Places - Terence Austin Artist

Places

Blue Lake

Early mist lifts over a lake near Arelho. In times of heat this lake can be little more than a watering hole. I try to capture the shadow of morning and peace and promise of a new day. Always when you do a work of this nature Monet can be felt looking over your shoulder. Oil on canvas.

Detail 1

Rambling bougainvillea sweep up an ancient wall of the old town of Óbidos. Frenetic and restless daubs of colours and tone describe the energy of nature. Detail of larger work produced on board and through acrylic washes and impasto overlay.

Monastery

The Monastery of Alcobaça stands dominant against a shower of rain and following brief burst of afternoon sun. January is often like this, a season of reflections and intense golden light. A smaller picture this one, in acrylics on canvas.

The Square

We experience many dog day afternoons of heat and late lunches here on the Silver Coast. Just don’t tell the sleeping cat in this picture because the threat of a dog is the only thing to rouse a cat from sun-induced slumber. If you gaze long enough at this painting you will hear the chirp of crickets. A very pleasing work, in an oil paint style through acrylics on white canvas.

Old Door

A lounging cat casts a languid look at you from her lair. Behind the door lives her tribe of kittens which are fed and watered by the locals. This is a sight which is very common in Portugal. Stray cats and dogs are everywhere. This is a study in sepia and ivory black tinted acrylics, a very large work on canvas.

Fields

Portugal can be very pyrotechnic. Fields of intense hues rise up in the space of days and you can witness this floral spectacle on the many forest walks available here. This work conveys rich colour contrasting with elements of deep shadows of the eucalyptus trees. They are set against rich thick layers of impasto flowers in pinks and chrome greens. This is a large acrylic painting on canvas with a note of mystery.

Arelho Awe

Above the swathes of flower fields of late spring sits the village of Arelho. I have often passed this site and thought how to bring these two elements together on canvas. One lucky day I saw two distant figures and after a couple of quick sketches I had found a focal point to develop the ensemble into a painting. A dappled and stippled work was born of yellow ochre intensity through acrylic paint on white linen canvas.

Barrantes

A lazy labrador lazes in a garden in the village of Barrantes. There are some incredible gardens to be discovered on the Silver Coast and the rare micro-climate plays host to many exotic and delicate flowers. This is a smallish work in acrylic with a touch of whimsy, depicted on white canvas.

Enchanted

An Antipodean client of mine wanted a contemporary evocation of her love of eucalyptus forests found so frequently in her native Australia. Perhaps this was a cherished memory of past times? I loved painting this huge triptych in acrylics on canvas. It combines my client’s love of eucalyptus trees and my adoration of water reflections. It makes a splendid focal point over her staircase.

The Climber

A very old and lonely Portuguese matriarch figure makes it to the brow of a hill in São Martinho do Porto. The incline is steep but has been beaten with the assistance of steps worn smooth by the passage of time. This is a symbolic picture about age and time. It was painted on canvas with acrylics.

Óbidos Vista 1

Wild flowers, some in shadow and a high wide vista of the town of Óbidos in early afternoon sunlight. An idyllic vision painted on canvas with acrylics.

Óbidos Vista 2

An Óbidos backwater, there are plenty like this to be seen. Beyond are the encompassing city walls and white cottages that bake in the afternoon heat. A work painted on canvas in acrylics.

Óbidos 5

Away from the crowds, a sweeping bush of crimson bougainvillea frames a distant church bearing up under the midday sun. A square format painting has been produced in acrylics on canvas.

Óbidos 3

A large panoramic view is painted from high. It features the encompassing distant verdant fields surrounding the town of Óbidos. Look and listen out for the tolling of the church bell. This is a large painting on canvas produced in acrylics.

Óbidos 4

Look closely and be impressed by the daring cat on the roof tiles of a house in Óbidos. Oblivious to the drop it takes a siesta and time to warm up on a spring afternoon. This picture was painted on canvas with acrylic paints.

Óbidos 2

Just below the city walls, muddled cottages and Romeo and Julietesque balconies can be found in Óbidos. Through these streets that time forgot you can often see children running to squeeze the last action out of the day before dinner.

Óbidos Vista 4

Wild flowers, swaying Cyprus green trees, coral pink roofs, white hot and blue shadowed walls and a castle perched on a distant hill. This is Óbidos what a splendour, and what a treasure for any artist. This is a work made in square format painted in acrylics on a white canvas.

Óbidos Walls 1

A view from outside the ancient city walls of Óbidos. The explosion of wild fields of flowers is a fantastic attraction to anyone who takes the time for a jaunt and circumnavigates the town. This work was a pleasure to do it is a painting created in acrylics on white canvas.

Fields of Gold

A carpet of wild flowers surrounds the distant view of the walls of Óbidos. Nature´s fireworks are in full view as a withering artist endures the heat and dust of the day to capture the spectacle. This is a large painting produced with acrylics and laid down on tinted canvas.

Windmill 1

The Atlantic coast of Spain and Portugal has always braced itself against the elements of sea and wind. It has also been a long practice to collect the abundant energy offered and today I like to visit old windmills which are picturesque reminders of times past. This windmill stands above São Martinho in the village of Venda Nova. The picture is painted in acrylics on canvas.

Windmill 2

Some windmills in the region stand alone while some can be incorporated into properties in gardens or even are connected features of homes. This one is near to where I live in Tornada. I always love to paint a windmill set against a cloudy sky much in the manner of many Dutch and English paintings from the past. It is another work in acrylic on canvas.

Windmill 3

This windmill peeps over a ridge of rock on the beautiful coastal road between São Martinho do Porto and the fishing town of Nazaré. There is always freshness and colour here with brightly coloured chrome yellow flowers growing amongst the gorse and movement from a constant breeze. This is a larger canvas painted in acrylics.

Windmill 5

Fresh and rich colour is always an attraction to me. So is the contrast created by juxtaposition of dark set against light. I found it all in this place set above the tranquil town of Salir do Porto. A small box canvas painted in acrylics.

Windmill 6

A lone figure wearing a straw hat kicks up the sand on the dunes of Salir do Porto. In the background of the painting featured against the skyline is a fine example of the many windmills of the region. This is a portrait format work in acrylic on canvas.