Author Archives: Tony Taylor

Trout stream

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Trout stream 9" x 6" Acrylic on mount board

Trout stream
9″ x 6″ Acrylic on mount board

Local boat owners agree that the mass of underwater growth fouling their hulls in Fethiye Bay is among the worst in the world,  I have always blamed the water conditions  on the chemical run-off from the  intensive farming in the vicinity and sewage influx.  Then I was very surprised to learn that Turkey is the largest producer of farmed Rainbow trout in Europe.  An aquaculture survey of 3 trout farms in the Xanthos valley provides some interesting reading including the fact that there are more than 50 trout farms in our catchment and a significant ammount of water is fed, via a canal and hydro electric power station, directly into the sea at Fethiye.  The main purpose of the survey is “to predict the existing and future discharge of suspended solids, organic compounds, and nutrients, thereby allowing authorities to quantify the environmental impacts of activities with the greatest accuracy (Frier et al. 1995)”.   I have estimated from this report  that this means over 2000 tons of Nitrogen and 400 tons of Phosphorous are discharged every year.  When you factor in the sunshine and shallow water it’s no wonder we have a problem with algae!

Lakeside memories

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Lakeside track 9" x 6" Acrylic on mount board

Lakeside track
9″ x 6″ Acrylic on mount board

I was searching my memory for a subject to continue my exploration of this style of painting and I thought of one of my favourite trout fishing spots in Gwynedd.  I have so many vivid memories of coming around this corner to see fish rising off the point before me. Happy days!

Fethiye sunsets

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Calis sunset 9" x 6" Acrylic on mount board

Calis sunset
9″ x 6″ Acrylic on mount board

Generally, sunsets here are not as spectacular as on the European Atlantic coastline. Beautiful, of course, but they lack the drama of the weather fronts that rush onto the shores of Galway,  Galloway and Gwynedd.  I’m not complaining about the clear skies, far from it, and I acknowledge that many evenings, back in the UK, cloud covers the sun completely.  Occasionally though, we get treated to a wonderful sunset here in Fethiye.  You could argue that it’s  more special because it’s rare but I think that when it comes to watching sunsets, because each one is unique, you can never have too much of a good thing.

Lavender

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Lavender 8" x 6" Acrylic on mount card

Lavender
9″ x 6″ Acrylic on mount card

Young farmer and entrepreneur, Barış Özkan from Kayaköy,  bought a couple of hundred lavender plants to try out 3 years ago.  It seems the conditions are perfect up there although it’s not a crop seen locally.  Rapid drainage, alkaline soil, plenty of light, heat, and excellent air circulation are required and  I know it’s produced successfully on the Cesme peinsular and in Isparta.  I not heard anything since and I wonder if he was successful?

Slightly Neo Impressionism

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Seascape2 9" x 6" acrylic on mount board

Seascape2
9″ x 6″ acrylic on mount board

The style I found myself exploring lies between the two late 19thC movements of Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism and the borders between the impulsive nature of the former and the more scientific approach of the latter.  I’m aiming for a pointillist technique without the discipline of Divisionism and Chromatics.  Using acrylic paint encourages this looser approach because of it’s tendency to bleed and I plan to avoid the use of line altogether.  I can see the dangers lurking ahead but we will see how we go.

Nayla Restaurant

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Our art group meet up on Thursday mornings at the Nayla Restaurant on Fethiye promenade.  They kindly let us work in a part of the premises which is rarely used in the mornings and it offers astounding views and good natural light.  We have had to use some less than satisfactory venues in the past and I want to give Nayla a huge thank you for their kind offer. They don’t make a great deal of money selling us coffee so that makes it even more generous.  Feel free to come and join us any Thursday morning.

Wood Lane 9" x 6" Acrylic on mount board

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This week I am beginning a series of paintings to explore a new technique for me.  I love this style and I’m really pleased with the results so far.

Goodbye Dalaman charter flights for the winter

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Poppies 12" x 8" Watercolour on NOT paper

Poppies
12″ x 8″ Watercolour on NOT paper

The end of October brings the last influx of tourists and sees the expat community taking advantage of  of the remaining 4 hour flights to the UK.  There are a few  specials over Xmas and the New Year but generally, until next Spring,  one can only travel here via Istanbul and that always means a long wait in an expensive terminal, interminable in fact.

 

 

 

 

 

Iris2 12" x 8", Watercolour on NOT paper

Iris2
12″ x 8″, Watercolour on NOT paper

Gina is buzzing off on Friday to visit family and hit the shops and, in between completing the lengthy Job List, I hope to make the most of the cooler weather and do some landscape painting.  Meanwhile, I dusted off the watercolours and painted a couple of our most common flowers.

Song Titles featuring Artists

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Panama Hat 9" x 6" Acrylic on mount board

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As I painted this still life, the song Panama Hat by Eric Bibb was buzzing around my head.  And that got me thinking of songs with artists names in the title.  There are probably dozens about art in general ( like Art School by The Jam) but I wanted to create a YouTube playlist of just those that name checked an artist.  I came up with these off the top of my head but  I would have liked to have found a few more.   I’m sure they must be out there.  Please tell me if you have any favourites I’ve missed.

 

Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War, Paul Simon

When I Dream of Michelangelo, Counting Crows

Pablo Picasso, The Modern Lovers

Painting by Chagall, The Weepies

Andy Warhol, David Bowie

Vincent, Don McClain

The Mark Rothko Song, Dar Williams

Salvador Dali’s Garden Party, TV Personalities

Çalıs Sunday market

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Çalis market 9" x 6" Acrylic on mount board

Çalis market
9″ x 6″ Acrylic on mount board

There are daıly markets spread around Fethıye of which the Tuesday market ın town is the bıggest and most popular.  The smaller Sunday version in Calis is a peculiarly British affair due to the large number of expats living in the area and functions as a meeting place and social occasion.  You are liable to hear more English spoken than Turkish but the goods on sale remain the same.  We rarely need stuff other than fresh food from the markets so do most of our shopping at the Fethiye farmers market on Friday, however last week I travelled to Calis purely to obtain ideas for some street paintings.  If you come to Fethiye, be sure not to miss one of these mediterranean markets, the experience is definitely one to savour.