John Shiels Art

The Old Source, Alnham 30x30cm charcoal on paper

Finding the source of the Aln for my exhibition ‘Source to Sea – The Aln’ was more difficult than I had imagined. On the older maps the source is near Alnham Church but on the newer maps it is located a mile or so further south. I must admit I think the older source is much more scenic and romantic.

In the drawing I wanted to capture the light behind the typical Northumberland clouds. This is my favourite work in the exhibition, as I like the freer nature of the charcoal mark making.

This artwork is framed and priced at £85 and is only available from the Alnwick Playhouse until March 16th 2025. The gallery can be contacted at info@alnwickplayhouse.co.uk or 01665 660550

The Aln Towards Lesbury 30x30cm acrylic on canvas

This view of the Aln is away from the nearby tourist hotspots on a quiet waterside footpath between Bilton Mill and the old mill at Lesbury. The River is a sizeable waterway at this point and it is only a mile or so from the coast but is a very calm and peaceful spot.

This was the first painting I did after securing the exhibition at the Alnwick Playhouse and was based on a painting I did on an I Pad using ProCreate. It was also one of the first acrylic paintings I had done in a long time so it will always be a bit special for me.

This artwork is SOLD. More artwork is available from the Alnwick Playhouse until March 16th 2025. The gallery can be contacted at info@alnwickplayhouse.co.uk or 01665 660550

Estuary View, Alnmouth 50×50cm acrylic on canvas

Description to follow

Old Saltworks, Amble - digital painting

This image was painted on an I Pad after numerous walks amongst the dunes south of Amble Harbour. The buildings catch the strong southern sun set against the dark brooding Northumberland sky. I have tried to capture the light at that moment when the light on the buildings appears to sing against the darker background.

The Saltworks are no longer a heavy industrial hub but a part of Amble’s new industry tourism. It’s hard to improve on the view of Coquet Island from these cottages.

Prints of this painting can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart

Coastguard House, Amble - digital painting

This painting is a recent painting completed whilst I was waiting to move to Alnwick from Derbyshire. It is a view that I never tire of as I walk north through the dunes back towards Amble. The light on the marron grass and the building are the real subject of this picture.

The Coastguard House is a mysterious building that never appears to have any occupants. It is however in a very prominent position close an old quarry. The quarry has now been filled in and provided the stones that built the sea walls of the harbour. Its alleged that there is a steam engine buried in the quarry. It is now however a play park.

Prints of this painting can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart

Lighthouse, Amble - digital painting

This painting was again an attempt to capture the fantastic light of the Northumberland coast. Late evening the sun was setting low in the sky and there were dark storm clouds forming out in the North Seas. The colours of the Lighthouse were made even brighter by the deep blue of the sky and sea.

The painting was created on an I pad using the painting software Procreate and I believe in this picture it showed exactly what you can achieve painting digitally. This was a boost to myself as an artist as I did not have a studio space when I painted it.

Prints of this painting can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart

Cliffs Morning Sunshine, Porthleven - digital painting

This painting is of a walk on the cliffs to the west of Porthleven on the dramatic cliffs. It was painted on an I pad and I was influenced by the work of Cornwall based artist Kurt Jackson. Kurt paints in a very modern way views that are in some ways very traditional. He is a successful artist and a very influential environmental activist.

I was seeing if I could recreate his modern impressionism on the screen. In the end I just liked the bright morning light and the blustery conditions. I always think my favourite paintings are always those that try to capture the essence and feel of a place at a certain time of day in some way. I intend to use this image in the future as a preparatory sketch for an acrylic painting on canvas. It will be interesting if I can capture the light in the same way.

South Towards Beadnall Beach - digital painting

Beadnell Beach is a big open expanse of sand and sea and almost has an impressive dramatic textured sky above it. It is also often windy or to be fair bracing. It is one of my favourite walking venues as it calms the mind and helps you focus on what is important.

I wanted in this painting to try and capture the big sky and the dappled effect of the mackerel sky. I feel I have captured the relationship between the deep blue of the sky and rich orangey beige of the golden sand. It is another painting in which it feels like I felt when I was there.

Snow, Amble Beach Looking South - digital painting

When you visit a seaside resort it is usually in the summer months but now I have moved to Northumberland I can visit the beaches anytime of year. It is rare for heavy snow to settle on the beach so I was excited by the combination of this winter wonderland setting. This a recent painting and I wanted to depict the rare scene. The sun on the snow as a magical effect on all the other elements of the landscape and especially on their colours which become more intense.

I wanted to capture the light of the snow with bright sunshine. As it is a recent picture it is to me still fresh and hopefully it will still be a favourite in the future. This ia another painting that I intend to use as a sketch for a future acrylic painting on canvas.

Prints of this painting can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart

Three Oranges In a Line – digital painting

In the dark cold days of the 2022 early winter I decided to draw some fruit still lifes. I arrange the oranges in a row and lit them with a lamp from behind. I like to think that they look like what Andy Warhol would have produced if he was tasked with painting s still life. Perhaps Warhol never considered painting oranges but you never know.

I did really enjoy trying to capture they way the light fell on the oranges and how their shadows became part of the composition.

Prints of this painting can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart

Three Oranges – digital painting

This was my first painting of oranges that I had done in a very long time. It was painted on an I Pad at night when the only light was artificial. I wanted to be able to just concentrate on observing the shapes and light. My still-lifes are often very therapeutic.

I wanted the composition to be very simple so I could concentrate on the empty spaces. I tired to engineer strong shadows cast by a lamp which would make the oranges look more solid against a very bright background

Prints of this painting can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart

World Cup Apple – digital painting

This observation study of an apple was painted on the same night as the World Cup final. When I paint I often listen to the radio and when I look at the completed painting often many weeks after I can still remember the play or documentary I was listening to. There fore this study of an apple will always be associated with Lionel Messi and his one man show to win the World Cup for Argentina.

Prints of this painting can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart

The One Tree, Alnmouth Beach – 20x20cm graphite drawing

This part of Alnmouth beach is not really the one tree but it does have a lone tree at the edge of the golf course which stands guard against the elements. As you walk northwards along the beach this one lone tree is always there and once you pass it and look into the southern sun it looks quite majestic.

I drew this view as you face southwards and it is very tonal whereas when you face north it a view about colour. Drawing in pencil is thought of as a basic technique but I see as an art form in its own right. It is one of those techniques that there is often no going back if you have overdone it and like wise if you have not been brave enough it can look insipid.

This drawing can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart

Fairfield, Buxton – 30x30cm Charcoal

This drawing was done a few years ago in preparation for my entry for the Buxton Spa Open Art Competition. On entering the competition artists were two raffle tickets. These indicated which two parts of Buxton you could base your work on. I chose a part of Buxton to the north that I did not know too well next to the Golf Course. After many hours sketching and photographing the area I became intrigued by the a row of house that face a grassed area full of dandelions.

I did this drawing in charcoal as I wanted to explore the tonal relationship in a view were I was looking directly into the sun. This and other sketches help me greatly when it came to completing the final large painting. I no longer have the painting as it has gone to a good home but I still like this charcoal sketch.

This drawing can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart

Walberswick Church, Brooding Sky – 30x30cm Charcoal

This drawing was drawn during one of my many holidays in Southold. The area is unique and being charming and dramatic at the same time. Despite becoming something of a playground for the rich and quietly sophisticated it still retains an old world charm.

The sky in Suffolk can be very dramatic and change very quickly. This view captured my attention due to the landmark church tower poking through the trees and becoming a focal for all of nature’s firmaments going on around it. Charcoal is idea for drawing this type of scene as it has a large tonal range and strong dark tones.

This drawing can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart

Alnmouth from the A1068 – 30x30cm Acrylic

This artwork is a recent piece of work and the first acrylic painting I have completed since I have moved to Northumberland. Its is also the first in nearly two years as that is how long I have been without a studio space. Its is an iconic view of Alnmouth which caught me eye due to bright yellow crop in the field and the lines caused by the farmers tractor.

I first completed a sketch on the I pad and then worked from that sketch into an acrylic painting. I was trying to capture the quality of light and contrst between the bright colours of the fied and the dark rich sombre colours of Alnmouth itself.

This painting can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart

Lane, Whitefurrows Farm, West Hallam – 50x50cm Acrylic

This is a painting was created after I retired from teaching and started painting full time. The view close to where I lived at the time was one I was very familiar with as I walked their most days thinking how lucky I was not having to go the chalk face each day.

The painting was influenced by the French Impressionists, Monet in particular. I was looking to capture the strong sunlight by use contrasting colours and dappled brushmarks. It is a painting I have displayed prominently in our house in Northumberland to remind me where I can from.

This painting can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart

Countisbury Hill, Lynmouth Bay – 30x30cm Acrylic

This painting was created after I stayed in Lynmouth for a long weekend. It was a place I had always wanted to visit after I saw a TV programme about a tragic flood in the 1950s. I was surprised how beautiful the North Devon coast was and one day I hope to return for a longer stay.

The view I painted includes a distance glimpse of South Wales across Bristol Channel. The composition I utilised in this painting ws the first where I used vegetation in the foreground and cliffs in the background. I think the real stars of the work is the glorious Cow Parsley which dominates the purple and olive green undergrowth.

This painting is currently not for sale.

Small Wildflowers in Clear Jar – digital painting

This painting is of a bunch of wildflowers collected on my many walks around Ilkeston during my temporary stay there before I emigrated to Northumberland. They are a tribute to the work of Kurt Jackson, a painter based in Cornwall. He is known mostly for his landscapes but he is also an environmentalist and paints the small nature around him.

I looked at Kurt’s work and tried to work out how he painted his still-lifes. I decided to paint the negative background shapes first and then worked on the flowers afterwards. I liked the effect that this technique created and intend to paint some flower still-lifes using the same method.

This painting can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart

Wildflowers in a Coffee Jar – digital painting

This painting is an observational study of a group of wild flowers placed in a coffee jar. It was another initially inspired by Kurt Jackson. As the painting progressed I became more interested in the clear coffee jar and the reflected light. It is one the most realistic digital painting I have done and the time it took to complete was exhausting but satisfying.

This painting can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart

Chrysanthemum in Sunlight – digital painting

This painting is one of the first flower still-lifes I attempted using an I pad. I was attracted by the way the bright sunlight fell on the flower heads. I wanted the colours to reflect the fresh bright clean light that was falling on the flowers.

This painting can be purchased by contacting the artist at john.shiels.1958@gmail.com or through twitter at @johnshielsart