Bright day, Thornham saltmarsh © Mari French 2011

A couple more from my series of saltmarsh paintings (these are larger than the ones in my previous blog), which seem to be going well just now, building into a series which I’ll have to get framed soon for the group exhibition in May at Halesworth Gallery, Suffolk – Six Abstract Artists. As I’ve mentioned before (and its pretty obvious anyway) some are more abstract than others, so given the theme of the show I’ll have to be selective.

The framer I’ve been using since moving to Norfolk is Bill Henderson of Henderson’s Arts & Framing in Gaywood, King’s Lynn, who I find pretty reasonable price-wise (they also have a good stock of art supplies). Most of my work in the past year has been on box canvas, which I don’t usually frame. A gallery owner reflected in a recent discussion that buyers’ tastes may be swinging towards a preference for american-style ‘float frames’ for canvas – something I’m considering. When I lived and worked from my own studio/gallery on the Isle of Skye most visitors expressed a preference for leaving the canvases as they were – unframed.

Anyway, it’s been refreshing to work on an alternative surface producing these studies of Thornham saltmarsh and creek. I’ve also noticed my colour palette diversifying somewhat from previous more subdued colours I tended to use.

Saltmarsh light © Mari French 2011