© Copyright Shani Wray-Jenkins 2023
Currently on exhibition at The Jackdaw Gallery in Oundle (contact me for details).
Tulips are so gloriously elegant don’t you agree? I especially love them when they begin to droop so gracefully, it immediately makes me want to paint them – as happened with these purple blooms.
A layered and slightly muted background allows the flowers to take centre stage, flowing from edge to edge as if they are dancing.
ACRYLIC, COLLAGE, OIL PASTEL ON WOOD
73 × 53cm framed in a St Ives painted frame
Currently showing at the Jackdaw Gallery, Oundle (contact me for details).
A charming and pretty painting in pinks and greens this little still life has a naive feel to it. Crackle paste gives incredible texture to the pink jug, and the layering of oil pastels over paint creates a richness to the fruit in the bowl.
ACRYLIC, OIL PASTEL on wood.
46 × 46cm framed.
Currently showing at the Jackdaw Gallery, Oundle (contact me for details)
Such a pretty combination of pinks, greens and blues, this still life painting, in Shani’s signature loose and impressionistic style, features an old fashioned coffee pot, a spotty mug and some lilies set against a patterned ground.
ACRYLIC, COLLAGE, OIL PASTEL ON WOOD PANEL
46 × 46cm, framed in a St Ives painted frame
Currently showing at The Jackdaw Gallery, Oundle (contact me for details).
A vibrant little still life painting featuring white pots and lilies against a patterned ground. Richly layered and boldly painted, it creates quite a stunning painting that will keep drawing the eye back in for another look. Set in an elegant St Ives frame in off white.
ACRYLIC, OIL PASTEL, COLLAGE.
46 × 46cm framed.
Presently showing at Harding House Gallery in Lincoln at my solo show, ‘Honesty and Pears’ is a cool and serene painting featuring a beautiful vase I saw on a trip to Ireland. The vase wasn’t for sale, but I couldn’t resist photographing it for use at some point in one of my paintings.
ACRYLIC, COLLAGE, OIL PASTEL ON CRADLED WOOD PANEL
Artwork is 60 X 60CM (framed 64 × 64cm)
This room captures the morning sun in all its glory, emphasising the angles of the half vaulted ceiling, highlighting the gilded painting on the old French bed and throwing shadows on the rumpled bedding. Too beautiful not to capture!
Acrylic and oil pastel on canvas
painting is xxcm x xxcm set in a wide wooden frame xx x xxcm.
I visited a friend of mine, and we were talking about crystals - specifically amethysts. It inspired me to rush back to my studio and start a painting using an amethyst colour ground – a colour I rarely, if ever, use!
I was thrilled with how this one came together, and how much it reminded me of my mother (she played in Schubert’s ‘Lilac Time’ during the war) and this turquoise glass jug is so like one I remember from my childhood.
Artwork is 50 × 50cm (framed 66 × 66cm)
Acrylic, oil pastel, oil pigment, pencil.
Don’t you just love it when the very first blossoms appear on the trees – a signal that spring is on its way, and the days will be longer and brighter.
This sweet painting in vibrant turqs and yellow with an underpainting of pink that peeps through, is the first thing I painted to catch that moment.
Currently showing at The Jackdaw Gallery, Oundle. (Contact me for details)
This expressive still life painting features some of my favourite subjects – vibrant citrus fruits in a blue patterned dish, plants, wine bottles and glasses, set against a striped tablecloth. A lively, bold and excitingly fresh painting that will lift the spirits and bring joy.
ACRYLIC AND OIL PASTEL ON A WOOD PANEL
Set in a wide St Ives frame (painted in pale grey) measuring 66 × 66cm (Artwork is 50 × 50cm)
An expressive abstract still life featuring a gorgeous, shapely jug from the 50’s, one from my collection of vessels picked up at flea fairs and antique shops.
ACRYLIC, OIL PASTEL AND COLLAGE ON A WOOD PANEL
Set in a wide St Ives frame (painted in pale grey) measuring 66 × 56cm (Artwork is 50 × 40cm)
Currently showing at STILL LIFE – LET LOOSE exhibition at the Harding House Gallery in Lincoln, this abstract still life painting features two of my favourite pots; a lovely 50’s jug and a boldly striped bowl of lemons. Set against a predominantly blue/grey background, don’t you just love the scratchy patterns and the naive daisies? This is a pretty painting that will work perfectly in both modern and traditional homes.
ACRYLIC, OIL PASTEL AND CHARCOAL ON A WOOD PANEL
Set in a wide St Ives frame (painted pale grey) measuring 68 × 50cm
A fresh look at still life in slightly abstract form. I found this jug in an antique shop and really couldn’t afford it at the time, so I photographed it, knowing I would refer back to its beautiful elongated shape in some future painting. This is that painting!
The vessel itself was actually in copper, but a little artistic license in the studio and it has found a new persona. I love the soft, light palette with its layers of texture, pops of orange, and the strong stripes that accentuate the lines of the jug.
ACRYLIC AND OIL PASTEL ON A WOOD PANEL
Set in a wide St Ives frame (painted in pale grey) measuring xx x xxcm (Artwork is xx x xxcm)
Some people have an all-singing-all-dancing barista coffee machine – I have my old cafetiére for one. And I love it. I use it every morning, so it’s usually on my worktop. This day, it was sat as usual, alongside my plate of fresh fruit - and I’d just cut a few twigs and leaves from my little olive tree to put in a vase. They looked so good together in the sunshine reflected from the window – the perfect composition for a still life painting!
ACRYLIC, OIL PASTEL AND COLLAGE ON A WOOD PANEL
Set in a wide St Ives frame (painted in Farrow & Ball Strong White) measuring 60 × 60cm (Artwork is 45 × 45cm)
I love a trip to the farmers market for fresh vegetables and fruit (with a call in at the antiques centre for a haul of interesting vessels). These striped dishes and yellow glass vase just had to come home with me! The combination of colours and bold stripes really called to me to be painted.
ACRYLIC AND OIL PASTEL ON A CRADLED PANEL
Set in a wide St Ives frame (painted in Farrow & Ball Strong White) it measures 66 × 66cm (artwork 50 × 50cm)
I love to paint fast and loose, letting the paint strokes create texture on the canvas in an impressionistic way. This bold painting in acrylic, charcoal and oil pastels is inspired by a vivid red jug that I picked up at a flea market many years ago. The green plate is one I brought back from a trip to Barbados. I love how strong these two complementary colours are together on the palette.
This impressionist painting comes set in a classic St Ives frame, but I’ve shown an option with a narrow black frame here for those who like that look (scroll across).
ACRYLIC, CHARCOAL AND OIL PASTEL ON A CRADLED PANEL
Set in a wide St Ives frame (painted in Farrow & Ball Strong White) it measures 66 × 66cm (artwork 50 × 50cm)
Quirky and fun, this is a picnic setting I’d love to be on – cheese butties being one of my all-time guilty pleasures!
Painted in my favourite loose, impressionist style, it features a tantalising mix of realism and whimsy in the form of carefully observed crusty loaf versus quirky collaged spotty cup and saucer.
ACRYLIC, OIL PASTEL, COLLAGE ON A CRADLED WOOD PANEL
Set in a wide St Ives frame (painted in Farrow & Ball Strong White) measuring 66 × 66cm (Artwork is 50 × 50cm)
Currently on show at the ‘STILL LIFE – LET LOOSE’ Exhibition in Harding House Gallery, Lincoln.
Bring the romance of tulips into your home with this beautiful abstract flower painting. Rich textures add a touch of edginess making it perfect for both modern and traditional homes.
Art has the ability to transform your living space into a haven of creativity and tranquility. More than just décor; it's a daily dose of inspiration and elegance.
ACRYLIC, OIL PASTEL AND CHARCOAL ON A WOOD PANEL
Set in a wide St Ives frame (painted in pale grey) measuring 68 × 50cm
I don’t ever remember planting honesty in my garden, but they arrived a few years ago, and now pop up in the borders from time to time – but aren’t they gorgeous in their simplicity? Especially when placed in a shapely modern vase like the one in this still life painting.
I love the whimsical pairing of these beautiful wild seed heads with the straight lines of the collaged stripy mug, and lemons for a pop of acid bright colour.
ACRYLIC, OIL PASTEL, CHARCOAL AND COLLAGE ON A WOOD PANEL
Set in a wide St Ives frame (painted in Farrow & Ball Strong White) measuring 61 × 48cm (Artwork is 45 × 31cm)
I’m sure most of us have experienced the unexpected guest before now – and this one is a favourite… the robin! He may be unexpected, but he’s always welcome. Up he pops in our garden when we are hard at work digging or when we stop for a cuppa and maybe a slice of cake. This quirky still life painting captures the charm of him perching on the edge of a tea cup.
Painted in acrylics, inks and oil pastel with the addition of collaged elements, it started as an intuitive abstract background and built from there. (You can still see the abstract in the tea cup and milk jug). Wouldn’t this be delightful in a child’s room, or a family room?
ACRYLIC, OIL PASTEL, INK AND COLLAGE ON A CRADLED WOOD PANEL
Set in a wide St Ives frame (painted in Farrow & Ball Strong White) measuring 66 × 66cm (Artwork is 50 × 50cm)
The things on my kitchen worktop are often my inspiration for a still life painting, no matter how ordinary they may seem when first viewed. A Half finished bottle of Rosé, a bright yellow dish of fruit and my old vase with a bunch of hydrangeas cut from the garden that day. When painted in my loose, impressionistic way, they can become a thing of beauty. Even the linen tea towel I was using to dry the fruit has a place.
ACRYLIC, OIL PASTEL, CHARCOAL AND COLLAGE ON A CRADLED WOOD PANEL
Set in a wide St Ives frame (painted in Farrow & Ball Strong White) measuring 66 × 66cm (Artwork is 50 × 50cm)
A whimsical semi abstract painting of mugs, jugs and teapot – inspired by a gloriously ornate teapot I saw at a friend’s house. The layers of randomly painted colours are curated into randomly shaped pots, and I bring the piece together with a delicate checkered background, reminiscent of an old linen tablecloth.
What a great piece for a kitchen or dining room! Colourful, fun with a freshness that charms.
ACRYLIC, INK, OIL PASTEL finished with a soft wax finish.
Set in a black wood floating frame, measuring 55 × 55cm.
NOTE: this piece is currently showing at Lamport Hall Spring Show
Woods are a favourite of mine for walking. And my favourite time of year is when the trees begin to turn their leaves to gold, red and orange and they carpet the woodland floor in all their glory. Such luminous colours are easy to fall in love with, don’t you agree? This painting captures all the emotions I experience at this time of year in a rich and layered painting.
ACRYLIC, OIL PASTEL & INK ON PAPER/WOOD PANEL
Set in a St Ives frame, painted in Farrow & Ball off white, measuring 67 x 57cm
Starting out life as an abstract, this whimsical still life painting went through so many stages before emerging as a still life, complete with bowl and tulips. Layers and layers of collage, paint and oil pastels give it incredible texture and the finishing flourishes of vibrant oil pastel make it really sing!
Currently showing at Harding House Gallery, Lincoln (contact me for details)
Painted on a wonderful art retreat in Italy. The surroundings and the atmosphere in the group was so inspirational and in the evenings, the Prosecco flowed freely. It’s not surprising it made it into my art. This piece is many layers in the making. With collaged papers from rubbings taken on the first morning – out on the streets close to the art studio. I hope it conveys to you the joy I felt on that trip.
An abstract still life painted in a muted, neutral palette that gives it a late-night, low light, mellow feeling. It puts me in mind of after dinner drinks, when the coffee is served.
Rich in scrumptious texture, with layers of acrylic, collage, pencil and oil pastel on a wooden cradled panel.
This painting is available through The Lake Gallery, West Kirby from 28th November. ( contact them on https://thelakegallery.co.uk )
Lemon Tea is a quirky still life taken from the original painting and reproduced as a Limited Edition Print, numbered and signed by the artist.
Beautifully printed on heavy quality art paper, and set in a classic white mount, complete with backing board, ready for you to frame.
The specialised Giclee printing uses archival inks and creates a finish that is superior to a standard print, with an extremely high level of quality and longevity.
Note: These limited edition prints are printed to order, although I do keep a few ready to post, should you need one quickly.
Scented Garden is an abstract floral taken from the original painting and reproduced as a Limited Edition Print, numbered and signed by the artist.
Beautifully printed on heavy quality art paper, and set in a classic white mount, complete with backing board, ready for you to frame.
The specialised Giclee printing uses archival inks and creates a finish that is superior to a standard print, with an extremely high level of quality and longevity.
Note: These limited edition prints are printed to order, although I do keep a few ready to post, should you need one quickly.
If you like quirky, abstracted art, you will love this limited edition giclee print. A still life print of tulips and leaves, taken from the original painting and reproduced as a Limited Edition Print, numbered and signed by the artist.
Beautifully printed on heavy quality art paper, it captures every brushstroke and mark, exactly as the original painting. It is set in a classic white mount, complete with backing board, ready for you to frame.
The specialised Giclee printing uses archival inks and creates a finish that is superior to a standard print, with an extremely high level of quality and longevity.
Note: These limited edition prints are printed to order, although I do keep a few ready to post, should you need one quickly.
Limited Edition Print, numbered and signed by the artist.
Beautifully reproduced on heavy quality art paper, and set in a classic white mount, complete with backing board, ready for you to frame.
The specialised Giclee printing uses archival inks and creates a finish that is far superior to a standard print, with an extremely high level of quality and longevity.
Note: These are limited edition prints and are printed to order, although I do keep a few ready to post, should you need one quickly.
The delightful Sysyrinchiums that grow in my garden were given to me by the head gardener of a stately home nearby. Truth be told, I was about to try and steal one when the gardener came in sight, so I braved asking him if I could have one – and he kindly gave me a couple of plants.
They are like bright sentinels amongst the dark greens with their long thin spires of tiny yellow flowers. I loved paintings them.
I was so thrilled with my first (smaller) en plein air painting of these lush, red velvet wallflowers that I decided to go to town and paint them BIG!
The result is rather stunning statement painting and brought me great joy in the making! Look closely at the layering in the background. You’ll see a variety of amazing crackle textures, impasto paint layers and energetic oil pastel marks that will keep you coming back for more.
If you love the profusion of rich, ruby reds as much as me, then I think you’ll love ‘Wild About Wallflowers’.
Whilst trying out a new limited colour palette, these beauties popped into my mind. They are one of those flowers that can sometimes raise their glorious heads above the rest of the borders and take me by surprise. I was trying to remember their name and a friend said “Why, they’re ‘angry panthers’ which really tickled me. Do you have nicknames for your favourite flowers?
A few weeks later, I was in Guernsey in July, and was blown away by the profusion of ‘angry panthers’ growing there in almost every garden, and even out on the cliff tops, growing wild. Wow!
When I’d finished painting this, an artist friend said that it made her feel like she was laying down in a fragrant wildflower meadow, which made me supremely happy for some reason. Maybe it’s that feeling of complete freedom and joy that such an act can bring. And that is exactly how I wanted to feel when painting it, totally free to create the illusion of flowers with my brushes loaded with lush, creamy paint.
If this flower painting puts you in the same joyous mood, then I have succeeded … and that makes me even happier!
My flower borders are often overflowing towards wildness, with hardly an inch of room between the different blooms. But I like it like that. Maybe you do too? This painting is inspired by the stately flags, the blousy roses and the sneaky wallflowers all jostling for space.
NOTE: The original painting is on show at the moment, and is available through Fox Yard Studios, Stowmarket, Suffolk, UK. You can contact them directly on info@foxyardstudio.art
Also available to order as a custom-made larger print on canvas. Scroll to see in-situ images (the blue wall image is the original size, the office image is a larger print example shown 60 x 60cm.) Please contact me directly to order your unique size and price.
If you’ve ever grown wallflowers, you’ll know that they seed themselves very easily around the garden, so you’re always being surprised by their appearance in strange places. I couldn’t resist painting their gloriously deep, velvety-reds ‘en plein air’ when they grew outside my greenhouse.
NOTE: The original painting is on show at the moment, and is available through Fox Yard Studios, Stowmarket, Suffolk, UK. You can contact them directly on info@foxyardstudio.art
Also available to order as a custom-made larger print on canvas. Scroll to see in-situ images (the blue/grey image is the original size, the other 2 images are large print examples.) Please contact me directly to order your unique size and price.
Inspired by the Scottish Colourists (and a new box of exquisite soft pastels) I decided to paint a woodland walk with a difference. Take a walk on the wild side with me and lose yourself in the magic of colour.
This painting is available through The Primrose Gallery, Thrapston, Northants. UK ( go to https://primrosegallery.co.uk )
I’m forever chasing shadows and love to capture the patterns that trees make at certain times of day, the slanting shapes that play along the pathways. This woodland painting is one of my first in soft pastels. It gives such a rich, creamy depth of colour unlike any other medium and is perfect for capturing light and shadows.
Trees are so incredible don’t you think? I will ever tire of painting them, and I believe that adding a treescape artwork to your home or office has such a calming and soul-soothing effect.
I am always inspired by the work of The Scottish Colourists, The Group of Seven and the Fauvists especially, with their loose brush strokes and energetic en plein air paintings.
Following their lead, I play here with colour complements – cool lilacs and purples against warm yellows and earthy reds. I paint quickly, keeping the brush strokes loose and flowing so that none of the energy is lost.
There’s nothing so magical as a stand of silver birch with their beautiful long boles catching and reflecting the light. There’s a peat forest near me that enchants me every time. The ground is so soft to walk on, and the silver birch trees there are simply captivating, whatever the season. I love the way they group together like old friends waiting in line. This piece, as with many of my woodland paintings, starts with a layer of collage. I chose newspaper, hand-written letters, pages from musical scores and old calligraphy books. If you look carefully, you’ll see some of them peeking out from behind the layers of paint.
This painting is available through The Primrose Gallery, Thrapston, Northants. UK (go to https://primrosegallery.co.uk )
Coming out of the depth of the wood and seeing the sun play on the fields beyond the farmer’s gate is always such a moment of joy. This is a scene from a walk I took last summer, captured on my phone camera – couldn’t resist painting it as I just love capturing the light and shadows in a woodland scene such as this.
This little painting on canvas, is just the right size for a cosy corner that needs lighting up.
‘September Song’ is one of my favourite songs by JP Cooper, a singer introduced to me by my daughter. She even bought tickets for us to go see him play, which was such a treat and a special bonding moment. I’ve played his songs on loop ever since!
I was so thrilled with this, one of my first ever pastel paintings (a new medium for me that I tried out at the beginning of the year). And I think it’s the rich, autumnal colours that brought this particular song title to mind. Even as I write, I feel compelled to listen to his fabulous voice once again... I’m off for a listen 😊
From my studio window, across the fields, there’s a lone tree which always draws my eye. There’s a path that leads straight to it. Sometimes, the field is left fallow and in the extreme heat of summer, we are rewarded with the most glorious crop of poppies and a golden field of grass. This abstract landscape painting is a joyful moment captured in time.
Silver birch trees are a favourite of mine, I love the way the light dances through the golden green leaves. Look closely! Alive with texture, this painting features little glimpses of collaged text in the tree trunks, from some of my favourite old hand written-letters, music scores and pages from a lovely old calligraphy book. You could say I’m putting the paper that came from trees… back into the trees!
Silver birch trees are a favourite of mine, I love the way the light dances through the golden green leaves. Alive with texture, this beautifully serene painting features little glimpses of collaged text in the tree trunks that play amongst the paint. Look closely – do you see part of a hand-written letter maybe?
NOTE: This painting is now sold, if you’d like something similar, I am open for commissions.
I love using bare twigs as decoration in my home. Just something about the twisting stems and the mossy patches. And if you place it to catch the sun at certain times of day, the shadows are simply beautiful! So I was pleased to be able to capture this image in just the perfect light.
Do you have a favourite little spot in the garden where you sit and have a cuppa, read a book, listen to the birdsong, maybe even snooze off for a while? I do, and it’s a little like this. Under a favourite tree, where I can feel the sun’s warmth in the morning, and later in the afternoon, it gives me shade.
Bring that feeling into your every day with this vibrant, sun-filled artwork.
Walking the edges of the fields late on an autumn afternoon, down the ‘drifts’ as they are called here, we are rewarded with beautiful light against the horizon, filtering through the trees. This special time of day is a favourite time for taking photos – and then painting the results. This one is in oils, a departure for me!
Do you love bluebell season? I do.
When the woods are carpeted in violet blue and the air is rich with their fragrance, I know for certain that summer is finally here!
Bring the joy of that time into your home every day with this lovely woodland art scene of silver birch trees and dots of joyous colour., layered over collage with intriguing glimpses of text, newspaper and hand-written letters peeking out.
I am always inspired by the work of The Scottish Colourists, The Group of Seven and the Fauvists especially, with their loose brush strokes and energetic en plein air paintings.
Here, I play here with complimentary colours that I love – oranges and blues in loosely painted layers where every brush stroke is visible. I wanted to capture the feeling of a warm summer’s evening, with marmalade skies against blue trees, invoking sundown on a quiet lane.
This new series of still life paintings is the result of a fabulous week of painting up in the beautiful Derbyshire countryside, experimenting with still life art in abstract form.
When I came back into my own studio, I wanted to continue with the series, so I whizzed around, looking for suitable ‘items’ as inspiration. It is important that they hold some kind of deep meaning for me, like this 18th century coffee pot, a favourite of Gwen’s, my late mother-in-law. And now, a favourite of mine.
ACRYLIC, COLLAGE, CHARCOAL & OIL PASTEL ON PAPER, ADHERED TO A WOOD PANEL
Set in a white St Ives frame measuring 51cm x 39cm
(artwork measures 42cm x 31 cm)
Inspired by the everyday things I find around the house – a dish of lemons and pears, an old terracotta pot with a newly planted ginger plant. These simple things have a magic of their own when painted in a loose, abstract way against a softly tonal background.
Layered with collage for added texture and a surprise glimpse of pattern, it has a naive charm that invites you in for a second look.
ACRYLIC, COLLAGE, CHARCOAL, INK & OIL PASTEL ON A WOOD PANEL
Set in a St Ives frame measuring 51cm x 39cm
(artwork measures 42cm x 31 cm)
One of a new series of vibrant still life paintings, inspired by the joy of well-loved yet mundane items I find around the house. Painted in a loosely abstract way, with layers of collage and paint, there’s a frisson of colour, texture and unexpected mark-making that instils this still life with NEW LIFE!
ACRYLIC, COLLAGE, INK & OIL PASTEL ON WOOD PANEL
Set in a white St Ives frame measuring 39cm x 39cm
(artwork measures 30cm x 30 cm)
Painted at a time when emotions were running high, this abstract embodies them all: from unadulterated joy, to mellow sadness. The fiery pops of orange, red and yellow ‘sing’ against the cool blue background, and layer upon layer of texture is punctuated with bold scratched markings to reveal the secrets that lie beneath.
ACRYLIC, COLLAGE, INK, ON A CRADLED WOOD PANEL
Set in a floating frame - artwork measures 60cm x 50cm
One of my favourite places growing up was Whitby on the east coast, where they serve, arguably, the best fish and chips ever. This painting was conceived on my last trip there this summer. Walking along the promenade, I noticed that the rippling water was distorting the reflections of the boats, and especially the rigging from the replica of Captain Cook’s ‘The Endeavour’ which is moored in the harbour. I just had to capture that moment on my phone camera, before the sun moved and the image was lost. It’s one of those moments that I feel compelled to paint the moment I get home!
ACRYLIC, COLLAGE, INK & OIL PASTEL ON CRADLED WOOD PANEL
Set in a float frame measuring 34cm x 34cm
(artwork measures 30cm x 30 cm)
I am lucky to live in one of the loveliest bits of the country, and also to be able to wander, looking for inspiration whenever the fancy takes me. I take photos as I go, and sometimes I make sketches to paint, back in my studio. They capture the essence of where I am at that moment in time, the weather, and the feelings I experience. This particular painting depicts a little green lane or ‘drift’ at the back of my house which was overgrown and fenced off… until recently, when we campaigned to have it cleared, and reclaimed it as a public path for walkers once again!
ACRYLIC, COLLAGE, INK & OIL PASTEL ON CRADLED WOOD PANEL
Set in a float frame measuring 34cm x 34cm
(artwork measures 30cm x 30 cm)
Painted in a loose way, this started out life as a pure abstract, as many of my paintings do. As each layer was added, and after a few flips of the canvas, upside down and on its side, Manhattan began to emerge from the fog of blues and greens. I love it when happy accidents like this happen - and I absolutely LOVE New York City, so it brings back some amazing memories. Maybe you too fancy a bit of NYC in your life?
ACRYLIC, COLLAGE, CHARCOAL, INK & OIL PASTEL ON CRADLED WOOD PANEL
Set in a 5cm deep float frame measuring 34cm x 34cm
(artwork measures 30cm x 30 cm)
I love walking in the countryside for inspiration. The UK has so many glorious places to visit, and I take advantage of my wanderings to take photos and make sketches to paint, back in my studio. They’re not always a true representational image, rather, they capture the essence of the place and the feelings I experience. (It’s also a good way to occasionally get in my 10,000 steps!)
ACRYLIC, COLLAGE, INK & OIL PASTEL ON CRADLED WOOD PANEL
Set in a float frame measuring 34cm x 34cm
(artwork measures 30cm x 30 cm)
Dreaming of an escape to a beach! This series of paintings evoke the quintessential seaside escape on a summer's day. Inspired by the wheeling of seagulls as they skim over the surface of the waves.
MIXED MEDIA ACRYLIC
Set in a sleek grey frame it measures 33.5 x 33.5cm (unframed artwork measures 28 x 27cm)
If you’ve read ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ by Sue Monk Kidd, you’ll probably have been struck by her description of a fiery sunset (and if you haven’t… I highly recommend it!)
“The redness had seeped from the day and night was arranging herself around us. Cooling things down, staining and dyeing the evening purple and blue black.”
ACRYLIC ON WOODEN PANEL
Set in a modern float frame:
87 x 67cm (artwork 80 x 60cm)
Please contact me if you would like to own this with a 50% deposit and pay in instalments.
Boscastle in summer is such a joyful experience. The ancient harbour, the steep hillsides, the cliff walks, and the beaches. For one amazing week last year I took my sketchbook and camera out with me exploring – and came home with a wealth of inspiration for my series. This is one I painted straight away to remind me of the rambles on those hillsides, looking down on the harbour and out to sea.
ACRYLIC, INK, CHARCOAL ON CRADLED WOOD PANEL
Set in a float frame measuring 71 x 55cm (artwork 63 x 48cm)
* Please contact me if you would like to own this with a 50% deposit and pay in instalments.
I visited my daughter and family in beautiful Boscastle, Cornwall, where one evening we were rewarded with the most lurid pink and orange skies. This abstract landscape painting seeks to capture those few moments before the sun sets behind the steep hills and turns the harbour to darkness. Ravishing colours and a brooding atmosphere, loosely painted, convey the energy and spirit that I felt at that moment.
Unframed: 46 x 44cm
ACRYLIC ON WOOD PANEL
Inspired by childhood trips to Wales, where the majestic mountains and hills and the beauty of the skies never failed to captivate me. Rich with texture and atmosphere, this abstract landscape painting in beautiful tones of heathery purples and greens, was painted from memory.
Artwork measures: 54 x 35cm (set in a white St Ives frame, measuring 71 x 51cm)
MIXED MEDIA ACRYLIC ON WOOD PANEL
An intuitively painted abstract artwork, inspired by the exuberance of the festivals of Mexico and Spain, where they celebrate with flotillas of vibrant paper cut flags at every street party. Painted on a large wooden panel, this painting has many layers of collage, paint, ink, charcoal and oil pastel to portray life in its most joyful moments. A versatile painting that delivers an eye-catching focal point in a contemporary setting, and a surprisingly elegant twist in a period home.
Unframed: 77 x 61cm
MIXED MEDIA ACRYLIC ON WOOD PANEL
This painting was inspired by the beautiful shape of a hand thrown bowl that I brought back from my first visit to Barbados over 35 years ago. It is still in use every day. The layers of collage and energetic brush strokes give a pleasing textured surface. Look closely, and you’ll see the eye, a whimsical touch of humour in an otherwise classical study.
Framed: 33.5 x 33.5cms. Unframed: 20x20cm
ACRYLIC/COLLAGE ON HEAVY WATERCOLOUR PAPER
Inspired by one of the lovely old Victorian stone bellarmine jugs on my windowsill, this painting is a multi-layered and textural study of its fabulous shape. Look closely and you’ll find song lyrics, newsprint and maybe even a glimpse of colourful pheasant feathers. Straddling the space between realistic and abstract, it’s an interesting piece that begs a closer look, and will live happily in both traditional and contemporary settings.
ACRYLIC/COLLAGE
Framed in a classic grey frame, it measures 43.5cm x 43.5cm (unframed art is: 36 x 36cm)
A beautiful, original artwork inspired by one of the lovely old Victorian stone jars on the windowsill of my kitchen. This little painting is one of three in this size, that can be hung together for a gallery wall effect.
ACRYLIC/COLLAGE
Set in a sleek grey frame it measures 33.5 x 33.5cm (unframed art measures: 20 x 20cm)
This vase was always full or red carnations, Gwen's favourite flowers and I will always think of her each time I see it. In reality, it’s a blue and white patterned vase and I have painted it more realistically in the past, but for this series I’m more interested in capturing the ‘shape’ of my favourite vessels, rather than the design. I love the voluptuous curves and the way it tapers down to an elegant narrow base.
ACRYLIC/COLLAGE ON PAPER/PANEL
Set in a white frame, it measures 43.5 x 43.5cm (unframed art measures 36 x 36cm)
Inspired by the lovely old jug that Gwen used to make her custard in - a treat for Sunday puddings! One of 3 paintings in this series, it features whimsical collage under layers of paint, applied with vigorous brushstrokes for a lively energy. Is that a pheasant you see peeping out?
ACRYLIC/COLLAGE
Click right to see this work in its frame: 33.5 x 33.5cm (unframed: 20x20cm)
The third in a small series of brightly coloured abstracts inspired by the exuberance of Spanish and Mexican flag festivals. Vibrant oranges, corals and reds meet cool blues and turquoise, invoking the feeling of being somewhere hot and exotic, while dynamic blue black marks add strength and movement. Painted on a generously sized wood panel, this abstract painting is unframed for a more contemporary look… perfect pizzazz for your modern home or office!
ACRYLIC/MIXED MEDIA on cradled wood panel
68 x 84cm (artwork measures 61 x 77cm)
This series of abstract paintings in the palette of cool and hot colours was painted during the blistering heat of summer 2022. I loved the novelty of so much sunshine, (after all, this is the UK, we are not so used to it) but a few weeks in, and I started to crave the cool interiors of my home. Subliminally, I think it influenced me in my choice of colours… and the appearance of that red hot sun!
ACRYLIC, COLLAGE AND INK ON CRADLED WOOD PANEL
Set in a float frame measuring 47cm x 37cm
(artwork measures 40cm x 30 cm)
An intuitive abstract, inspired by lines from a poem by Irish poet, SueB which captured my imagination. “Beautiful fantasy, made reality, absolute bliss, sealed with a kiss.”
I’d begun to notice that I often make the same marks on my abstracts - like a big sweeping X, sometimes in charcoal, but sometimes just scratching through the wet paint. And it usually happens right at the end, when I’ve decided a painting is done – like I’m signing it off with a kiss!
ACRYLIC ON PAPER, ADHERED TO A CRADLED PANEL.
Set in a modern white float frame measuring 47cm x 37cm
(artwork measures 42cm x 30cm)
No results match your search. Try removing a few filters.
© Copyright Shani Wray-Jenkins 2023