Caroline and Jon
36″ x 24″ Acrylic on canvas
This is not my usual oeuvre but inspiration comes from many sources. My neice married in Australia and, as we missed the occasion, I painted this portrait as a surprise wedding present. The shipping quote from Fethiye to Melbourne was outrageous so I’ve had to wait until it was finally delivered by hand (oversize baggage foc with Etihad, by the way) before I could post this image. I’ve heard from her mum that they like it so I’m happy!
Lycian Rock Tombs in Tomb Bay
Sailing in Tomb Bay Fethiye
Tomb Bay
Just 15 miles, not far from here
Across a space so crystal clear
A sea where the Meltimi blows
Sailing west, the compass shows.
Tomb Bay where the dust has blown
From people laid to rest in stone
Into the water deep and blue
The reflections that once were you
And on a rocky outcrop crown
Where white goats are staring down
Graves are hewn from ochre rock
Now empty caverns without locks
Among the Oleander there
When Sweetgum scents the evening air
I wander up the stony trail
To try to find a ghostly tale
And Tomb Bay was the place to go
When Ziggy died and we were low
Then reminders of the times we shared
Were all around, so much despair
Tomb Bay where the Lycians laid
Their dead to rest in ancient days
But now 3000 years have passed
Did they believe that they would last
Forever…..
Tony Taylor, July 2013
SOLD
10″ x 8″ Acrylic on mount board
Painting is not for me either decorative amusement, or the plastic invention of felt reality; it must be every time: invention, discovery, revelation.
Max Ernst
Ziggy
Who died today, aged one
I painted this portrait of Ziggy, our beautiful Vizla, for Gina’s birthday last week and had intended to post it today on Ziggy’s birthday to celebrate all the great times we’ve had.
Now I have to tell you that Ziggy died suddenly in the night. It was an awful shock when Gina found her this morning. Ziggy was exactly one year old and we have no idea why she died, there are no signs and she was perfectly normal at 11pm last night. It seems there are many causes of sudden death in young dogs, my best guess is something related to the distemper she had when we rescued her, heart failure or a seizure perhaps. The vet and our neighbours all say the most likely cause is a snake bite.
She came into our lives like a bolt of lightning, shining brilliantly for just a moment, leaving her presence burned into our minds. We are content that we gave her the best life that we could and sad that we couldn’t say goodbye. We know that she will be playing forever in the garden of our memories
The Kaya Lacemaker
10″ x 8″ Acrylic on card
On the little side lane that leads into the old town from the ancient water fountain in Kayakoyyou will find this lady. She moves up and down the lane, seeming to occupy in a different position whenever I see her. I assume she lives in one of the nearby cottages and seeks out some shade and a bit of breeze. This is not a busy spot so she sits placidly among the chickens and cats and quietly pursues her craft making lace and jewellery. I’d like to say I painted this plein air but the 40 C temperatures dictated a quick photo and work later in the studio
Sovalye Island 2
10″ x 8″ Acrylic on card
It’s been an eventful week, our 6 day sailing trip to Kas curtailed by the stomach bug that’s going around. So although we’ve been out of action I managed to paint this alternative Sovalye Island view eliminating the greens and yellows but still portraying an old house on an island, I like it but appreciation is scarce.
After many weeks work, I also managed to complete, pack and send, on it’s long journey to Australia, a large wedding portrait of my niece Caroline and Jon. As it’s a surprise I can’t publish until it arrives so more on that to come.
Sovalye Island cottage
10″ x 8″ Acrylic on card
Just offshore lıes Şovalye Island. running North-South with Calis beach a stone’s throw from the Northern tip and the main Fethiye channel to the South. Property prices on the island are astronomical by local standards, around a million pounds for a plot, but you do get relative privacy, a quiet enviroment and stunning views for your money. Personally I think a small island is great as a holiday hideaway but I couldn’t live on one. I would go insane from the condition I call the “Did you remember the milk, darling?” syndrome.
SOLD
Some time last year a local official, commenting on the dredging and bank work being carried out at the time in Çalıs, said “Soon this will be the New Venice!” I suspect he’d never been, maybe he’d heard that people visited Venice for the canals and thought we’ve got one of those here, maybe not. Well, the thick groves of rushes and bamboo have regrown along the canal banks, the frogs and fish, the egrets and kingfishers have returned, and while not exactly Venice it does have a charm of it’s own. I recalled his comment and raked out an old photo of the real thing for some indoor inspiration in the heat of midsummer.
Rory
SOLD
Rory is huge, that’s my first impression whenever I see him. Then I think, he’s nothing like a poodle apart from being woolly and he’s nothing like a labrador apart from being easy going. Rory is Rory and what a fabulous creature he is! He lives with our friends Mike and Jenny and I am posting this portrait as a thank you to them.
Cemetery Walk
10″ x 8″ Acrylic on card
To get to the hills where we normally walk our dogs you can climb up through a small cemetery. It is a place of melancholy beauty, family groups sipping çay ın among the olive trees. Wild flowers thrive among the monuments large and small framing the views above Calis and out across the Bay of Fethiye. This is my impression of the view inland as we head home on another scorching day here in Turkey.