Alan McGinn

Pardon the pun. Started a book of cat doodles. Other animals may be involved.

Thanks Steve.

Thank you.

Farm Machinery, St John's Chapel, Co Durham. Oil on canvas. My first plein-air competition, had no idea what to expect and got 3rd prize.

Found this little painting of St Nicholas aka Newcastle Cathedral I did sometime in the late 90s. #Newcastle #StNicholas #oilpainting #urbanlandscape

Leave your smartphone at home, take your sketchbook instead, and you can get engrossed in other people getting engrossed in their smartphones. #smartphone #peoplewatching #sketchbook #drawing

B. Cat on the car is such a strong image, and loaded with meaning.

Dog walk, couple of pints, a bit crack with the Wednesday evening crew and a portrait. Not too shabby for a Wednesday night. Danny sitting at the bar. #pubdrawing #Pencildrawing #supportyourlocal #portrait

Big Dave drives a pickup truck for picking up trucks. Ron Perry services, A19 northbound. Watching people coming and going. Conversations in the rain. Filling cars with fuel and and themselves with garage snacks. #Drawing #peoplewatching #A19 #sketchbook

Band rehearsal today. I think I'll take these two out today. #Gibson #Elderwood #Marshall #Supportlivemusic

Thank you, kind sir.

Finished: Corporation Terrace, Trimdon Grange, oil on canvas, 10 x 12 inches. Commissioned by a Canadian lady who's father lived on that street and recently moved to Canada. This will be a present for his 80th birthday. #pleinair #CoDurham #landscapepainter #oilpainting
@grimartgroup.bsky.social

Thank you. I don't think it needs much else. It's a commission so I want to get it right, but not take too long about it.

Work in progress. Not sure about this one. Bright sunlight creates a lot of strong contrasts and I was getting lost in an entanglement of big old Hawthorn. I'll get back there this afternoon. I also need some easel maintenance. #WIP #pleinair #oilpaint

Made a start to this little commission. This style of terrace in Trimdon Grange is ubiquitous to the former pit villages of Co Durham. #pleinair #oilpainting #CoDurham #landscapepainting

Thanks. I appreciate all the feedback.

This weekend, I published my website and bought a car. The two things are not related. www.alanmcginn.co.uk

Wi tippeny be we fear nae evil;
wi usquebae, we'll face the devil.

Finished this. The Insanity of Cars; Middlesbrough Flyover at Rush Hour. Oil on canvas. 12 x 16 #urbanlandscape #Rushhour #Middlesbrough #oiloncanvas #Northbound #Teesside

Thanks Shelly, I appreciate that.

Thought I should put a bit more energy into getting my paintings back out into the world. Taking a punt on the Cass Art prize with this one. #CassArt #oilpainting #artist #exhibition #DH7 #CoDurham

Another session on this one this evening. I think it's there. It'll sit on my mantle piece for a wee while and I'll spot anything that needs more work, but I'm happy with it for now. #WIP #pleinair #oilpainting #urbanlandscapepainting #DH7 #ushawmoor #CoDurham

Evening sun in #DH7 Stopping now as the light has already changed too much. I'll come back for another session soon. #pleinairpainting #oilpaint #urbanlandscape #CoDurham

Spaces and places #sketchbookpage #mixedmediaart #abstractart #sketchbookart #markmaking #artsky

A DH7 landmark, The Blue Hut, once a Chinese Takeaway, previously a Fish & Chip shop. Since painting, it has changed again. Started on a sunny April morning in 2023; finished this year. It sometimes takes a while. Oil on canvas board, 12 x 16 inches. #Oilpaint #CoDurham #pleinair #urbanlandscape

Five O'clock Shadow in Durham. Oil on canvas board, 12 x 16 inches. #pleinairpainting #urbanlandscapepainting #oilpainting #CoDurham #Durham #DurhamCastle @grimartgroup.bsky.social

I like that - it reminds me of the interior paintings of Anthony Green.

My Beautiful Neighbourhood. Flass Corner, Ushaw Moor, oil on canvas 16 x 20 inches. #CoDurham #Durham #pleinair #landscapepainter #oiloncanvas #urbanlandscape #DH7 @grimartgroup.bsky.social

I suppose that style of bridge is rathe ubiquitous in the UK. I remember one in Ayrshire back in the 70s where someone had leaned over and spayed "SNP" on it, but got the N backwards, and it as known locally for decades as the SNP bridge until it collapsed in 2009. I wonder if that was prophetic?

Thomas the busker, on Framwellgate Bridge last Sunday. #keepstreetslive #supportlivemusic #urbanlandscape #pleinair #oilpainting #busking #Durham #CoDurham