The brilliance of Cornish Gorse

March brings warmer skies and the mid sun icy blues on the sea. This is the perfect foil for the magnificent gorse we have at this time of the year. As brilliant as any yellow in a wild flower you will ever see. At this time of year there is little other colour in the coastal hedges after a winters pelting of rain and driving winds, so the prickly grey-greened stem gorse gives us uplifting yellows at a perfect time.

Gorse flower, Morwenstow

Inspired by this, I am able to paint with cadmium yellow. A deep strong warm yellow, exactly the colour of the gorse when combined with highlights of lemon yellow. Two paintings are underway, allowing me to experiment with different techniques and colours, as one is painted in oil on a deep crimson canvas and the other using acrylics on paper. Works in progress, I will post the finished work here in the near future.