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Alan McGinn

@ahmcginn.bsky.social

Artist, mainly painting, among other things. Looking for beauty and meaning in the familiar and the everyday. Penchant for loud guitars and the occasional good whisky. No NFTs, so don't ask. https://alanski.blogspot.com/

373 Followers  |  286 Following  |  246 Posts  |  Joined: 20.11.2024  |  1.7477

Latest posts by ahmcginn.bsky.social on Bluesky

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

02.09.2025 06:29 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Thanks Steve.

31.07.2025 10:54 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Thank you.

31.07.2025 10:54 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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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.

29.07.2025 15:57 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 33    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Found this little painting of St Nicholas aka Newcastle Cathedral I did sometime in the late 90s. #Newcastle #StNicholas #oilpainting #urbanlandscape

04.06.2025 12:00 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 15    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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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

02.06.2025 12:52 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 10    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

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

02.06.2025 12:51 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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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

28.05.2025 20:38 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 10    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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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

27.05.2025 18:19 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 6    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Band rehearsal today. I think I'll take these two out today. #Gibson #Elderwood #Marshall #Supportlivemusic

26.05.2025 11:56 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Thank you, kind sir.

23.05.2025 22:55 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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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

23.05.2025 18:38 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 43    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

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.

23.05.2025 08:48 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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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

23.05.2025 04:48 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 35    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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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

21.05.2025 18:35 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 20    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Thanks. I appreciate all the feedback.

19.05.2025 09:44 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Home | My Site

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

18.05.2025 17:59 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Wi tippeny be we fear nae evil;
wi usquebae, we'll face the devil.

17.05.2025 20:37 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Finished this. The Insanity of Cars; Middlesbrough Flyover at Rush Hour. Oil on canvas. 12 x 16 #urbanlandscape #Rushhour #Middlesbrough #oiloncanvas #Northbound #Teesside

16.05.2025 18:55 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 12    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Thanks Shelly, I appreciate that.

15.05.2025 21:19 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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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

15.05.2025 10:03 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 36    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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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

14.05.2025 18:06 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 29    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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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

13.05.2025 19:12 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 9    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Spaces and places #sketchbookpage #mixedmediaart #abstractart #sketchbookart #markmaking #artsky

11.05.2025 00:03 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 67    ๐Ÿ” 5    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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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

10.05.2025 16:36 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 32    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Five O'clock Shadow in Durham. Oil on canvas board, 12 x 16 inches. #pleinairpainting #urbanlandscapepainting #oilpainting #CoDurham #Durham #DurhamCastle @grimartgroup.bsky.social

08.05.2025 10:52 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 9    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

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

07.05.2025 04:55 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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My Beautiful Neighbourhood. Flass Corner, Ushaw Moor, oil on canvas 16 x 20 inches. #CoDurham #Durham #pleinair #landscapepainter #oiloncanvas #urbanlandscape #DH7 @grimartgroup.bsky.social

05.05.2025 17:46 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 30    ๐Ÿ” 5    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

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?

04.05.2025 18:11 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Thomas the busker, on Framwellgate Bridge last Sunday. #keepstreetslive #supportlivemusic #urbanlandscape #pleinair #oilpainting #busking #Durham #CoDurham

04.05.2025 18:04 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 10    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

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