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Harry Foy

Joined Artfinder: Oct. 2020

Artworks for sale: 1

United Kingdom

Updates from Harry Foy's studio

  • No Brushes, no paints.

    No Brushes, no paints.

    Being prepared when you're painting outdoors is critically important. I always check and double check my materials before setting off. Tick and double tick off a list. Well that is not completely true or at least not on this occasion. My ruck sac was left at the front door to take the 45 minutes’ drive to this location and when I got there that is where it remained! Forgotten. What to do? Go back? That would be a waste of time. No brushes, no paints etc. Hunted around and found one quite small well-worn brush, an old plastic card and a few paints. Cut up the card as a pallet knife, used the old brush and found enough red, yellow, blue and white to do me. This is the result at the end when the light was getting quite low. It was autumn and the days were shortening. It is a view of Slieve Donard in the Mourne Mountains, County Down done from Murlough Nature Reserve near Dundrum. Anyway, I think I got away with it and the painting was SOLD very soon thereafter and will be winging its way to Australia as soon as it is dry, cured and varnished. Was it a positive out of a negative - I don't know but perhaps? Never give up is the motto!

    16 November 2020
    On the beach

    On the beach

    This one was on Tramore beach near Ardara in Donegal. It was incredibly windy and at this stage I decided to stop painting after being swamped twice by the incoming tide. I should finish it another day, I thought. Then just after taking this snap a strong gust of wind lifted the wet oil painting and landed it (of course) face down on the sand. And people often say 'painting must be so relaxing'. I wish! The sand was dusted off or smudged into the paints and I began to think it was working. Anyway soon after a gentleman on holiday in a nearby house, and knowing the process of getting it to that stage, agreed to buy the piece. He and his family are now very pleased with it framed and hanging in their home. It's all about turning a negative into a positive.

    15 November 2020
    The gear

    The gear

    I do get my things in a terrible mess. New paint tubes don't seem to stay new and shiny for long. Brushes get dirty and worn but I like to keep them clean - its important. I think the bigger the mess the looser the work and the more impressionistic it gets. IMHO! Most of my brushes are from Rosemary Brushes in England. They are the best. Paints are mainly Michael Harding with some Schmincke, Winsor Newton, Rembrandt, New Holland and a few other good brands.

    26 October 2020
    Paros in the Greek islands

    Paros in the Greek islands

    This windmill photo was kindly taken by a local photographer and sent to me to use. We had visited the Greek Islands around 35-40 years previous and noticed quite a large change - mainly much much more development.

    26 October 2020
    Chew Jetty, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

    Chew Jetty, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

    Another day in the office. Crossing a road was a challenge here. Wait for a small gap and dash. Some roads have a kerb in the middle and they proved useful. This is Chew Jetty one of a number of small villages out on stilts into the water. I painted this entrance and loved the red lanterns which brightened everything up.

    26 October 2020
    My followers in Hoi an in Vietnam, Do I look happy?

    My followers in Hoi an in Vietnam, Do I look happy?

    In January 2019 as part of a 9 month trip away I painted in Hoi an, Vietnam. Such a wonderful place and such lovely people. I would love to return again. Never having owned a selfie stick, I bought one just to take this photo. In every town I accumulated a small crowd of onlookers and this collection must have been the biggest one collected. Often as in this photo I had little space to work. Taking a step back to check the work brought about a collision with someone watching me! My wife was with me and it was always easy for her to find me - just look for a small crowd. This crowd-gathering experience proved valuable for the future and taught me how to carry on a conversation (of sorts) while still remaining immersed in my painting.

    26 October 2020