8 inches.
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Fantasy Sea Bird Painting – and a little about the painting process…
My twentieth painting for advent – 20th December 2013.
Sometimes it’s hard to know what to paint – or I’m just too indecicive and there are so many options…
I consulted a sketchbook – and found some quick sketches done at the beach in the summer – birds. OK – use the shape.
What about colour… pick out some colours I like from my favourite tin of oil pastels.
What next… a word!
Some colour and pattern – painted quickly and intuitively – not worrying about what it will become.
Just beginning and background – here’s the start.
… and at some point I sketched in the bird shape, horizon and foreground with oil pastel,
got carried away with painting, doodling & pattern and forgot to take record any more stages, until –
And that was him finished. ( I really like those wee colour sample doodles I did on the left – I see spirals showing up in some future paintings.)
The finished article… but what kinda bird is it?
I think the original sketch was of a gull looking out to sea.
For now he’s my fantasy sea bird and I’ll be hoping to spot him standing on a rock one day soon.
Original sea bird painting in acrylic & oil pastel on stretched canvas, measuring 8 x 8 inches.
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“Graham the Gull” – a pointillist portrait of a seagull
My nineteenth painting for advent, 19th December 2013.
Back to the beach with my camera where I managed very few decent photographs… The gulls just seemsed to blend into the water and all other wildlife was moving too quickly for the poor light conditions. But sometimes a good painting can be inspired, or rather – informed, by a bad photo… and, as I so enjoyed the pointillist approach that I tried on my recent sandpiper painting, I decided that I’ll create a mini series of dotty sea birds.
This one is named after my brother Graham – who seems to enjoy making pun-fueled comments on my Facebook Art Page.
Original seagull painting in acrylic on stretched canvas, measuring 8 x 8 inches.
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Sam the Lamb painting
My eighteenth painting for advent, 18th December 2013.
As Christmas approaches are my animals becoming a little more festive?
I haven’t been to a nativity play for a long, long time… maybe since I was in one myself, as a shepherd. Ahh – maybe this is my lamb!
Original painting in acrylic on stretched canvas, measuring 8 x 8 inches.
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“Ewe with a View” sheep painting
My seventeenth painting for advent, 17th December 2013.
With a panoramic backdrop of Belfast Lough and the Antrim Hills, this ewe and her brood really have to be the most scenic sheep in the field.
I remembered to photograph the painting as I worked to give an indication of how the painting process works…
I don’t always begin the same way – but for this subject, with interlocking forms, I chose to create a quick “drawing” first.
Firstly sketching the main shapes with watery burnt sienna paint, and immediately filling in the darkest areas of background to set give contrast and beginning to give form in the mid toned areas.
I added broad areas of background colour – to set the scene.
The ewe and lambs were then given colour, form and texture and a little extra detail added to the scenery and forground to complete the painting.
All finished – my sheep landscape – “Ewe with a View”!
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas, measuring 8 x 8 inches.
This Little Piggy Painting – is my sixteenth painting for advent, 16th December 2013.
On the rampage, this boisterous fella charges out for a feed… his morning snack is a pile of turnip peelings.
He’s not having roast beef but, then again, he’s not going to market either – turnip is just grand!
Original pig painting in acrylic on stretched canvas – measuring 8 x 8 inches.
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Lazy Daisy – Cow Painting
My fifteenth painting for advent – 15th December 2013 is another cow painting!
Sometimes I remember to take a camera when I take a walk first thing to record inspirations for paintings. The cows in the field at the edge of the village were having a lazy morning. This one glanced round at me, but all were taking it easy, having a lazy morning… bovine bliss!
This original cow painting in acrylic on stretched canvas – measures 8 x 8 inches.
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“Baxter” …I believe!
My fourteenth painting for advent – 14th December 2013.
This is the same gorgeous puppy that featured in my first painting for advent… I just couldn’t resist painting him again, this time in acrylics.
Met at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum’s hill climb event in June, I’m pleased to be painting a fellow motorsport enthusiast
…and since my previous posting I’m reliably informed that he’s called Baxter.
See for yourself how irresistible he is!
Original Spaniel Painting – in acrylic on stretched canvas – measures 7 x 9 inches.
Dancer the Donkey Painting
My thirteenth painting for advent – 13th December 2013.
Stopping to change direction whilst vintage rallying, we met this soft nosed donkey and asked her the way. OK so we were a little lost, but she was worth stopping for. We did really well after this deviation and won a placing for our day’s effort. Thanks Dancer!
I’m naming her after one of Santa’s reindeer, as she helped to guide us on our way that day – I hope she’d be honoured.
Original donkey painting in acrylic on stretched canvas – measures 8 x 8 inches.