Welcome to Fiona Peart’s website

Welcome to my website, the aims of which are to inspire you to be creative.

You will find information

that you can watch.
I hope you find the site easy to navigate. You can either use the task bar at the top of the page and click on the section you wish to view, or put the cursor over sections within each page and follow the links as the words are highlighted.

I am a professional artist, I paint full time as well as demonstrate at Art Shows and exhibitions throughout the country, you can also see me on SKY TV
Specialising in watercolour, I also paint, teach and demonstrate acylics, acrylic inks and pastels.

There are a number of paintings in the Gallery many of the techniques used in these are taught in my workshops. I have produced various instructional DVDs to help amateur painters improve their techniques some of these you will find in the Shop.
I also write regularly for Leisure Painter magazine. I am currently working on my sixth Watercolour book. My first entitled 30 minute Watercolours, was published by Harper Collins, the following all published by Search Press, How to paint Water Colour Washes, Ready to paint Vibrant Flowers,
Charles Rennie Mackintosh and my latest book, Ready To Paint Tulips is now available.
Look out for these in the SHOP section of this site.

I spend as much time as I can painting, and most recently I have been working on a series of paintings on canvas based on the play of light reflecting off water which emphasises the vibrant colours within my subjects.
I visited Cromer last summer and completed a series of bold sketches and outdoor studies in watercolour before committing myself to canvas. I particularly enjoyed the cool morning light which has resulted in my painting a series of the crab fishermen. Look out for the article in Leisure Painter magazine later in 2012 showing you the process I used to paint this painting.

West Mersea was my next inspiration, I spent two days walking and sketching there. I made a series of studies of the Oyster fishermen, loading, unloading and washing the Oysters.

There is a wonderful little place on the sea front which sells fresh Oysters which are delicious.
West Mersea has a Yacht Club, and watching the sailing dingeys coming into harbour at the end of a glorious days sail is such a wonderful sight. I sketched and photographed the fleeting light on the day and was lucky enough to get onto the slipway at just the perfect time when people were finishing for the day.
This has resulted in my completing a series of paintings which emphasise the conterchange of the warm evening light, the boats in the bay and figures on the slipway. 

I have recently returned from Weymouth where I was lucky enough to have a sunny couple of days, so my newest paintings are of boats in the harbour there. I sat and sketched some street scenes, figures and dogs to the live music from the bars and cafes in the harbour. Another superb place here in the UK. I am spoilt for choice. 

Painting outdoors allows me to soak up the atmosphere. At a new location I usually allow myself a maximum of 2 hours, any more than this and the light changes too much. I spend a good 20 minutes just looking before I put a mark on the paper. If I am painting in the village I can begin amongst a bustling crowd of visitors and by the time I am ready to walk back home the village is almost deserted. If I need more time I return the next day at the same time of day to ensure the light is the same. 
This painting location is just on the approach to the  bridge outside the Motor Museum in Bourton-on-the-Water at around 4pm, the shadows are getting a bit too long to continue and although the figures in my painting are placed, the people have long gone.

This is the finished painting done on March 23rd and 24th  2012