Sounds like a glorious day - filled with the best things!
Artist & illustrator www.sallybarton.co.uk @SGFADrawing @RIwatercolours @STWatercolour instagram: @sallybarton_artgallery2022 https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SallyBartonArtPrints
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Sounds like a glorious day - filled with the best things!
Detail from a portrait of the narrowboat 'Hrafn', moored in the Potteries, England. A commission from last year #ThePotteries #narrowboats #watercolour #watercolorpainting #portrait #boats #figurativeart #MiddleEngland #LordVernonsWharf #VictorianIndustrialLandscape #MiddleportPottery
'Trafalgar' (spelling!)
Pencil sketch of group of young people on the steps in Trafagar Square. This was sketched from a photo rather than from life #portraits #figurativeart #wolffpencil #peoplewatching #TrafalgarSquare #London #lunchbreak #charcoalpencil #artistonbluesky #figurestudy #pencilsketch #faces #studyofyouth
Bless you. I'm so grateful for your support! x
Wedding portrait commission (now delivered to client) #watercolorportrait #commission #weddingportrait #GreekWedding #portrait #watercolourpainting #artistonbluesky #figurativeart #WeddingGift #PortraitArt #weddingdress #olivebranch #figurestudy
Detail from a #watercolour painted a couple of years ago 'Out of the Shadows' based on figures observed in Folkestone, Kent #figurativepainting #peoplewatching #watercolor #lightandshadow #artistonbluesky #portrait #KentEngland
I use a pencil sharpener (with a wider hole, for fatter pencils!). But a knife would do the job too. I also often use Wolffs carbon pencils which are slimmer and easier to sharpen.
I sketched it in conte crayon, which I enjoy using as you can sharpen it more easily than regular charcoal sticks
Sketches from life from cafe in @Canterbury #cafesociety #drawnfromlife #figurative #artistonbluesky#portrait #coffeeshop #charcoal #Englishcoffeeshop #conte #sketching #figurestudy
In the face of powerlessness I do the same - avoid much of the news and try to make a difference in my own life and with those around me. So much to enjoy if we're lucky enough to have many blessings.
I do appreciate your supportive comments Ellen. I hope all's well with you x
Thanks so much!
Detail from a house portrait painted a few years ago - Scottish farmhouse & estate #watercolour #houseportrait #portrait #scotland #landscapepainting #ScottishLandscape #artistonbluesky#watercolourportrait #forest #commission #forest #scottishhighlands #watercolorpainting
Detail from WIP Figures in a Heatwave #watercolour #summer25 #portraits #heatwave #fıgurativeart #artistonbluesky #watercolorpainting #walmerkent #parchedgrass #sunshine #lightandshade #figurestudy #KentEngland #peoplewatching
Thank you so much Ellen. This is from our recent trip to Florence; I love finding an elegant arrangement of figures!
WIP 'On Santa Trinita Bridge' #watercolour #Florence #figurativepainting #italytravel #portraits #watercolorpainting #masonry #artistoninsta #holidayseason #sunglasses #artistonbluesky #Europe #figurestudy
gorgeous!
😅 Have to agree! (however I do hashtag 'watercolor' on insta, in recognition of US spelling. I try to be even-handed!)
Thank you James!
Detail from Alfresco in the City #watercolour #London #pub #figurativeart #ArtistOnBlueSky #LightandShade #portraits #watercolorpainting #urbanlife #figurestudy #CoventGarden #watercoloursketch #LunchBreak #peoplewatching #England
Thank you Ellen! Hoping to post a few more in coming days.
"The brazenness of the self-enrichment resembles nothing seen in any earlier White House. This is American corruption on the scale of a post-Soviet republic or a postcolonial African dictatorship." www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
*glancing around nervously Bluesky isn’t about popularity, it’s about gathering all 17 Middlemarch lovers together in a single online location!
That is lovely!
Detail from 'Sunday in the Park with Phones'. Monochrome #watercolour #phones #scrolling #portraits #figurative #lightandshadow #Sunday #artistoninsta #cafeculture #watercolorpaintings #londonlife #cafesociety #V&AMuseum
Yes, Rob shares my interest (he's a retired graphic designer). I'm always on the look-out for the perfect chocolate cake too!
It's so heartening to hear. The power that Trump wields and its affront to democracy is so disturbing. At least there are, clearly, loud voices of protest. Can't imagine what sort of reception he'll receive on his visit to the UK..
Thank you Ellen. I feel fortunate to have an occupation that I enjoy so much - means I'm never bored at least! My husband and I are off to Florence tomorrow to see art on quite a different level - looking forward to immersing ourselves in the paintings and sculpture of the Italian Renaissance.
These nationwide protests aren't covered much in the UK media.; good to see and hear the strong voices of opposition to Trump - BlueSky is an eye-opener.
Detail from a just completed watercolour 'Spring sunshine: urban pub garden' #watercolour #peoplewatching #portraits #figürativeart #watercolorpainting #Spring #londonart #pub #society #citylife
Thank you Ellen!
Detail from work in progress. Love groups of figures - these were eating lunch outdoors #watercolour #tonal #peoplewatching #figurativepainting #lunchbreak #lightandshadow #portraits #sunglasses #watercolorpainting #greyscale #artistonbluesky
I really appreciate your support. BlueSky is a refreshing place after 'X'!
'Europe is not only home to our traditional allies; it is an enviable zone of democracy, wealth and prosperity with which it benefits us to have good relations, and from which we can sometimes learn' Snyder on the new US imperialism open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
Donald Trump's executive order would make it harder for millions to register to vote, would disenfranchise voters Trump doesn't like, and give power to election deniers to overturn elections they don't win. This is the greatest threat to democracy right now and it must be stopped.
Thanks for including me Ellen!
Spring sunshine here in the UK today. Here's a watercolour based on sketches & photos taken at a Broadstairs beach, Kent, last summer - families in silhouette against a sparkling sea #watercolorpainting #beachlife #watercoloursketch #figurativeart #Kent #seashore #EnglishSummer #holiday
Thanks Ellen. Many thought lockdown should have been brought in much earlier in the UK, as so many had already lost their lives. I guess history will be the judge of that..
5 years ago today - 23rd March - the first UK Covid lockdown began. I sketched the view from an upstairs window, showing the socially distanced queue for our village post office #lockdownanniversary #covidqueueing #coronavírus #pencilsketch #sociallydistanced #queue #drawnfromlife #postoffice
Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour exhibition opens on 25th March at Mall Galleries in London, but all works available to see/purchase now via online gallery: buyart.mallgalleries.org.uk/ri-2025/ #watercolourpainting #figurativeart #watercolor #watermedia
Hi Ellen. That's so nice of you to ask! I've been off social media a little as I've work in 2 exhibitions at the moment. Will be back posting soon. With all good wishes 😊
From last summer's sketchbook #coventgarden #figuredrawing #sketchbook #charcoal #figurativeart #portrait #artistonbluesky #peoplewatching #shades #lifedrawing
Thank you Ellen
I'm really happy to have work selected for the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour and the Society of Graphic Fine Art respective exhibitions at the Mall Galleries this Spring. SGFA - 10th to 15th March. RI - 26th March to 5th April. #watercolour Details from 2 of the artworks below:
Reposting, because it's so important that people know about this... #neonicotinoids #cats #dogs #birds #pesticides
Detail from portrait of Dee, painted a year ago #watercolourportrait #skintones #portrait #watercolorpainting #artistonbluesky #studyinwatercolour #figurativepainting #lightandshadow
Thanks Jerry!
That's wonderful - thanks so much for this recommendation Ellen! x
So happy to have two artworks selected for #sgfa 2025 exhibition @mallgalleries Here's a detail from 'Streetscape:WalkingwithShadows' and #portrait 'Annie' that will be in the exhibition #watercolour #figurativeart #artistsonbluesky #streetscape #lightandshadow #watercolorpainting #peoplewatching
Sketch in conte crayon of regular life drawing sitter - Sam. From a year or so ago #charcoal #portrait #lifedrawing #conte #drawing #figurativeart #artistonbluesky #sketching #favouriteartistsmodel
diw41okg44y.typeform.com/draw-bradford #bradford2025
Walking to the Beach - figures beside Folkestone railway bridge #watercolour #figurativeart #portraits #beach #watecolorpainting #lightandshade #summer @folkestone.bsky.social #artistsonbluesky #peoplewatching
Thank you Ellen. I really do appreciate your supportive comments. Well if you ever do travel to the UK (London or Kent) I'd love to meet you!
Portrait of Annie (when much younger) #watercolour #portraiture #figurativeart #watercolorpainting #girlhood #stillastar
Jack Smith’s parting letter. One for the history books. Utterly shameful Americans have returned this man to office. www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
I didn't know the painting (which I've seen in reproduction) was at the NG - will look out for it. There are a couple of Laura Knight's paintings in my 'local' gallery - The Beaney - in Canterbury featuring Londoners who would come down to Kent every summer to pick hops - known as 'going hopping'
It was, but the exhibition closes fairly soon and the National Gallery can't reimburse tickets, or exchange them for another date. I'm intending to go to the gallery anyway - you don't have to pay to see it's main exhibition spaces and it's always so engrossing to spend time there.
Thank you! Lovely words
Train cancellations (trees on the line in Kent) means I've had to miss the Van Gogh exhibition @nationalgalleryldn.bsky.social Very disappointed. It's raining too! Here's a detail from a #watercolour created last summer. #sunshine #portraits #watercolorpainting #CoventGarden #figurativeart #London
And to you Ellen. Thanks so much for all your encouragement too. Happy New Year!
Conte sketch still life - 'Ingredients for Christmas' #drawnfromlife #sketch #Christmas #Christmasfood #artistonbluesky #drawing #stilllife #contecrayon #charcoaldrawing
Memories of summer. A detail from 'Calm Sea with Figures' #watercolour #seaside #landscape #water #artistonbluesky #watercolorpainting #seascape #figuresinshadow #coast #Kent #Broadstairs #sand&sky
Here's my Christmas card for this year (though I send fewer and fewer each Christmas). Loved painting the sprouts! #watercolourpainting #christmascard #brusselsprouts #watercolor #stilllife #christmasfood #artistonbluesky #figurativeart #stilllifepainting #vegetable #ChristmasLunch
Thank you
Thanks so much Ellen. Just loved drawing them
Perhaps every artists' space needs a wicker monkey presiding over it! Studio looks full of good things
Archive posts - from the sketchbook. Scenes in cafes & an airport lounge, drawn in pencil or charcoal #drawingfromlife #sketch #charcoal #conte #portraitdrawing #portraiture #artistsonbluesky #cafesociety #peoplewatching #drawing
Thank you. That's very kind
From the archive - detail from 'On the Benches: Broadstairs' which sold at the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour exhibition 2019 #watercolour #figurativeart #portraits #Kent #greyscale #watercolorpainting #artistsonbluesky #peoplewatching #light&shade #figures
Thank you
Detail of watercolour portrait of a friend - Patricia #watercolourpainting #portrait #watercolor #figurativeart #artistsonbluesky #faces #portraitpainting
Building my posts - here's a detail from Sun Street #watercolourpainting #portrait #streetscene #figurativeart #artistonbluesky #watercolorart #peoplewatching #Canterbury #Kent
Another from the archive - conte sketch made at The Goods Yard, Canterbury #conte #pencilsketch #peoplewatching #artistsonbluesky #figurativeart #charcoalsketch #cafe #Kent #figuresketch #portraiture #coffee #lifedrawing
In the Age of Misinformation, let's remember these headlines after the Titanic sank. During wireless chatter, someone asked: "Are the Titanic passengers safe?” An answer came: "The ship is being towed to Halifax and everyone is ok." That 2nd transmission didnt refer to the Titanic, hence the error.
Thank you, and likewise!
Thank you so much! What lovely words, and very much appreciated 😊
Prompted by your kind message! Seems to be quite an exodus from Twitter/X
First post - a favourite artwork created this year: Ukulele Players #watercolour #figurativeart #artistsonbluesky #ukulele #portrait #musicians #watercolorpainting #summer2024
